Improved curveball hitting through the enhancement of visual cues.

Morris et al. (1990) painted orange stripes on baseball seams. They wanted to see if brighter seams help varsity batters hit curveballs. The coach threw marked and unmarked balls in mixed sets. Each swing counted as a trial.

Batters made contact more often when the ball carried orange stripes. The gain showed up right away and held across practice sessions. Plain balls produced fewer hits.

Bennett et al. (1973) found a handbill prompt raised returnable-bottle choices by about 25%. Both studies show a simple visual cue lifts adult performance in real tasks. The cue, not the setting, drives the change.

Ozen et al. (2022) and Lincoln et al. (1988) used the same alternating-treatments design to compare prompting tactics. They taught children with disabilities new skills. K et al. moves that design into sport with neurotypical adults and still sees quick gains.

Houten (1988) painted advance stop lines on a highway. The lines plus a sign cut pedestrian-vehicle conflicts by 80%. Like the orange seams, a small visual tweak created a big safety payoff.

You can boost skill accuracy tomorrow by adding a visual prompt. Mark targets, paths, or tools with tape, paint, or stickers. Start with one client, one task, and measure hits or correct responses. If the cue works, fade it gradually to keep the gain.