Functional features of the visual sensory system of female football referees

The studies presented in the professional literature reveal the features of the psychophysiological qualities of football referees and their compliance with performed professional activities. The functional characteristics of visual analysis and synthesis are mentioned as one of the essential psychophysiological qualities. They enroll only male referees to participate in the study, while there is a growing number of female referees successfully performing at the highest level up to the world championships. The purpose of this study was to determine the functioning features of the visual sensory system of the female football referees. The study involved 12 female and 12 male football referees. We considered eye estimation, perception of visual spatial relations, visual field limits, image recognition of varying complexity degrees as the functional characteristics of the visual analyzer. The research revealed functional differences in the visual sensory system of male and female football referees. Male referees have the higher accuracy of eye estimation, better spatial perception, they need less time to solve complicated visual tasks, and the superiority of male referees grows in proportion to the task complexity. Unlike the females, males are able to develop richer visual image featured by the most delicate analysis of various physical stimulus parameters. Female referees have a wider visual field. That means that a female referee is able to see wider part of the football field, improve control over the players’ actions, and make prompt decisions in certain game situations. Besides, female referees have a higher level of fatigue resistance of central mechanisms of the visual analyzer.

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