attentional focus and motor learning

Question 1

Wulf’s research showed

Answer 1

benefits of external attention instructions (effectiveness, efficiency) - mechanisms underlying benefits: constrained action hypothesis and self invoking trigger hypothesis

Question 2

internal focus

Answer 2

body mvts like hands, feet, limbs, muscles

Question 3

external focus

Answer 3

effect of mvts on environment (surfboard, club, ball, bat, platform)

Question 4

Wulf et al. 1998 ski simulator task

Answer 4

internal vs eternal vs ctrl - more amplitude and progress for external and ctrl than internal

Question 5

Mcnevin et al. 2003 balance platform

Answer 5

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

Question 6

advantages of external focus

Answer 6

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)

Question 7

Wulf and su 2007 golf pitch shot

Answer 7

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)

Question 8

Wulf et al.2010 soccer throw in with children

Answer 8

internal vs external- results showed better form I retention for external focus group

Question 9

chiviacowsky et al.2012 intellectually disabled children

Answer 9

saw improved progress in accuracy and retention in external group than internal focus group

Question 10

Wulf et al. 2009 Parkinson’s disease patients

Answer 10

study that looked at balance task performance saw improvement with less sway in internal focus group

Question 11

Fasoli et al. 2002 stroke patients

Answer 11

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

Question 12

An et al. 2013 improved mvt form in golf

Answer 12

external focus group had an increase x-factor form and carry distance

Question 13

Zachary et al.2005 basket ball free throw mvt efficiency

Answer 13

external focused group showed greater accuracy score and less muscle activity - efficient mvt

Question 14

constrained action hypothesis

Answer 14

trying to consciously ctrl one’s mvts constrains the motor system by interfering with automatic ctrl processes that would normally regulate mvt-

Question 15

how external focus fits with constrained action hypothesis

Answer 15

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

Question 16

constrained action hypothesis (Wulf et al. 2001)

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

evidence for constrained action hypothesis probe reaction times

Answer 17

shorter reaction times with external focus implies reduced attentional demands, there are faster mvt adjustments with external focus- implies use of reflexive ctrl mechanisms

Question 18

Wulf et al.2010 jump and reach task

Answer 18

showed lower muscle activity with external focus which implies greater mvt efficiency

Question 19

self-invoking trigger hypothesis

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

ring et al. 2013 golf putting

Answer 20

showed that external focus associated with more accurate performance and reduced conscious processing

Question 21

external focus leads to

Answer 21

• more effective mvt outcomes (accurate mvts and better balance)
• greater automaticity (probe PT, frequency of adjustments)
• more economical mvt patterns (EMG, force production)