Concentration, Attention & Flow Flashcards
Attention definition (selective attention focus)
- Taking possession by the mind in clear vivid form of one of several things
- Focalization, concentration of consciousness are the essence
Attention definition (contemporary view)
Ability to exert deliberate mental effort on what is most important in any given situation
The 4 parts of Concentration:
- Selective attention (focusing on relevant cues)
- Maintaining attentional focus
- Maintaining situational awareness
- Shifting attentional focus
Concentration definition
Ability to maintain focus on relevant environmental cues over time
Focusing on relevant environmental cues - explain
- only focusing on relevant cues via external focus (outside the body) to ^ Perf (better movement efficacy & kinematics)
- This should be taught by teachers/coaches
Maintain attentional focus - explain
- Focus must be maintained through-out performance this is hard and requires a lot of energy
Maintaining situational awareness - explain
- Ability to size up the match, opponents, competition & make appropriate decisions base on this
- Often under a time & general pressure
Shifting attentional focus - explain
- Ability to alter the scope and focus of attentional as demanded by the situation
- eg Golfer analysing environment (broad external focus) to pick club then focusing on ball (narrow external focus) to complete the shot
The 3 processes of Attentional focus:
- Attentional selectivity
- Attentional capacity
- Attentional alertness
Attentional selectivity - explain
- Filtering relevant and irrelevant cues from the picture
- ^ Perf when skills become automatic and attention can be used to focus on the situation instead
Attentional capacity - explain
- Attention is limited so controlled (conscience) and automatic (unconscious) processing must be used together for basic skills and complex decisions to ^ Perf
Attentional alertness - explain
- ^ Emtional arousal = narrowed attentional field (can miss important cues) = ↓ Perf
4 types of attentional focus
- Broad (perceive several occurrences simulatiously)
- Narrow (respond to just 1/2 cues)
- Internal (attention directed inwards to thoughts/feelings)
- External (attention directed outward to an object)
Recognising attentional problems & 4 categories
- Lapses in concentration, focusing on wrong cues, distractions
- Internal distractors, attending to past/future events & choking
Choking - explain
Conditions = important comp, critical play, evaluation
Physical changes = ^ muscle tension, breathing rate & HR
Attentional changes = internal narrow focus, reduced flexibility
Perf impairment = Timing/coordination breakdown, ^ fatigue, rushing, incorrection selective attention
Quiet eye period - explain
QEP = time of final fixation on target before the initiation of movement - relevent cues processed & motor plans developed
- Longer QEP = ^ perf (shown by expert performers)
6 rules for Self-talk for performance execution
- Short & specific
- first person, present tense
- positive phrases
- say with meaning & attention
- speak kindly
- repeat phrases often
Improving Self-talk
Thought stopping - concentrate on undesired thought & then use a cue to get rid of it and refocusing
Changing neg to pos - make thoughts optimistic to allow for redirection of attentional focus & ^ motivation
4 ways to Improve concentration
- Use simulations in practice
- Use cue words
- Use non-judgemental thinking
- Establish routines
Using simulations in practice - explain
- Simulate stressful, competitive, distracting situations in practice to be more prepared on competition day
Using cue words - explain
- use simple instructional or motivational words to maintain focus & concentration ( a form of self-talk)
Using non-judgmental thinking - explain
- Don’t evaluate and judge performance instead try to work where its going wrong and focus on fixing this
Establishing routines - explain
- Use routines to help mental preparation, ^ focus & confidence, ↓ anxiety & distractions
