Journal
EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH
Volume 239, Issue 6, Pages 1687-1699Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06126-4
Keywords
Focus of attention; Motor performance; Mental imagery; Dynamic neuro-cognitive imagery; Dance
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This paper examines the effects of attentional focus on human motor performance and identifies challenges within the EFOA-IFOA binary paradigm. It proposes a non-binary approach by introducing a new category-dynamic interactive FOA, highlighting dynamic interactions between EFOA and IFOA. Mental imagery is suggested as a suitable method for studying different FOA subtypes, and the clinical and research applications of a dynamic interactive FOA perspective are discussed across various domains.
Focus of attention (FOA) has been shown to affect human motor performance. Research into FOA has mainly posited it as either external or internal to-the-body (EFOA and IFOA, respectively). However, this binary paradigm overlooks the dynamic interactions among the individual, the task, and the environment, which are core to many disciplines, including dance. This paper reviews the comparative effects of EFOA and IFOA on human motor performance. Next, it identifies challenges within this EFOA-IFOA binary paradigm at the conceptual, definitional, and functional levels, which could lead to misinterpretation of research findings thus impeding current understanding of FOA. Building on these challenges and in effort to expand the current paradigm into a non-binary one, it offers an additional FOA category-dynamic interactive FOA-which highlights the dynamic interactions existing between EFOA and IFOA. Mental imagery is then proposed as a suitable approach for separately studying the different FOA subtypes. Lastly, clinical and research applications of a dynamic interactive FOA perspective for a wide range of domains, from motor rehabilitation to sports and dance performance enhancement, are discussed.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available