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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Intracortical Inhibition Within the Primary Motor Cortex Can Be Modulated by Changing the Focus of Attention

Published on: September 11, 2017

Differences in children's thinking and learning during attentional focus instruction.

Melanie E Perreault¹, Karen E French²

¹Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education, The College at Brockport, State University of New York, United States.

Human Movement Science

|December 7, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study explored how attentional focus impacts motor learning in children aged 9-11. Results showed no significant differences, but external focus may aid retention in some young learners.

Keywords:

Attention Cognitive processes Motor learning

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Area of Science:

Motor Learning
Developmental Psychology
Sports Science

Background:

External focus of attention is linked to motor learning benefits in adults.
Limited research exists on attentional focus effects in children, despite potential developmental constraints.
Understanding attentional focus in children is crucial for effective motor skill instruction.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of external versus internal attentional focus on motor learning in children.
To determine if attentional focus instructions enhance motor skill acquisition and retention in a pediatric population.

Main Methods:

Forty-two children (9-11 years) were randomly assigned to control, internal focus, or external focus groups.
Participants practiced 100 modified free throws over two days with condition-specific cues.
A retention test was administered 48 hours later, supplemented by retrospective verbal reports.

Main Results:

No significant differences in motor learning were found between the control, internal focus, and external focus groups.
Retrospective verbal reports indicated potential benefits of external focus for retention in some participants.
Individual differences in attentional focus use may influence motor learning outcomes.

Conclusions:

Attentional focus instruction did not yield significant motor learning differences in this cohort of children.
External focus may offer a subtle advantage for motor skill retention in some children.
Further research is needed across diverse age groups, incorporating qualitative data to understand children's cognitive processes during motor learning.