Comparing the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality and non-immersive video in memorizing soccer tactics: the influence of visuospatial abilities
Hatem Ben Mahfoudh, Bachir Zoudji · Interactive Learning Environments · 2025
Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being used for sports purposes, including tactical learning. However, the instructional efficiency of this emerging technology, when considering learners' cognitive abilities, remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of immersive VR and non-immersive video in memorizing soccer tactics based on learners' visuospatial abilities (VSA). The experiment involved a group of fifty-two soccer beginners. Initially, participants' VSA were assessed using a computerized test. Subsequently, participants were tasked with memorizing and then reproducing tactical soccer scenes in immersive (VR) and non-immersive (video) formats. Findings first revealed that beginners benefited more from classic video than VR to memorize the scene. Second, VSA played a key role in the memorization of the scenes. Third, a significant interaction revealed that beginners with high-VSA benefited more from less immersion and the reduction of irrelevant details present in the conventional video than low-VSA. Findings suggest that coaches should pay attention when using new technologies such as VR as it can hinder beginners' learning progress and efficiency. Furthermore, coaches must consider individuals' level of VSA when selecting the appropriate visualization to improve their communication and learning sessions.