Effects of focus of attention and type of practice on learning and self-efficacy in dart throwing

The present investigation studied the effect of focus of attention and type of practice on self-efficacy and learning during a demonstration of the dart-throwing skill. 48 university students (M = 22.5 yr., SD = 3.6) without any experience of dart throwing were divided into four groups according to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Perceptual and motor skills 2013-08, Vol.117 (1), p.1224-1234
Main Authors: Shafizadeh, Mohsen, Platt, Geoffrey K, Bahram, Abbas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Athletic Performance
Attention
Female
Humans
Internal-External Control
Male
Motor Skills
Orientation
Practice (Psychology)
Psychomotor Performance
Retention (Psychology)
Self Efficacy
Transfer (Psychology)
Young Adult
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Summary:The present investigation studied the effect of focus of attention and type of practice on self-efficacy and learning during a demonstration of the dart-throwing skill. 48 university students (M = 22.5 yr., SD = 3.6) without any experience of dart throwing were divided into four groups according to the type of practice (physical and observational) and focus of attention (internal and external) and practiced a dart-throwing task. Self-efficacy in dart throwing was measured at the pre-test, acquisition, and transfer phases. The internal-focus group concentrated on their limb function, whereas the external-focus group concentrated on the darts and the target during the demonstration. Observational groups only watched during the acquisition phase, then performed the task in the retention and transfer phases. There was a main effect of focus of attention in the retention and transfer phases after controlling self-efficacy, with external focus groups showing higher performance than internal focus groups. External focus of attention could facilitate the acquisition of a motor skill during observation and may build and/or be supported by self-efficacy.
ISSN:0031-5125