Enhanced jump performance when providing augmented feedback compared to an external or internal focus of attention

While focusing attention on external cues (EF) has been shown to enhance performance track and field coaches tend to provide instructions that promote internal focus of attention (IF) during block starts. The aims of this study were to determine: (1) whether promoting EF versus IF would improve reaction time (RT) of sprinters, and (2) if changes occur at the level of central processes during movement preparation (premotor RT) or peripheral processes during movement execution (motor RT). Twelve collegiate track sprinters (age 20.8 ± 1.7) completed three testing sessions under EF, IF, and no focus instruction (NF) conditions. RT was recorded from the left and right blocks. Muscle activation time (EMG) was recorded from the vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius muscles. Mean rear foot RT was significantly shorter (p < 0.0001) under the EF (212.11 ms) compared with the IF (234.21 ms) and NF conditions (236.87 ms). Front foot RT was significantly shorter (p < 0.05) during EF (250.24 ms), compared to IF (266.98 ms) but not shorter than the NF (268.73 ms) condition. Mean premotor RT under the EF condition (157.75 ms) was significantly shorter (p < 0.001) compared with the IF (181.90 ms) and NF (173.60 ms) conditions. No differences were found in motor RT across conditions (p > 0.05). Adopting an EF improves RT during sprint starts. This improvement likely originates from a shortening in movement preparation time, as opposed to a faster excitation contraction coupling of the muscle fibers. These findings could potentially contribute to the development of new coaching methods aimed at improving the starting technique of athletes.

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Verbal Cues and Attentional Focus: A Simulated Target-Shooting Experiment

Journal of Motor Learning and Development ◽

10.1123/jmld.2016-0017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 148-159 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Louisa D. Raisbeck ◽

Jed A. Diekfuss

Keyword(s):

Attentional Focus ◽

Focus Of Attention ◽

Verbal Cues ◽

Task Load ◽

External Focus ◽

Gun Barrel ◽

Internal Focus ◽

And Performance ◽

Nasa Task Load Index ◽

Learning And Performance

Performance benefits exist for an external focus of attention compared with an internal focus of attention for performance and learning (Wulf, 2013). It is unknown, however, if varying the number of verbal cues affects learning and performance. Focus of attention and the number of verbal cues were manipulated during a simulated handgun-shooting task. For the internal focus conditions, participants were told to focus on their hand, arm, and wrist, whereas the external focus instructions were to focus on the gun, gun barrel, and gun stock. To manipulate the number of verbal cues, participants received instruction to focus on a single verbal cue or multiple verbal cues. Shooting performance was assessed at baseline, acquisition, and at two separate retention phases (immediate, delayed) that included transfer tests. Participants completed the NASA—Task Load Index to assess workload following all trials. Participants who received one verbal cue performed significantly better during immediate retention than those who received three verbal cues. Participants who used external focus of attention instructions had higher performance and reported less workload at delayed retention compared to those who used internal focus instructions. This research provides further support for the benefits of an external focus and highlights the importance of minimizing the number of verbal cues.

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Do Children Benefit External Focus of Attention as Much as Adults? A Motor Learning Study

Modern Applied Science ◽

10.5539/mas.v11n7p85 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 85 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Somaye Roshandel ◽

Hamidreza Taheri ◽

Amir Moghadam

Keyword(s):

Motor Skills ◽

Retention Test ◽

Attentional Focus ◽

Focus Of Attention ◽

Learning Study ◽

Test Results ◽

Future Studies ◽

External Focus ◽

Internal Focus ◽

And Task

Recent evidence supports advantages of an external focus of attention on learning motor skills, however, there is a need to retest these finding for children and comparing them with adults. Thus, the purpose of current study was to determine the effect of different attentional focus on learning a motor skill in children and adults. Thirty children (8-12 year) and thirty adults (25-42 years) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) Children external focus of attention (EFA), (2) Children- internal focus of attention (IFA), (3) Adults- External focus of attention (EFA), (4) Adults- internal focus of attention (IFA). Following initial instructions and task demonstration, participants performed 60 darts throwing in six blocks and 24 hours later performed 10 additional throws for retention test. Results revealed that children benefited from EFA and IFA instruction in the same manner, however, adults benefited from EFA more than IFA instruction. Future studies should continue to examine effects of different attentional focus on other skills.

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Where to Focus Attention When Performing the Jump Float Serve in Volleyball

Journal of Coaching Education ◽

10.1123/jce.3.1.56 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 56-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Vickie Grooms Denny

Keyword(s):

Focus Group ◽

Focus Of Attention ◽

Focus Attention ◽

External Focus ◽

Attention Focus ◽

College Female ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Internal Focus ◽

Post Test ◽

Sport Skills

The purpose of this study was to determine if an external attention focus was more effective than an internal attention focus for college female volleyball players practicing the complex open skill of the jump float serve. Sixteen college females with prior competitive volleyball playing experience were matched into either an internal or external attention focus group, each serving a total of 30 balls in three blocks of ten serves. After the pre-test, two days of practice and day off, a post-test was conducted for both groups. Results demonstrated a 25% improvement for the internal focus group and a 26.8% improvement for the external focus group. These results suggest that both internal and external focuses of attention are beneficial for practicing the complex jump float serve. However, a paired t-test from the improvement scores of both groups demonstrated no significant difference between the two practice conditions suggesting that either an internal focus or an external focus of attention is effective for practicing the complex jump float serve. In this particular study, external focus of attention was not found to be more effective than an internal focus of attention. Since these results do not support much of the research done with attention focus and sport skills, additional studies are needed comparing internal and external focus of attention, especially when practicing open sport skills.

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Effect of internal focus of attention with touching cue on the agonist muscle activity during exercise

10.14198/jhse.2021.16.proc2.04 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kazushige Oshita

Keyword(s):

Muscle Activity ◽

Focus Of Attention ◽

Internal Focus

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A motor imagery during blind action is guided by the same foci of attention as actual performance in a sample comprising females

International journal of psychological research ◽

10.21500/20112084.654 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 11-16

Author(s):

Bassem Khalaf

Keyword(s):

Mental Imagery ◽

Focus Of Attention ◽

Direct Role ◽

Actual Performance ◽

External Focus ◽

Deviation Measure ◽

Straight Line ◽

Internal Focus ◽

Perceptual Representations ◽

Better Than

There is strong evidence that focussing on the goal of an action improves performance relative to focussing on the concrete motor behaviours. The current study tests whether blind action guided by imagery relies on the same foci of attention. Thirty female participants took part in an experiment. In each condition there were 20 trials, they were asked to close their eyes and draw a straight line between two landmarks on a graphics tablet. We instructed them, in three conditions, to focus on (1) mental imagery of the goal landmark (external focus of attention), (2) drawing a straight line with the fingers (internal focus), or (3) without a specific focus of attention (control). We tested to what extent these attention instructions affected drawing performance, in terms of both deviations of the participants’ lines from an ideal straight line, and the time it took to complete the line. The study revealed that the manipulation specifically affected the deviation measure and that an external focus of attention was better than an internal focus and the control condition. These findings reveal that that mental imagery during blind action relies on same processes as actual performance. These data give perceptual representations of a direct role in motor control. They will be related to current theories of action control (constrained action hypothesis, ideomotor theories, and dual task accounts).

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