Abstract: In orienteering, the map-reading efficiency of orienteers determines the outcome of competition. It is necessary for orienteers to identify map symbols and colors selectively, so as to plan routes. The visual search characteristics of orienteers in map reading directly affect orienteers' mapreading decision performance, and it is important for scientific training that understands the visual search characteristics of high-level orienteers in map reading and formulate special training schemes on map reading. With the development of eye-movement technology, orienteers' visual search strategies can be studied through eye-movement mode. Athletes have different visual search behaviors in different events where there are different special characteristics. Due to different task orientation of special map reading in orienteering, it can be divided into two methods of map reading: general map reading and accurate map reading. Therefore, what kind of visual search strategy does different task orientation lead to? Moreover, previous studies have found that task difficulty would affect the processing depth and understanding of subjects on stimulative materials, and also affect their information processing strategies. Under the condition of different map-reading methods, what is the impact of task difficulty on visual search strategies? In this experiment, 29 male orienteering athletes of the national orienteering team are selected. Their average age is 21.6 years old; their sports level is master's degree or above, and their experiences of sports all extend for over 6 years. Use 2 (map difficulty: simple and complex) × 2 (map-reading method: accurate map reading and general map reading) within-subject design. The dependent variable indicators are the subjects’ route decision accuracy, reaction time, fixation times, fixation frequency, saccade distance, and fixation trajectory when reading the map. Each trial consists of two stages: route planning and route sweeping. The screen first shows the instruction, and then a 500ms fixation appears. Afterwards, a random orienteering map appears. After the planning is completed, press the "space bar" and the map disappears. Another 200ms fixation then appears, looking at the same map in the route planning stage. At this time, the subject is asked to quickly scan with his eyes on the map according to the route just planned. After scanning, press the "space bar" to end, and enter the next trial. There is a total of 48 trials in this experiment. Their eye movements are recorded with Eyelink1000 plus eye tracker. The findings of this study are as follows: as the map becomes more difficult, the map-reading accuracy of orienteers decreases (p<.001), and the reaction time of general map reading increases (p<.001). Compared with simple maps, orienteering athletes have longer fixation time when observing complex maps (p<.001), lower fixation frequency (p<.001), and shorter saccade distances (p<.001). Compared with accurate map reading, they tend to have more fixation time (p<.001), higher fixation frequency (p<.001) and greater saccade distance (p<.001). In the process of general map reading, the orienteering athlete searches forward from the starting point under simple map conditions, whereas they search forward from the end point under complex map conditions, with a large and scattered gaze area. In the process of accurately reading the map, whether it is a simple map or a complex map, the orienteering athlete first searches the control description table of the control point and the end point, and the attention area is small and concentrated. We can draw the following conclusion: the difficulty of maps restricts the map-reading decision performance of orienteers. The visual search characteristics of orienteers are affected by the ways of map reading and the difficulty of maps, which lead to different visual search strategies.

Key words: orienteering, map reading ways, visual search, difficulty of maps

摘要： 目的：研究旨在探究定向运动员在识别定向运动地图时的决策绩效与视觉搜索特征。方法：研究采用组内设计，操控地图难度（简单和复杂）和运动员识图方式（精确识图和概略识图）对高水平定向运动员进行实验研究。结果：（1）随着地图难度的加大，定向运动员识图准确性下降，概略识图反应时增加。（2）识图时，简单地图比复杂地图注视频率和眼跳距离更大，注视次数更少；概略识图比精确识图注视次数更多、注视频率更高、眼跳距离更大；概略识图时，简单地图条件下运动员从起点开始正向搜索，复杂地图条件下从终点开始逆向搜索，注视区域面积大且分散；精确识图时，无论是简单地图还是复杂地图，所有运动员均首先搜索检查点说明表和终点，注视区域面积小且集中。结论：地图难度制约着定向运动员的识图决策绩效。定向运动员识图的视觉搜索特征受识图方式与地图难度影响，表现出不同的视觉搜索策略。

关键词: 定向运动, 识图方式, 视觉搜索, 地图难度