Is the perception of intent by association football officials influenced by video playback speed?

Abstract

Recent research on motion perception indicates that when we view actions in slow-motion, the perceived degree of intent behind those actions can increase. Slow-motion replays are widely used in the checking and review of refereeing decisions by video assistant referees (VAR) in association football. To test whether the decisions of referees are subject to such a bias, 80 elite English professional football officials made decisions about 60 incidents recorded in professional European leagues (recorded as fouls, yellow-card offences or red-card offences by the on-field referee). Both real-time (1×) and slow-motion (0.25×) playback speeds were used. Participants had no prior knowledge of the incidents, playback speeds or disciplinary sanctions relating to each clip. Three judgements were made about each incident: extent of contact, degree of intent, and disciplinary sanction. Results showed an effect of playback speed on decision-making, but not a consistent bias due to slow-motion. Instead the distinction between yellow-card and red-card offences was clearer: Under slow-motion, yellow-card incidents were judged as less severe, and red-card incidents are judged as more severe, thus enhancing the distinction between these offences. These results are inconsistent with previous scientific reports that perceived intent is heightened by slow video playback speed.