Gender differences in target throwing skills and dart playing performance: evidence from elite dart players

PhD thesis


Duffy, L. 2002. Gender differences in target throwing skills and dart playing performance: evidence from elite dart players. PhD thesis Middlesex University Health and Social Sciences
TypePhD thesis
TitleGender differences in target throwing skills and dart playing performance: evidence from elite dart players
AuthorsDuffy, L.
Abstract

A series of experimental and quasi-experimental research were conducted to investigate gender differences and differences across levels of skill amongst elite dart players.
Experiments 1 and 1a employed an identical experimental setting and were designed to investigate gender differences in target throwing accuracy and attitudes towards target throwing among undergraduate students and elite dart players. A further aim was to investigate differences between level of skill for the elite players. Results showed an overall significant superiority for men in target throwing accuracy, moreover, analyses of questionnaire data found significant gender differences in attitudes towards target throwing.
Experiment 2 examined whether gender differences in target throwing accuracy may be eliminated if elite dart players undertook the same target throwing task as in Experiment 1 a using their non-preferred hand. The results of Experiment 2 showed that when using their non-preferred hand gender differences in target throwing accuracy were eliminated.
In Study 1 data from the same elite dart players employed in Experiments 1 a and 2 were correlated with archival data, in the form of single dart averages, taken from a 'real world' dart playing environment. A strong relationship was found between the two dependent measures for the men's data whereas results for women, although in the same direction, did not reach statistical significance.
Using single dart averages as the dependent measure, Study 2 investigated the extent of gender differences across three levels of skill. Results showed that the extent of gender differences was far-reaching with data from the lowest skill level of men players 8 being significantly superior to that of the highest skill level for women players. There were also uniformly predictable significant within gender differences for men across levels of skill but, interestingly, this was not the case for women.
Study 3 explored whether physical and experiential factors, namely, height, arm length and career span may have an impact on the significant gender differences found in dart playing performance. Analysis of the data found that even when physical and experiential factors were controlled for there were still significant gender differences in dart playing performance.
By way of an ex-post facto research approach Study 4 employed a semi-structured interview technique, similar to that used by Ericsson, Krampe and Tesch-Romer (1993), the aim of which was to investigate the development of elite dart players representing two levels of skill. The results revealed no significant differences on demographic variables namely, age, starting age and career span. Variables related to particular dart playing activities were also investigated. In brief, results showed evidence to suggest that deliberate practice could account for differences in performance across levels of skill but not for the superiority of men over women.
Implications of these findings and suggestions for follow up research are discussed.

Department nameHealth and Social Sciences
Institution nameMiddlesex University
Publication dates
Print18 Jul 2013
Publication process dates
Deposited18 Jul 2013
CompletedMay 2002
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Additional information

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology.

LanguageEnglish
Permalink -

https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/840vq

Download files


Accepted author manuscript
  • 8647
    total views
  • 683
    total downloads
  • 65
    views this month
  • 5
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

The complexity of obesity
Drury, T., Whiteman, S. and Duffy, L. 2020. The complexity of obesity. City Fiction.
The effect of skill level on darts throwers’ use of different mental skills
Shahabi Haseb, M., Duffy, L., Mehranian, A. and Aminaee, A. 2019. The effect of skill level on darts throwers’ use of different mental skills. International Journal of Motor Control and Learning. 2 (3), pp. 3-12. https://doi.org/10.29252/ijmcl.2.3.3
There's a beautiful game in social isolation [Blog post]
Duffy, L. and Baluch, B. 2020. There's a beautiful game in social isolation [Blog post]. online platform based in the United Kingdom Psychreg.
I just can't let them go: Dartitis is an extremely debilitating disorder [Blog post]
Duffy, L. 2019. I just can't let them go: Dartitis is an extremely debilitating disorder [Blog post]. online platform based in the United Kingdom Psychreg.
Rugby as a rehabilitation program in a United Kingdom male young offenders' institution: key findings and implications from mixed methods research
Welland, S., Duffy, L. and Baluch, B. 2020. Rugby as a rehabilitation program in a United Kingdom male young offenders' institution: key findings and implications from mixed methods research. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 16 (1), pp. 78-87. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1938726.363
Defining extreme sport: conceptions and misconceptions
Cohen, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2018. Defining extreme sport: conceptions and misconceptions. Frontiers in Psychology. 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01974
Personality differences amongst drag racers and archers: implications for sport injury rehabilitation
Cohen, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2018. Personality differences amongst drag racers and archers: implications for sport injury rehabilitation. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 14 (5), pp. 783-790. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1836350.175
A cross-continental study on children's drawings of football players: implications for understanding key issues and controversies in human figure drawings
Baluch, B., Duffy, L., Badami, R. and Pereira, E. 2017. A cross-continental study on children's drawings of football players: implications for understanding key issues and controversies in human figure drawings. Europe’s Journal of Psychology. 13 (3), pp. 455-471. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v13i3.1237
Effects of physical activity on debilitating behaviours in 13- to 20-year-old males with severe autism spectrum disorder
Duffy, L., Baluch, B., Welland, S. and Raman, E. 2017. Effects of physical activity on debilitating behaviours in 13- to 20-year-old males with severe autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation. 13 (3), pp. 340-347. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1734960.480
Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters
Heydari, H., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2014. Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 2 (4), pp. 89-102. https://doi.org/10.14486/ijscs214
The perception of same gender coaches by Iranian skaters and its influence on sport achievement motivation and commitment
Homayoni Izad, N., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2016. The perception of same gender coaches by Iranian skaters and its influence on sport achievement motivation and commitment. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 4 (1), pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.14486/IntJSCS489
Depressive symptoms in cricketers: the relationship with neuroticism, fear of failure and emotional intelligence
Newman, H. and Duffy, L. 2015. Depressive symptoms in cricketers: the relationship with neuroticism, fear of failure and emotional intelligence. 14th European Congress of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC Congress 2015). Bern, Switzerland 14 - 19 Jul 2015 University of Bern, Institut of Sport Science. pp. 370
Darts
Duffy, L., Dodo, Z., Zekic, J., Jovanovic, M. and Sporiš, G. 2015. Darts. in: Darts Croatian Darts Federation.
Children’s drawings of world cup football players: a cross-continental study
Duffy, L., Baluch, B., Badami, R. and Pereira, E. 2014. Children’s drawings of world cup football players: a cross-continental study. in: The British Psychological Society Developmental Conference Amsterdam BPS.
Social facilitation and individual performance - an investigation of dart players
Duffy, L. and Steinberg, H. 1996. Social facilitation and individual performance - an investigation of dart players. in: British Psychological Society Sport and Exercise Section Workshop BPS.
Factors affecting the structure and acquisition of expert performance in sport: evidence from darts
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 1999. Factors affecting the structure and acquisition of expert performance in sport: evidence from darts. in: Factors Affecting the Structure and Acquisition of Expert Performance in Sport: Evidence from Darts. V1 European Congress of Psychology.
The nature of gender differences in dart performance.
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 2001. The nature of gender differences in dart performance. in: Proceedings of the 10th. World Congress of Sport Psychology. World Congress of Spoprt Psychology.
Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior, and personality traits
Baluch, B., Randhawa, G., Holmes, S. and Duffy, L. 2001. Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior, and personality traits. The Journal of Social Psychology. 141 (1), pp. 124-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224540109600530
Children's memory for television advertising: effects of programme-advertisement congruency
Gunter, B., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Furnham, A. 2002. Children's memory for television advertising: effects of programme-advertisement congruency. Applied Cognitive Psychology. 16 (2), pp. 171-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.776
In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing
Duffy, L., Ericsson, A. and Baluch, B. 2007. In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 78 (2), pp. 71-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2007.10599405
Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters
Heydari, H., Badami, R., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2014. Dropout reasons in Iranian youth roller skaters. International journal of Science Culture and Sport. 2 (4), pp. 89-102. https://doi.org/10.14486/IJSCS214
Human figure drawings by children in hospital and mainstream schools
Nyman, K., Baluch, B. and Duffy, L. 2011. Human figure drawings by children in hospital and mainstream schools. International Journal of Health Promotion and Education. 49 (1), pp. 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/14635240.2011.10708203
British and Indian attitudes toward ‘Western’ counselling: a quantitative comparative study
Syed, S., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Verma, V. 2012. British and Indian attitudes toward ‘Western’ counselling: a quantitative comparative study. Counselling psychology quarterly. 25 (1), pp. 63-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515070.2012.664959
Dart performance as a function of facets of practice amongst professional and amateur men and women players
Duffy, L., Baluch, B. and Ericsson, K. 2004. Dart performance as a function of facets of practice amongst professional and amateur men and women players. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 35 (3), pp. 232-245.
Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior and personality traits
Baluch, B., Randhawa, G., Holmes, S. and Duffy, L. 2001. Signing the organ donor card: the relationship between expressed attitude, the actual behavior and personality traits. Journal of Social Psychology. 14 (1), pp. 124-126.
Children’s memory for television advertising: effects of programme–advertisement congruency.
Gunter, B., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Furnham, A. 2002. Children’s memory for television advertising: effects of programme–advertisement congruency. Applied Cognitive Psychology. 16 (2), pp. 171-190. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.776
In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing: the effects of physical size and differential recruitment rates on high levels of dart performance.
Duffy, L., Ericsson, K. and Baluch, B. 2007. In search of the loci for sex differences in throwing: the effects of physical size and differential recruitment rates on high levels of dart performance. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 78 (1), pp. 71-78.
Drawings of self and best friend by children undergoing dialysis
Nyman, K., Baluch, B., Duffy, L. and Shinebourne, P. 2011. Drawings of self and best friend by children undergoing dialysis. Education and Health. 29 (1).
Home field advantage: does anxiety contribute?
Duffy, L. and Hinwood, D. 1997. Home field advantage: does anxiety contribute? Perceptual and Motor Skills. 84 (1), pp. 283-286. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1997.84.1.283