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

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

Main Subjects

• Motor Control and Learning