Visual Search, Pupillary Response, and Scoring Differences Between Expert and Novice Judges in Artistic Swimming: An Exploratory Study.

This study investigates differences in visual attention, cognitive effort, and scoring between expert and novice artistic swimming (AS) judges during the evaluation of two AS figures: Straight Ballet Leg and Rio. Using eye-tracking and pupillometry, expert judges demonstrated more focused visual fixations on relevant athlete body areas—particularly the upper limbs—fewer fixations outside the athlete's body, greater pupil diameter variability indicative of higher cognitive load, and assigned higher scores compared to novices. Both groups adjusted their gaze according to figure-specific technical demands, fixating more on upper limbs for Rio and lower limbs for Straight Ballet Leg. These findings highlight that expertise in AS judging is associated with more efficient visual search strategies and cognitive engagement, which influence scoring accuracy and suggest potential avenues for targeted judge training.