Abstract
Performance characteristics of leather and synthetic basketballs were examined by measuring the basketballs' rebound heights on five types of playing surfaces (Tartan, asphalt, glass, concrete, hardwood). Comparing the basketballs' performance on the basis of their coefficients of restitution (e = height of rebound/height of drop) analysis of variance showed that the leather basketball rebounded significantly higher than the synthetic basketball on all surfaces. To assess the capability of individuals to discriminate perceptually between the balls 30 male and 30 female undergraduates were asked to determine whether basketballs randomly presented 20 times under four different treatment conditions (visual, tactual-kinesthetic static, tactual-kinesthetic dynamic, auditory) were leather or synthetic. Chi squared analysis of their accuracy across all four perceptual modes showed no significant difference. However, analysis by perceptual mode did produce significant differences, indicating subjects were more accurate in identification in the tactual-kinesthetic dynamic and static modes than in the visual and auditory.