3.6 Concentration

Question 1

Attention

Answer 1

Is the ability to be able to concentrate on the correct things/ cues during performance

Question 2

Concentration

Answer 2

Is the ability to completely focus your attention on something for a period of time

Problems arise when an athlete is unable to shift their concentration when necessary

Concentration is a narrowing of attention

Question 3

4 parts of concentration

Answer 3

1) focusing on relevant environmental cues

2) maintaining attentional focus

3) situation awareness :

4) shifting attentional focus

Question 4

Attentional dimensions

Answer 4

There are 2 dimensions of attention
Width (broad to narrow)
Direction (internal to external)

Question 5

Width (broad-narrow)

Answer 5

Width refers to how many things your paying attention to at once

When your attention is broad you are paying attention to many things

When you have a narrow attentional focus you are usually concentrated in one or a very few things

Question 6

Direction (internal- external)

Answer 6

Direction is defined whether your attention is focussed internally toward your own thoughts and feelings or externally toward the events in your environment

Question 7

Broad Internal

Answer 7

Good thinking and planning players who can organise information and ideas very good at planning strategies and preparing for opposition moves can be overly analytical and miss other important information

Question 8

Broad External

Answer 8

Can quickly analyse a complex situation and respond to it. They see everything that is happening. Good with complex environment occasionally they can suffer from information overload making their response to slow or inappropriate

Question 9

Narrow external

Answer 9

An ability to focus on one or a few external cues. Is able to avoid distractions. A batter in any striking sport is essentially focusing on the ball and perhaps the mode of delivery.

Question 10

Narrow Internal

Answer 10

A good style for analysis in sports in which change is quite slow and predictable. Athletes can concentrate on their performance. Able to focus on one thought or idea.

Question 11

Athletes attentional errors

Answer 11

Attentional mismatch

Inability to adopt or maintain appropriate attentional focus

Involuntary internal narrowing

Choking