1Fakultet za sport i fizičko vaspitanje Nikšić
THE INFLUENCE OF AUTONOMOUS DIVING ON SENSES AND MENTAL PROCESSES
UTICAJ AUTONOMNOG RONJENJA NA ČULA I MENTALNE PROCESE
Sport Mont 2010, VIII(23-24),
104-110
Diving is classified within a group of sports accompanied with an increased
risk, yet it is a sport of full biological significance. Diving implies change of immediate
human environment. Water, as the natural ambient for diving issues specific demands
to the organism, which in turn influence decrease in psychophysical abilities when underwater,
and in some instances, immediately after emerging from it. The most important
factors influencing decrease in psychophysical abilities are: immersion, increased
ambient pressure, characteristics of diving equipment and atmosphere separation. The
senses and the mental processes of the diver are significantly altered during the autonomous
diving. Loss of self-weight perception and pressure put on joints cause disorders
in function of kinesthetic senses and vestibular apparatus, which in turn becomes
reflected on proprioception. Coldness of water, especially at grater depths, induces
decline in pain sensation as well as in aptness and mobility of fingers. Sight
remains normal, but the image received is slightly changed due to refraction of light on
boundary surfaces. Visual field is narrowed down to fit the limited diving mask field of
view. At the same time, diffusion of light and color absorption brings about the loss of
both ability to perceive things and contrasts when at depths .Objects tend to appear
bigger and closer underwater. Hearing is changed owing to the fact that the sound is
not carried through the air but through the water, yet the speed of transmission causes
only slight difference of left and right ear stimulation. Mental processes, informationassessment, creation of clear mental images of the actual moment, abstract thinking,
decision making, etc. are not effective and precise. This state can be partly ascribed to
the above mentioned problems with senses, partly to the greater influence of emotional
as opposed to rational, but also to the narcotic effect of nitrogen that is produced while
diving with the compressed air diving apparatus at a certain depth, and which becomes
more pronounced as the depth increases. diving, perception, mental processes
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