Motor learning and movement automatization in typically developing children: The role of instructions with an external or internal focus of attention
Publication year
2018Number of pages
8 p.
Source
Human Movement Science, 60, (2018), pp. 183-190ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor
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Organization
SW OZ BSI OLO
Rehabilitation
Journal title
Human Movement Science
Volume
vol. 60
Languages used
English (eng)
Page start
p. 183
Page end
p. 190
Subject
Learning and Plasticity; Radboudumc 3: Disorders of movement DCMN: Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience; Rehabilitation - Radboud University Medical CenterAbstract
The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of an external focus of attention (i.e., on the movement outcome) versus an internal focus of attention (i.e., on the movement itself) on motor learning in typically developing children. We examined both immediate motor performance (i.e., practice effect, when focus instructions are given) as well as motor performance after one week (i.e., learning effect). In addition, we examined if an external and an internal focus of attention differently affected movement automatization, as measured using a dual-task paradigm. Finally, we explored whether the effect of attentional focus instructions on motor learning was influenced by children’s working memory capacity. Participants were 8-12 year old (N = 162) typically developing children. Participants practiced a new motor task (i.e., 'Slingerball throwing task'). Results showed that an external focus of attention led to higher throwing accuracy during practice, but this beneficial effect did not extent to the retention test one week later. Furthermore, movement automatization did not differ after external or internal focus of attention instructions, and working memory capacity did not predict motor learning in children in either of the instruction conditions. This is the first study to show that the beneficial effects of an external focus of attention on discrete motor tasks found in previous studies with a child population seem to be short lived and decline after a one-week interval.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Academic publications [243984]
- Electronic publications [130695]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [92811]
- Faculty of Social Sciences [30023]
- Open Access publications [104970]
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