Kinesiology Commons^™

The Influence Of Motivational And Attentional Focus Factors On Throwing Accuracy In Elite Softball Athletes, Jacquelyn Sertic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning (Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016), autonomy support (AS), enhanced expectancies (EE), and external focus (EF) of attention are key to effective motor performance and learning. AS allows individuals to exercise control, EE

provides performers with an increased sense of confidence, and EF directs attention to the intended movement effects. Previous research indicates that these factors individually and collectively can improve motor performance and learning in novices and experienced performers. Few studies have used elite performers as participants. Purpose: To determine whether skilled throwing performance can be enhanced by a successive implementation of AS, …

Optimization Of Motor Performance, Lee-Kuen Chua

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

According to the OPTIMAL (Optimizing Performance Through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention of Learning) theory of motor learning, enhanced expectancies (EE), autonomy support (AS), and external focus (EF) augment the coupling of a person’s actions to intended movement goals. This goal-action coupling is postulated to boost a person’s focus on goal-related aspects of the motor task while reducing the person’s self-related thoughts, resulting in enhanced performance of skilled movements as well as in improving the acquisition outcomes for the learning of motor skills. The three studies in this compilation report were aimed at providing empirical evidence for the motor performance benefits …

Additive Effects Of An External Focus And Enhanced Expectancy In Learning A Motor Skill, Luigi Antonio Pascua

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

An external focus of attention in has been shown to produce better performance in practice and retention of a motor skill when compared to an internal focus or control conditions in which no attentional focus cues are given to the learner (for a review, see Wulf, 2012). Enhancing learner expectancy (e.g., via positive feedback) has also been shown to improve learning (e.g., Lewthwaite & Wulf, 2010). This study sought to investigate whether combining the positive effects of an external focus of attention with an enhanced learner expectancy (through positive social-comparative feedback) would enhance learning relative to either variable alone or …

The Effects Of Observation, Dialogue, And Attentional Focus In Dyadic Training Protocol, Carolina Granados

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The present study examined the impact that dyad training with an emphasis on attentional focus has on learning in the performance of a golf putt. The participants were randomly divided into four dyad groups: dialogue and observation with external focus, dialogue and observation with internal focus, dialogue and no observation with external focus, and dialogue and no observation with internal focus. Participants were given a set of instructions to verbalize to their partners during practice. These instructions were designed to generate either an internal or an external focus. The results determined that those participants who were instructed to have an …