In novice rowers, for instance, a set of instructions directed at the blade (e.g., ‘Keep the blade level during the recovery’) rather than the hands (e.g., ‘Keep your hands level during the recovery’) led to greater improvements in the technique, as evidenced by various kinematic measures after a seven-week retention interval (Parr & Button, 2009). All participants played the sequence under four conditions: with a focus on their finger movements, on the movements of the piano keys, on the hammers, or on the sound of the keyboard. Attentional focus and motor learning: a review of 15 years Gabriele Wulf* Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA (Received 12 April 2012; final version received 20 August 2012) Over the past 15 years, research on focus of attention has consistently Attentional focus and motor learning: a review of 10 years of research. (2001). I also highlight some important aspects of the findings that indicate the potency of the external focus advantages. The distal focus led to greater racing speed than the control condition, while the proximal focus produced the slowest time. Int Rev Sport Exerc Psychol 2013;6(1):77-104. In this review, we have discussed several factors that have been shown to facilitate the learning of motor skills (i.e. In contrast, an external focus promotes a more automatic mode of control by utilizing unconscious, fast, and reflexive control processes. Moreover, this robust performance effect has been demonstrated with novices, experts, and patient populations ( 6,10,18,20 ). However, the vast majority of practitioners adhere to established or intuitive instructional methods. Another interesting example of how changing the focus of attention can improve movement efficiency comes from a study by Schücker, Hagemann, Strauss, and Völker (2009). Attentional focus and motor learning: a review of 15 years. The number of repetitions with an external focus also exceeded that in the control conditions in most cases. In a follow-up study, Marchant, Greig, and Scott (2008) added a control condition and found that control and internal focus conditions yielded similar levels of EMG activity, but muscular activity was lower with an external focus. An J, Wulf G, Kim S. Carry distance and X-factor increases in golf through an external focus of attention. Thus, the performer's focus of attention has an important influence on the performance and learning of motor skills [12–15]. Action identification and human behavior, EMG activity as a function of the performers’ focus of attention, Free(z)ing degrees of freedom in skill acquisition, Effect of association, dissociation and positive self-talk strategies on endurance performance, The locus of focus: The effect of switching from a preferred to a non-preferred focus of attention, Modifications of the interactions in the motor networks when a movement becomes automatic, How self-initiated memorized movements become automatic: A functional MRI study, Effect of attentional focus strategies on peak force and performance in the standing long jump, Attentional focus and motor learning: A review of 10 years of research (Target article), Attentional focus effects in balance acrobats, Altering mindset can enhance motor learning in older adults, Frequent external-focus feedback enhances learning, Increased jump height with an external focus due to enhanced lower extremity joint kinetics, Increased jump height and reduced EMG activity with an external focus of attention, Instructions for motor learning: Differential effects of internal versus external focus of attention, External focus instructions reduce postural instability in individuals with Parkinson disease, Learning advantages of an external focus in golf, Effortless motor learning? How does the attentional focus affect performance and learning? The production of maximum forces requires an optimal activation of agonist and antagonist muscles, as well as optimal muscle fiber recruitment. Some therefore questioned the reliability and generalizability to certain tasks (i.e., those being evaluated on movement form) or populations (children, older adults). This item appears on. Over the past 15 years, research on focus of attention has consistently demonstrated that an external focus (i.e., on the movement effect) enhances motor performance and learning relative to an internal focus (i.e., on body movements). Gabriele Wulf. Med Educ 2010;44(1):75-84. In-text: (Wulf, 2013) Your Bibliography: Wulf, G., 2013. Marchant, Greig, Bullough, and Hitchen (2011) demonstrated the influence of attentional focus on muscular endurance in trained individuals performing exercise routines. Benefits of external focus instructions have not only been found for healthy adults but also for adults with injuries (Laufer et al., 2007; Rotem-Lehrer & Laufer, 2007) and with motor impairments caused by stroke or Parkinson's disease (Fasoli et al., 2002; Landers et al., 2005; Wulf et al., 2009), as well as for children with intellectual disabilities (Chiviacowsky et al., 2012). Instructions given to participants (novices) for the complex, five-part floor routine were to focus on the movement pathway and on exerting an even pressure on the support surface (external focus) versus exerting an equal force on their feet, keeping their arms out straight and level with their shoulders (internal focus) (Lawrence et al., 2011, p. 434). In the present article, I provide an updated review of the findings, particularly with regard to the influence of attentional focus on movement effectiveness, such as balance or accuracy, and movement efficiency, as measured by muscular activity, maximum force production, speed, or endurance. They performed more effectively on whatever aspect of the task was emphasized in the instructions. The only cost involved may be a little bit of creativity in the wording instructions or feedback. Attentional focus and motor learning: a review of 15 years Gabriele Wulf. Lohse and colleagues also analyzed the power spectral density of the EMG signal and found increases in the median power frequency – indicating superfluous motor unit recruitment of larger motor units within the muscles – when participants focused internally (see also Vance et al., 2004). Even though the attentional focus effect is now well established in the motor behavior literature, the translation of this research into practice is lagging behind. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, September 2013, Taylor & Francis To set a reading intention, click through to any list item, and look for the panel on the left hand side: The sport of weightlifting requires lifts of the snatch and the clean and jerk with athletes aiming to lift the heavest weight for their division during competition. Although more research is needed to confirm these findings, these results provide initial support for the notion that an external focus results in greater accuracy due to increased functional variability (similar to that typically seen in more skilled performers). Review Sport Exerc. However, compared with a control condition, the external focus instruction provided no additional advantage in this case, presumably because in these experts movements were already highly automatized. Unnecessary co-contractions, imperfect timing, and/or direction of forces would result in less-than-maximal force output. According to this view, an internal focus induces a conscious type of control, causing individuals to constrain their motor system by interfering with automatic control processes. Andy CY Tse. review three lines of recent research at an intersection of motor learning and sport psychology as they relate to motor skill acquisition: enhanced expectancies, autonomy support, and external attentional focus. Over the past 15 years, another distinction has been found to have an important impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of motor performance, and on the speed of the learning process. (The influence of the ‘distance’ of the external focus is discussed in a later section.). Add to My Bookmarks Export citation. Ernst-Joachim Hossner & Nicole Wenderoth: Attentional Focus and Motor Learning: Gabriele Wulf on Target ..... 2 Main Article Gabriele Wulf: Attentional Focus and Motor Learning: A Review of 10 Years of Research ..... 4 Commentaries Wulf, G, McConnel, N, Gärtner, M, and Schwarz, A. The use of group therapies, as has been done increasingly over the last 10 to 15 years, has generally been motivated by an economic need rather than the desire to promote learning. 26. 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