Attention & Motor Performance. A Game to Remember It’s March 2003. The game was tied. David Hehn travels down court. He receives the pass; he stops;

Attention & Motor Performance

A Game to RememberA Game to Remember

It’s March 2003. The game was tied. It’s March 2003. The game was tied. David Hehn travels down court. He David Hehn travels down court. He receives the pass; he stops; he shoots. The receives the pass; he stops; he shoots. The crowd is silent as the ball travels crowd is silent as the ball travels through the air. All eyes are on through the air. All eyes are on the ball. The ball goes in! the ball. The ball goes in! UVM wins! UVM is UVM wins! UVM is the America East Champions!the America East Champions!

AttentionAttention

What factors influenced this basketball What factors influenced this basketball player’s attention?player’s attention?

What was he focused on?What was he focused on?

How can attentional capacity and focus be How can attentional capacity and focus be enhanced?enhanced?

AttentionAttention

Capacity to engage in perceptual, cognitive Capacity to engage in perceptual, cognitive and motor activitiesand motor activities

Attentional capacity limitedAttentional capacity limited

Attentional CapacityAttentional Capacity

Limited availability of attentional resourcesLimited availability of attentional resources• One Central Resource PoolOne Central Resource Pool

Task Task AA

Task Task BB

Flexible Flexible capacity limitscapacity limits

AttentionAttention

1. Arousal & Performance1. Arousal & Performance

PerformancePerformance

ArousalArousalLL HH

poorpoor

goodgood

How is this related to attention ?How is this related to attention ?


2. Task Requirements2. Task Requirements• Complexity & numberComplexity & number

(pat head, pat head & rub stomach, etc.)(pat head, pat head & rub stomach, etc.)


3. Rules3. Rules• At least 1 task completedAt least 1 task completed• Novel/new or highly Novel/new or highly

familiar/meaningfulfamiliar/meaningful• Specific intention or Specific intention or

directiondirection


• Multiple Resource PoolMultiple Resource Pool

Input-Input-outputoutput

codescodes

HOP- HOP- JUMPHOP- HOP- JUMP

InfoInfoprocessingprocessing

Attentional FocusAttentional Focus

Process used to selectively attend or direct Process used to selectively attend or direct attention to specific environmental infoattention to specific environmental info

broadbroad narrownarrow

BreadthBreadth

DirectionDirection

internalinternal

externalexternal

ExampleExample

Feeling in Feeling in the left the left kneeknee

Feel of the Feel of the full golf full golf swingswing

Center of Center of the the catcher’s catcher’s gloveglove

Movements of Movements of opposing opposing playersplayers

narrownarrow broadbroad

externalexternal

internalinternal

ExamplesExamples

Hitting a baseballHitting a baseball Throwing a football passThrowing a football pass Throwing a shot putThrowing a shot put Catching a frisbeeCatching a frisbee Others?Others?

Arousal & FocusArousal & Focus

Irrelevent Irrelevent stimulistimuli

Irrelevent Irrelevent stimulistimuli

Task-Task-relevent relevent stimulistimuli

“Choking”“Choking”

Decrease in performance at critical timesDecrease in performance at critical times

What happens physically?What happens physically?

What detriments to performance What detriments to performance result?result?

WHY??WHY??

Attentional FocusAttentional Focus

Attentional SwitchingAttentional Switching• Real-world settings require us Real-world settings require us

to switch focus of attentionto switch focus of attention• Need to do it quickly & at Need to do it quickly & at

appropriate timeappropriate time

Attentious & ConsciousnessAttentious & Consciousness

Attention demanding activities do not Attention demanding activities do not always involve conscious awarenessalways involve conscious awareness

Automaticity implies skills Automaticity implies skills can be performed without can be performed without attentional demandsattentional demands

Attention & ConsciousnessAttention & Consciousness

Automaticity developed through practiceAutomaticity developed through practice

Visual SearchVisual Search

Process of directing visual attention to Process of directing visual attention to locate appropriate cueslocate appropriate cues

Distinctiveness of relevant features Distinctiveness of relevant features important in visual selectionimportant in visual selection


What makes environmental features more What makes environmental features more distinct?distinct?


Visual search of critical cues impacts:Visual search of critical cues impacts:• Action selectionAction selection• Constraining of selected actionConstraining of selected action• Timing of initiation of actionTiming of initiation of action

Practical Examples & ImplicationsPractical Examples & Implications

Optimal ArousalOptimal Arousal Attentional CapacityAttentional Capacity Attentional FocusAttentional Focus Teaching to AnticipateTeaching to Anticipate Visual SearchVisual Search

Documents

Attention & Motor Performance. A Game to Remember It’s March 2003. The game was tied. David Hehn travels down court. He receives the pass; he stops;