Concentration David Joun, Cindy Nguyen, Xarier Zamudio

What is it to Concentrate –To direct or draw toward a common center; focus. –Being able to direct attention to relevant and important information ConcentrationConcentration –The act or process of concentrating, especially the fixing of close, undivided attention.

Concentration Lapse Performance progressively deteriorating and when it seems impossible to regain controlPerformance progressively deteriorating and when it seems impossible to regain control An example of this is “Choking”An example of this is “Choking”

Examples of “Choking” Preparing a great deal for an exam only to perform poorly during the day of the examPreparing a great deal for an exam only to perform poorly during the day of the exam Shooting a game winning free-throw only to miss it due to nerves and anxietyShooting a game winning free-throw only to miss it due to nerves and anxiety Going for the game winning hole at the PGA master’s but missing the holeGoing for the game winning hole at the PGA master’s but missing the hole Missing the game winning field goalMissing the game winning field goal

Experience of Concentration Lapse

Approaches to understand Concentration and Attention Informational ProcessingInformational Processing Psycho-Sociological ApproachPsycho-Sociological Approach Psycho-Physiological ApproachPsycho-Physiological Approach

What is informational processing overall

Informational Processing ► Selective Attention  "process by which certain information from the internal or external environment enters the information-processing system while other information is screened out or ignored."

Informational Processing ► We're constantly given too much information from internal and external environment. ► Selective Attention necessary so only "few stimuli are processed" ► selection is "voluntary" or "involuntary"

Informational Processing ► main role in both learning and performing sports  stimuli essential for a particular performance change as function of practice and skill improvement  For example in wrestling one of the most important things is the take down aside for the ground game, thus one will selectively practice that

Informational Processing ► conscious process to smooth unconscious process  control and automatic processing ► control processing: "used to process novel or inconsistent information“  slow, effortful, capacity limited, controlled by individual ► EX: typewriting

► automatic processing: "performance of well- learned skills“  fast, effortless, not under direct conscious control ► EX. skills developed over yrs of practice; a golfer swinging club after years of practice puts less effort and attention to it then a beginner

Attention Capacity Attention Capacity ► "control processing is limited in amount of information that can be processed at one time“  one complex task at hand at one time; hard to focus attention on 2 sources of information at one time  multi-tasking may impair performance

► Restrictions  structural capacity limitations  central capacity limitations

► structural: 2 tasks performed at same time using same receptor or effector systems  EX. listening to starter's gun at the same time listening to a voice in the crowd

► capacity: 2 tasks compete for limited central information-processing capacity simultaneously

► capacity limitations of automatic processing are less restrictive compared to control processing

Attentional Alertness

Psycho-sociological Approach  Distraction theories  Automatic Functioning  Attentional Style

Distraction Theories  "focus on loss of attention caused by factors that attract attention to task-irrelevant cues." –An athlete running a marathon  Lose concentration, lose focus and performance suffers

Distraction Theories  Worry –Anxiety  worry as an emotional state distracts attention and thus can explain the negative effects of test anxiety on performance –anxious individuals focus attention on task- irrelevant thoughts and ignore critical task cues –Not focusing on what is important

Distraction Theories  Defeating thought –Negative Thinking –Positive Thinking  Taking a Test –Negative “I am not going to pass” –Positive “Cant wait to party this weekend”

Distraction Theories  self-awareness –While performing, attending to oneself not focusing –some say "it is impossible to attend to oneself and to the environment at the same time"  Self Talk –Outside environment  Cameras, pressure

Automatic Functioning  relates to automatic processing –Typing, Texting, Piano  In competitive situations, when individuals realize importance of correct skill execution, they attempt to ensure success by consciously changing it –normally under automatic processing control now under control processing mechanism

Attentional Style

 Broad-external: requires individual to focus on a wide area of external environment –Volleyball, Basketball  Broad-internal: attention is focused internally on a variety of strategies and past experience –Coach of a football team

Attentional Style  Narrow-external: appropriate for activities that require individual to focus on a narrow aspect of the external environment; e.g. golf ball –Golf, Bowling, Football Quarterback  Narrow-internal: attending to specific images or cognitive cues –Body building, Marathon running

Attentional Style  may affect performance in certain situations if athlete's style is incompatible with the attentional requirements of that situation –i.e., Football, baseball, race car driving

Attentional Style  There are tools to measure attention which assess strengths and weaknesses –TAIS-Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style  Scale only Measure the Narrow-Broad Dimension but not Internal-External dimensions

Examples of Psycho-Physiological aspects concerning concentration and attention Examples of Psycho-Physiological aspects concerning concentration and attention Can’t focus because your hungry Can’t focus because your hungry Can’t focus because your sleepy Can’t focus because your sleepy Can’t focus because your sick Can’t focus because your sick Even having to go to the bathroom Even having to go to the bathroom Psycho-Physiological Approach

This approach involves the investigation of component parts of auto regulation: This approach involves the investigation of component parts of auto regulation: EEG, evoked response potentials (ERPs), and Heart Rate EEG, evoked response potentials (ERPs), and Heart Rate

Pro Golfers and Putting Pro Golfers and Putting Elite Shooters Elite Shooters Professional Athletes Professional Athletes

Archers and elite shooters have been tested using EEG Archers and elite shooters have been tested using EEG As performance increased the profile of the EEG resembled elite archers As performance increased the profile of the EEG resembled elite archers Heart decreased Heart decreased Too much activity of the alpha waves gave a poorer performance Too much activity of the alpha waves gave a poorer performance

Things that can improve the physiological response Things that can improve the physiological response Breathing Breathing Progressive muscular relaxation Progressive muscular relaxation Autogenic training Autogenic training Meditation Meditation