Matteo Campagna
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Better archers do not have better depth perception

1 study · 102 archers measured

ForContextAgainst19902000201020201986, for, n = 1021986, context, n = 79
Each circle is a study: its position gives the year, its row whether it is for, against or context, its size how many participants it measured. Light circles are studies on other populations or without archers.

A single study, from 1986, measured depth perception in American recurve archers of widely differing levels, from groups averaging about 1,050 FITA points up to world class, with a standard visual screening device. The result runs against the authors' own expectation: the higher the level, the lower the test score (r = -0.36 across 102 archers), with a significant difference between the four ability groups. The decline does not continue, though: the score is 5.80 in the two groups below 1,200 FITA points, 4.37 between 1,200 and 1,246 and 4.07 above that, and between the last two the difference is not significant. The authors offer two explanations. At known distances depth vision is of little use, and several top archers closed or squinted their non-sighting eye; and the strongest were also the oldest, 28 on average against 26 and 22, and depth perception may be affected by age. So the study says that shooting well does not require exceptional depth perception, not that poorer depth perception helps, and the registry holds no replication.

Also phrased as: "eyesight and archery"; "depth perception"; "binocular vision"; "stereopsis in archers"; "an eye for distance"

In practice

It is commonly assumed that a good archer needs an exceptional eye for distance as well, and that perfect binocular vision is an advantage on the shooting line.

Evidence

  • 1986
    For Archers Published later

    American recurve archers of mixed level, depth perception measured with the Bausch and Lomb Ortho-rater: the test score is negatively related to level, r = -0.36 (n = 102, p < 0.005), and the four ability groups differ (F(3,98) = 4.80, p < 0.01). The better archers do not judge depth better, and score slightly lower on the test.

    A Psychobiological Study of Archery Performance · Daniel M. Landers, Stephen H. Boutcher, Min Q. Wang

  • 1986
    Context Archers Published later

    The decline levels off: a score of 5.80 in the two groups below 1,200 FITA points, 4.37 in the 1,200 to 1,246 group and 4.07 in the 1,247 to 1,308 group, with no significant difference between the last two (Newman-Keuls at 5%). Mean age rises with level, 22, 26 and 28 years, and the authors note that several top archers closed or squinted their non-sighting eye.

    A Psychobiological Study of Archery Performance · Daniel M. Landers, Stephen H. Boutcher, Min Q. Wang

Status history

  1. 1986 Reported The only study on file measures depth perception in one hundred and two American recurve archers and finds the opposite of what its own authors expected: the higher the score level, the lower the test score, with r = -0.36. The decline stops, though: 5.80 in the two groups below 1,200 points, 4.37 and 4.07 in the two above, with no significant difference between the latter, and the strongest are also the oldest. A single cross-sectional study, running against the common idea: the claim is written in the direction of the result and takes reported.

Related

Related articles

Research lines

Cite
APA

Campagna, M. (2026). Better archers do not have better depth perception (Version 1). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/mind/depth-perception-better-archers

BibTeX
@misc{campagna2026_percezioneprofonditapunteggio,
  author = {Campagna, Matteo},
  title = {Better archers do not have better depth perception},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
  url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/mind/depth-perception-better-archers},
  note = {Version 1; accessed 2026-10-16}
}

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