The Effect of Attention Cues Training on Saccadic Eye Movement and Learning Open Motor Skills in Novice: Quasi-Experimental Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors
Fatemeh Sharafiyan 1
Mehdi Shahbazi 2
Shahzad Tahmasebi-Boroujeni 3
Yaaghoob Moaamer-Ghalehkhalili 4
1 PhD in Motor Behavior, Department of Educational Sciences, , Bahonar Campus Faculty, Farhangian University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
2 Professor, Department of Movement Behavior and Sports Psychology, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Movement Behavior and Sports Psychology, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 MSc of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Department of Educational Sciences, Rajaei Campus Faculty, Farhangian University of Shiraz, Shiraz, Iran
10.48305/jrrs.2024.42314.1075
Abstract
Introduction: The cues of the focus of attention, specifically the external focus of attention, affect motor performance and improve motor learning. Research in this field has mainly investigated closed motor skills in novices. Thus, generalization of the findings to unpredictable tasks that require response adaptation to external stimuli (open skills) needs further investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of practicing attention cues on the eye saccade movement and learning the skill of receiving and sending volleyball service as an open skill in novices.
Materials and Methods: The statistical sample of the current research was 20 novice female students with an age range of 10-12 years, who were selected through convenience sampling and randomly organized into two groups (10 people) of technical and attention cues training. After the pre-test, the participants took part in 9 training sessions. The first and second retention tests were taken 48 hours and 4 weeks later, respectively. Data in the performance variable were analyzed using 3x2 mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) and in the saccade variable with the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: The performance of the attention cues training group significantly increased compared to the technical training group from the pre-test to the first retention and the second retention (P = 0.007). The results of the Mann-Whitney U test in the saccade variable was not significantly different between the groups at the first retention (P = 0.105) and the second retention (P = 0.089) phases.
Conclusion: Apparently, the training of attention cues is a suitable method for teaching open skills to novices in sports.
Keywords
Attention cues
Saccade
Motor skills
Subjects
1.     Behrendt T, Kirschnick F, Kröger L, Beileke P, Rezepin M, Brigadski T, et al. Comparison of the effects of open vs. closed skill exercise on the acute and chronic BDNF, IGF-1 and IL-6 response in older healthy adults. BMC neuroscience. 2021;22:1-19.
2.     Formenti D, Trecroci A, Duca M, Cavaggioni L, D’Angelo F, Passi A, et al. Differences in inhibitory control and motor fitness in children practicing open and closed skill sports. Scientific Reports. 2021;11(1):4033.
3.     Abdollahipour R, Psotta R. Is an external focus of attention more beneficial than an internal focus to ball catching in children? Kinesiology. 2017;49(2.):235-41.
4.     Wulf G, Töllner T, Shea CH. Attentional focus effects as a function of task difficulty. Research quarterly for exercise and sport. 2007;78(3):257-64.
5.     Tapan T, Şahan A, Erman KA. The effect of internal and external focus of attention on tennis skill acquisition in children. Frontiers in Psychology. 2023;14:1308244.
6.     Wulf G, Weigelt M, Poulter D, McNevin N. Attentional focus on suprapostural tasks affects balance learning. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A. 2003;56(7):1191-211.
7.     Wulf G, Su J. An external focus of attention enhances golf shot accuracy in beginners and experts. Research quarterly for exercise and sport. 2007;78(4):384-9.
8.     Stoate I, Wulf G. Does the attentional focus adopted by swimmers affect their performance? International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2011;6(1):99-108.
9.     Zachry T, Wulf G, Mercer J, Bezodis N. Increased movement accuracy and reduced EMG activity as the result of adopting an external focus of attention. Brain research bulletin. 2005;67(4):304-9.
10. McNevin NH, Shea CH, Wulf G. Increasing the distance of an external focus of attention enhances learning. Psychological research. 2003;67:22-9.
11. Beilock SL, Carr TH, MacMahon C, Starkes JL. When paying attention becomes counterproductive: impact of divided versus skill-focused attention on novice and experienced performance of sensorimotor skills. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. 2002;8(1):6.
12. Becker KA, Fairbrother JT. The use of multiple externally directed attentional focus cues facilitates motor learning. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. 2019;14(5):651-7.
13. Bull HG, Atack AC, North JS, Murphy CP. The effect of attentional focus instructions on performance and technique in a complex open skill. European Journal of Sport Science. 2023;23(10):2049-58.
14. Adolphe R, Vickers J, Laplante G. The effects of training visual attention on gaze behaviour and accuracy: A pilot study. International Journal of Sports Vision. 1997;4(1):28-33.
15. Rodrigues ST, Vickers JN, Williams AM. Head, eye and arm coordination in table tennis. Journal of sports sciences. 2002;20(3):187-200.
16. Vickers JN, Williams AM. The role of mental processes in elite sports performance. Oxford research encyclopedia of psychology2017.
17. Asadi A, Aiken C, Heidari S, Kochackpour F. The effect of attentional instructions during modeling on gaze behavior and throwing accuracy in 7 to 10 year-old children. Human Movement Science. 2021;78:102825.
18. Clark JE. On the problem of motor skill development. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. 2007;78(5):39-44.
19. Palmer KK, Matsuyama AL, Irwin JM, Porter JM, Robinson LE. The effect of attentional focus cues on object control performance in elementary children. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy. 2017;22(6):580-8.
20. Abdollahipour R, Wulf G, Psotta R, Palomo Nieto M. Performance of gymnastics skill benefits from an external focus of attention. Journal of sports sciences. 2015;33(17):1807-13.
21. Flores FS, Schild JG, Chiviacowsky S. Benefits of external focus instructions on the learning of a balance task in children of different ages. International Journal of Sport Psychology. 2015;46(4):311-20.
22. Schmidt M, Jäger K, Egger F, Roebers CM, Conzelmann A. Cognitively engaging chronic physical activity, but not aerobic exercise, affects executive functions in primary school children: a group-randomized controlled trial. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2015;37(6):575-91.
23. Barbieri FA, Rodrigues ST. The role of eye movements in sports and active living. Frontiers Media SA; 2020. p. 603206.
24. Klostermann A, Kredel R, Hossner E-J. The quiet eye without a target: the primacy of visual information processing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. 2014;40(6):2167.
25. Wulf G, Lewthwaite R. Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning. Psychonomic bulletin & review. 2016;23:1382-414.
26. Bull HG, Atack AC, North JS, Murphy CP. The effect of attentional focus instructions on performance and technique in a complex open skill. European Journal of Sport Science. 2022:1-10.
27. Emanuel M, Jarus T, Bart O. Effect of focus of attention and age on motor acquisition, retention, and transfer: a randomized trial. Physical therapy. 2008;88(2):251-60.
28. Lola A, Koutsomarkou A, Tzetzis G. Influence of different focus of attention instructions on learning volleyball skills for young novices. 2021.
29. Simpson T, Ellison P, Carnegie E, Marchant D. A systematic review of motivational and attentional variables on children’s fundamental movement skill development: the OPTIMAL theory. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2021;14(1):312-58.
30. Harris DJ, Wilson MR, Crowe EM, Vine SJ. Examining the roles of working memory and visual attention in multiple object tracking expertise. Cognitive processing. 2020;21:209-22.
31. Paul M, Biswas SK, Sandhu JS. Role of sports vision and eye hand coordination training in performance of table tennis players. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity. 2011;5(2):106-16.
32. Ripoll H, Kerlirzin Y, Stein J-F, Reine B. Analysis of information processing, decision making, and visual strategies in complex problem solving sport situations. Human movement science. 1995;14(3):325-49.
33. Tate B, Paul M, Jaspal S. The impact of visual skills training program on batting performance in cricketers. Serbian Journal of Sports Sciences. 2008;2(1):17-23.
34. Davlin CD, Sands WA, Shultz BB. Peripheral vision and back tuck somersaults. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 2001;93(2):465-71.
 
Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 1
April 2023
Pages 93-100