Concentration, Attention & Flow

Question 1

Attention definition (selective attention focus)

Answer 1

• Taking possession by the mind in clear vivid form of one of several things
• Focalization, concentration of consciousness are the essence

Question 2

Attention definition (contemporary view)

Answer 2

Ability to exert deliberate mental effort on what is most important in any given situation

Question 3

The 4 parts of Concentration:

Answer 3

• Selective attention (focusing on relevant cues)
• Maintaining attentional focus
• Maintaining situational awareness
• Shifting attentional focus

Question 4

Concentration definition

Answer 4

Ability to maintain focus on relevant environmental cues over time

Question 5

Focusing on relevant environmental cues - explain

Answer 5

• only focusing on relevant cues via external focus (outside the body) to ^ Perf (better movement efficacy & kinematics)
• This should be taught by teachers/coaches

Question 6

Maintain attentional focus - explain

Answer 6

• Focus must be maintained through-out performance this is hard and requires a lot of energy

Question 7

Maintaining situational awareness - explain

Answer 7

• Ability to size up the match, opponents, competition & make appropriate decisions base on this
• Often under a time & general pressure

Question 8

Shifting attentional focus - explain

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

The 3 processes of Attentional focus:

Answer 9

• Attentional selectivity
• Attentional capacity
• Attentional alertness

Question 10

Attentional selectivity - explain

Answer 10

• Filtering relevant and irrelevant cues from the picture

- ^ Perf when skills become automatic and attention can be used to focus on the situation instead

Question 11

Attentional capacity - explain

Answer 11

• Attention is limited so controlled (conscience) and automatic (unconscious) processing must be used together for basic skills and complex decisions to ^ Perf

Question 12

Attentional alertness - explain

Answer 12

• ^ Emtional arousal = narrowed attentional field (can miss important cues) = ↓ Perf

Question 13

4 types of attentional focus

Answer 13

• 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)

Question 14

Recognising attentional problems & 4 categories

Answer 14

• Lapses in concentration, focusing on wrong cues, distractions
• Internal distractors, attending to past/future events & choking

Question 15

Choking - explain

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Quiet eye period - explain

Answer 16

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)

Question 17

6 rules for Self-talk for performance execution

Answer 17

• Short & specific
• first person, present tense
• positive phrases
• say with meaning & attention
• speak kindly
• repeat phrases often

Question 18

Improving Self-talk

Answer 18

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

Question 19

4 ways to Improve concentration

Answer 19

• Use simulations in practice
• Use cue words
• Use non-judgemental thinking
• Establish routines

Question 20

Using simulations in practice - explain

Answer 20

• Simulate stressful, competitive, distracting situations in practice to be more prepared on competition day

Question 21

Using cue words - explain

Answer 21

• use simple instructional or motivational words to maintain focus & concentration ( a form of self-talk)

Question 22

Using non-judgmental thinking - explain

Answer 22

• Don’t evaluate and judge performance instead try to work where its going wrong and focus on fixing this

Question 23

Establishing routines - explain

Answer 23

• Use routines to help mental preparation, ^ focus & confidence, ↓ anxiety & distractions