internal external focus of attention

Question 1

hypothesis

Answer 1

-when performers utilize internal focus of attention they may constrain or interfere with autonomic control processes that would normally regulate the movement, whereas an external focus of attention allows the motor system to more naturally self-organize

Question 2

2 types of focus of attention

Answer 2

1. Internal focus: originates from within system
   - body movements
2. External focus: originates from outside the system
   - movement effects or movement goal

Question 3

past studies

Answer 3

• focus of attention given instructions or feedback to learners can significantly impact their motor learning skills
• testing effectiveness of directing learner’s attention to their body movements compared to their attentional focus on the effects of their movements on the apparatus or implement
• external attentional focus consistently resulted in learning benefits relative to internal attentional focus

Question 4

robert nideffer’s dimension of attention model

Answer 4

• model based on two dimensions
• direction
• external to internal
• width
• broad to narrow
  1. Broad
• focus on everything in one’s environment
  2. Narrow
• focus on a limited range of cues

Question 5

constrained action hypothesis

Answer 5

• suggests that an internal attentional focus will have neg effects on an individual causing them to interfere with their body’s natural movements
• focusing on the movement effect might allow the motor system to more naturally self-organize, unrestricted by interference caused by conscious control attempts
• focusing on movement effect in more effective performance and learning

Question 6

higher frequency responding

Answer 6

1. external focus: increase in and intergration of the active degrees of freedom associated with performing a motor task and greater connection between automatic and voluntary control mechanisms
2. Internal focus: consciously intervening in the control processes
   - may result in an freezing or constraining of the degrees of freedom
   - as a consequence, performance and learning are reduced

Question 7

experiment: primary task

Answer 7

1. primary task (stabilometer)
   - goal was to keep platform horizontal
   - internal: focus attention on feet
   - external focus: focus attention on the markers

Question 8

experiment: secondary task

Answer 8

2. Secondary task
   -used to determine attentional demands under external and internal focus conditions
   -press hand held response button as fast as possible once tone is emitted
   assumption: external focus (automatic control processes= less attention) faster reaction times
   internal focus (conscious control= more attention)  longer reaction times
   -to ensure no interference with primary task 1 out of the 7 trials did not include this task

Question 9

results

Answer 9

• potentiometer instrument measured degrees out of balance
• RMSE in degrees, zero degrees as best measure
• no interference of primary and secondary tasks
• stabiliometer task: external focus group obtained smaller RMSE than internal focus group
• probe reaction time task: external group lower reaction time than the internal group

Question 10

conclusion

Answer 10

• hypothesis supported
• external focus of attention condition resulted in increased balance performance and decreased attentional demands relative to internal focus of attention condition
• benefits of an external focus of attention is that it allows the more natural, self-organizing control processes associated with balancing

Question 11

supporting evidence

Answer 11

• compared dribbling performance between novice and experienced soccer players
• dominant and non-dominant foot
• two conditions
  1. Dual task condition (external focus)
  2. Skill focused condition (internal focus)
• experienced players found that they performance better with their dominant foot with an external focus of attention
• novice players found that internal focus of attention increased their performance

Question 12

current research

Answer 12

• are the effects of internal focus instructions different from external focus instructions given during balance training in stroke patients
• randomly assigned to internal and external groups
• balance board stabilization task
• practiced 3 times per week for 3 weeks
• internal focus: on feet, keep them as still as possible
• external: focus: on the board and keep as still as possible

Question 13

current research results

Answer 13

• external focus did not end up increasing balance skill in stroke patients compared to internal focus
• external instructions resulted in greater improvements I balance board performance in patients with good balance and sensory functioning, but those with larger impairments did better with internal focus
• patients with more severe attentional deficits benefits more than an external focus than from internal

Question 14

application

Answer 14

• coaching: using internal focus with novice players and external with experienced
• athletes: choking under pressure
• parkinsons disease: was able to walk better when timing steps to an metronome (external focus)
• rehabilitation: tailor the instructions to the individual demands of the patient. This can result in improvements in motor skill. More research is needed to investigate how other factors interact
  ex) performing ore complex movements like walking

Question 15

what was the activity

Answer 15

-basketball
1. concentrate on 90-degree angle at the elbow and wrist
-focus on snapping your wrist for the follow through
(internal focus of attention)
2. Focus on the red square on the back of the hoop
(external focus of attention)