Lecture 9- Attention Concentration Flashcards
(21 cards)
What is the definition of Attention?
“Concentration of mental activity” (pay attention).
What are the 3 dimensions of Attention?
1️⃣ Concentration
2️⃣ Selective perception
3️⃣ Divided attention (mental time sharing)
What is Concentration?
Ability to focus effectively on the task at hand while ignoring distractions.
Ability to exert effort and focus on what is important: “Right focus, at the right time, for the right amount of time.”
What is Selective Perception?
“Zooming in” on task-relevant information.
Acts like a filter or bottleneck — selects which information passes through.
Explained by Spotlight Metaphor.
What is Divided Attention?
- Mental time sharing → ability to perform 2 or more concurrent actions equally well.
- Multi-tasking.
- Elite performers have “spare” attentional resources.
What is Filter Theory (Broadbent, 1958)?
- Limited capacity to process info.
- Selects relevant info and ignores irrelevant info.
- Bottleneck model: only one channel processes info at a time.
- Now outdated.
What is Capacity Theory ?
- Attention = resource that can be allocated across tasks.
- Divided attention → multiple tasks simultaneously.
- Allocation depends on strategic principles & arousal level.
- Automatic attention frees up resources for other tasks.
What influences attentional allocation (Capacity Theory)?
1️⃣ Momentary intentions → important at the moment (e.g. listening to teammate).
2️⃣ Enduring dispositions → always important factors (e.g. game awareness).
How is Divided Attention regulated?
By a central capacity system → Central Executive (working memory model).
What is Direction/Width Theory?
Direction → Internal vs External focus.
Width → Narrow vs Broad focus.
What is the Spotlight Metaphor?
- Attention = beam of light focused on part of the visual field.
- Info outside the beam is ignored.
- Spotlight can be redirected (zoom in & zoom out).
- No full explanation of how it works.
How can Attention be trained as an MST Skill?
✅ Specific performance goals
✅ Pre-performance mental plans/prep
✅ Self-talk
✅ Imagery
✅ Simulation training
Which is generally better for performance: External or Internal Focus?
External Focus is generally better than internal.
Focus on specific target or action under athlete’s control.
What can cause an athlete to lose concentration?
- Distracting yourself (thoughts, daydreams).
- Shifting to internal focus.
- Moving from automatic to conscious (controlled) thought → overthinking.
Why is “coaching yourself” a bad strategy during play?
- Suppresses negative thoughts, which backfires.
- Instead, use mindfulness → accept and replace thoughts.
What is Inattentional Blindness?
Failure of awareness because focus is too narrow → missing critical cues.
What is the 1st Principle of Effective Concentration?
Deliberate Decision → Concentration is a deliberate act, not by chance.
Requires preparation, not hope.
What is the 2nd Principle of Effective Concentration
One Thought at a Time → Athletes should focus on one thought → bandwidth of attention.
What is the 3rd Principle of Effective Concentration?
Think ↔ Do → Action & thinking merge → Flow state → “Do exactly what you are thinking.”
What is the 4th Principle of Effective Concentration?
Control → Focus only on factors within your control.
What is the 5th Principle of Effective Concentration?Outward Focus → Focus
Outward Focus → Focus outward when nervous → helps avoid choking.
