L9 - Attention and Concentration Flashcards
(21 cards)
How does Moran (2004) define attention?
The ability to exert deliberate mental effort on what is most important in a situation
What are the four characteristics of attention?
Selective attention, Maintaining alertness, Situational awareness, Shifting attention
What is selective attention?
Focusing on relevant cues and disregarding irrelevant ones
What is alertness in attention?
Sustaining focus over time and being ready to respond to cues
What is situational awareness?
Understanding the environment and what to focus on while performing
What is shifting attention?
Changing focus between broad/narrow and internal/external targets
What are the three processes in the information processing model of attention?
Attentional selectivity, capacity, and alertness
What is attentional selectivity?
Using a mental spotlight to focus on important info; can fail due to distraction or divided attention
What is attentional capacity?
Limited attention resource; involves controlled and automatic processing
What is attentional alertness?
Attention level linked to arousal; high arousal narrows attention and may cause missed cues
What does Eysenck et al. (2007) propose in attentional control theory?
Anxiety reduces goal-directed attention and increases stimulus-driven processing
What did Wilson et al. (2009) find in their penalty kick study?
Under high threat, players fixated more on the goalkeeper, leading to more centralised and less accurate shots
What are the two dimensions of attentional focus?
Width (broad/narrow) and Direction (internal/external)
What is a broad-external focus used for?
Assessing multiple external cues quickly
What is a broad-internal focus used for?
Strategic planning and analysis
What is a narrow-external focus used for?
Focusing on specific external cues (e.g. ball or target)
What is a narrow-internal focus used for?
Mental rehearsal or emotional regulation
What are common distractions that affect attention in sport?
Internal (e.g., choking) and external (e.g., visual/auditory) distractions
What is choking under pressure?
Performance decline due to attentional disruption, not all poor performances are choking
What techniques can help improve attention?
Self-talk, mindfulness, and pre-performance routines
What attention issue did the XC MTB athlete face?
Losing focus mid-race due to overthinking and deviation from game plan
