attentional focus and motor learning Flashcards
Wulf’s research showed
benefits of external attention instructions (effectiveness, efficiency) - mechanisms underlying benefits: constrained action hypothesis and self invoking trigger hypothesis
internal focus
body mvts like hands, feet, limbs, muscles
external focus
effect of mvts on environment (surfboard, club, ball, bat, platform)
Wulf et al. 1998 ski simulator task
internal vs eternal vs ctrl - more amplitude and progress for external and ctrl than internal
Mcnevin et al. 2003 balance platform
showed external focus benefit can be increased by changing the focus point- far inside platform focus did better than focus on far outside of platform
advantages of external focus
mvt effectiveness (balance, golf, soccer kicks), mvt efficiency (weight lifting, jumping, running), levels of expertise (novice vs experts), age groups, and disabilities (Parkinson’s, stroke)
Wulf and su 2007 golf pitch shot
more points if ball goes closer to hole, internal vs control vs external (focus on swing of arm/club)- results showed that external group got more points while internal & ctrl got about same- in the second experiment with expert golfers the external group scored more points than internal group (works with both novices and experts)
Wulf et al.2010 soccer throw in with children
internal vs external- results showed better form I retention for external focus group
chiviacowsky et al.2012 intellectually disabled children
saw improved progress in accuracy and retention in external group than internal focus group
Wulf et al. 2009 Parkinson’s disease patients
study that looked at balance task performance saw improvement with less sway in internal focus group
Fasoli et al. 2002 stroke patients
participants asked to do mundane activities like moving a can from shelf- external focus group had improved time, peak velocity and number of mvt units than internal focus group
An et al. 2013 improved mvt form in golf
external focus group had an increase x-factor form and carry distance
Zachary et al.2005 basket ball free throw mvt efficiency
external focused group showed greater accuracy score and less muscle activity - efficient mvt
constrained action hypothesis
trying to consciously ctrl one’s mvts constrains the motor system by interfering with automatic ctrl processes that would normally regulate mvt-
how external focus fits with constrained action hypothesis
focusing on the mvt effect might allow the motor system to more naturally self-organise, unconstrained by the interference caused by conscious ctrl attempts, resulting in more effective performance and learning
constrained action hypothesis (Wulf et al. 2001)
- Trying to consciously ctrl one’s mvts (internal focus) constrains the motor system by interfering with the automatic ctrl processes
- focusing on the mvt effect (external focus) promotes the use of automatic ctrl processes
evidence for constrained action hypothesis probe reaction times
shorter reaction times with external focus implies reduced attentional demands, there are faster mvt adjustments with external focus- implies use of reflexive ctrl mechanisms
Wulf et al.2010 jump and reach task
showed lower muscle activity with external focus which implies greater mvt efficiency
self-invoking trigger hypothesis
- the mere mention of the performer’s body provokes implicit, probably unconscious, access to the self
- this self-focus may lead to self-evaluation and activate self-regulatory processes and result in “micro-choking” episodes
ring et al. 2013 golf putting
showed that external focus associated with more accurate performance and reduced conscious processing
external focus leads to
- more effective mvt outcomes (accurate mvts and better balance)
- greater automaticity (probe PT, frequency of adjustments)
- more economical mvt patterns (EMG, force production)
