Directing Attention Externally Enhances Agility Performance: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of the Efficacy of Using Verbal Instructions to Focus Attention

Gabriele Wulf,Russell P. Nolan,Jared M. Porter,Erik J. Ostrowski

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2010.00216

Gabriele Wulf, Russell P. Nolan + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2010.00216

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Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate if focusing attention externally produced faster movement times compared to instructions that focused attention internally or a control set of instructions that did not explicitly focus attention when performing an agility task. A second purpose of the study was to measure participants’ focus of attention during practice by use of a questionnaire. Participants (N = 20) completed 15 trials of an agility “L” run following instructions designed to induce an external (EXT), internal (INT) attentional focus or a control (CON) set of instructions inducing no specific focus of attention. Analysis revealed when participants followed the EXT instructions they had significantly faster movement times compared to when they followed the INT and CON set of instructions; consistent with previous research the INT and CON movement times were not significantly different from each other. Qualitative data showed when participants were in the external condition they focused externally 67% of the time. When they were in the internal condition they focused internally 76% of the time, and when they were in the control condition they did not use an internal or external focus of attention 77% of the time. Qualitative data also revealed participants in the EXT, INT, and CON conditions switched their focus of attention at a frequency of 27, 35, and 51% respectively.

Highlights

For more than a decade findings reported in motor learning literature have consistently demonstrated that providing instructions that focus a learner’s attention externally, rather than internally, generally result in enhanced motor skill performance
Previous studies have shown that the benefits of using an external focus have been observed when performing a variety of motor skills (Al-Abood et al, 2002; Wulf et al, 2002; Wulf and Su, 2007; Bell and Hardy, 2009)
The primary purpose of the current study was to investigate if the benefits of using an external focus of attention generalize to a task requiring agility

Summary

Introduction

For more than a decade findings reported in motor learning literature have consistently demonstrated that providing instructions that focus a learner’s attention externally, rather than internally, generally result in enhanced motor skill performance (for a review, see Wulf, 2007). A baseball coach who desires to increase the velocity of a thrown ball may instruct a pitcher to focus on increasing the speed of the baseball as they progress through their pitching windup and release. Providing this type of instruction would induce an external focus because the athlete is asked to focus on the speed of the ball. Another baseball coach desiring the same outcome may instruct the pitcher to focus on increasing the speed of their pitching arm during the windup and release. This type of instruction would induce an internal focus of attention because the athlete is asked to focus on the movement of their arm during the pitching motion

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