ConcentrationConcentrationDavid Joun, Cindy Nguyen, David Joun, Cindy Nguyen,

Xarier ZamudioXarier Zamudio

What is it to What is it to ConcentrateConcentrate

–To direct or draw toward a common To direct or draw toward a common center; focus.center; focus.–Being able to direct attention to Being able to direct attention to relevant and important information relevant and important information

•ConcentrationConcentration–The act or process of concentrating, The act or process of concentrating, especially the fixing of close, undivided especially the fixing of close, undivided attention. attention.

Concentration LapseConcentration Lapse

• Performance progressively Performance progressively deteriorating and when it seems deteriorating and when it seems impossible to regain controlimpossible to regain control

• An example of this is “Choking”An example of this is “Choking”

Examples of “Choking”Examples of “Choking”• Preparing a great deal for an exam only Preparing a great deal for an exam only

to perform poorly during the day of the to perform poorly during the day of the examexam

• Shooting a game winning free-throw Shooting a game winning free-throw only to miss it due to nerves and only to miss it due to nerves and anxietyanxiety

• Going for the game winning hole at the Going for the game winning hole at the PGA master’s but missing the holePGA master’s but missing the hole

• Missing the game winning field goalMissing the game winning field goal

Experience of Experience of Concentration LapseConcentration Lapse

Approaches to understand Approaches to understand Concentration and Concentration and

AttentionAttention• Informational ProcessingInformational Processing

• Psycho-Sociological ApproachPsycho-Sociological Approach

• Psycho-Physiological ApproachPsycho-Physiological Approach

What is informational processing What is informational processing overalloverall

Informational ProcessingInformational Processing►Selective AttentionSelective Attention

"process by which certain information "process by which certain information from the internal or external environment from the internal or external environment enters the information-processing system enters the information-processing system while other information is screened out or while other information is screened out or ignored." ignored."

Informational ProcessingInformational Processing►We're constantly given too much We're constantly given too much

information from internal and external information from internal and external environment.environment.

►Selective Attention necessary so only Selective Attention necessary so only "few stimuli are processed" "few stimuli are processed"

►selection is "voluntary" or selection is "voluntary" or "involuntary""involuntary"

Informational ProcessingInformational Processing►main role in both learning and main role in both learning and

performing sportsperforming sports stimuli essential for a particular stimuli essential for a particular

performance change as function of performance change as function of practice and skill improvementpractice and skill improvement

For example in wrestling one of the most For example in wrestling one of the most important things is the take down aside important things is the take down aside for the ground game, thus one will for the ground game, thus one will selectively practice thatselectively practice that

Informational ProcessingInformational Processing► conscious process to smooth unconscious conscious process to smooth unconscious

processprocess control and automatic processing control and automatic processing

► control processing: "used to process novel or control processing: "used to process novel or inconsistent information“inconsistent information“ slow, effortful, capacity limited, controlled by slow, effortful, capacity limited, controlled by

individualindividual► EX: typewritingEX: typewriting

►automatic processing: "performance of automatic processing: "performance of well-learned skills“well-learned skills“ fast, effortless, not under direct conscious fast, effortless, not under direct conscious

controlcontrol►EX. skills developed over yrs of practice; a EX. skills developed over yrs of practice; a

golfer swinging club after years of practice golfer swinging club after years of practice puts less effort and attention to it then a puts less effort and attention to it then a beginnerbeginner

  Attention Capacity Attention Capacity

►"control processing is limited in "control processing is limited in amount of information that can be amount of information that can be processed at one time“processed at one time“ one complex task at hand at one time; one complex task at hand at one time;

hard to focus attention on 2 sources of hard to focus attention on 2 sources of information at one timeinformation at one time

multi-tasking may impair performance multi-tasking may impair performance

►RestrictionsRestrictions

structural capacity limitationsstructural capacity limitations

central capacity limitations central capacity limitations

►structural: 2 tasks performed at same structural: 2 tasks performed at same time using same receptor or effector time using same receptor or effector systemssystems

EX. listening to starter's gun at the same EX. listening to starter's gun at the same time listening to a voice in the crowd time listening to a voice in the crowd

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

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

Attentional AlertnessAttentional Alertness

Psycho-sociological ApproachPsycho-sociological Approach

Distraction theoriesDistraction theories

Automatic FunctioningAutomatic Functioning

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

Distraction Theories Distraction Theories

"focus on loss of attention caused by factors that "focus on loss of attention caused by factors that attract attention to task-irrelevant cues." attract attention to task-irrelevant cues." – An athlete running a marathonAn athlete running a marathon

Lose concentration, lose focus and performance suffersLose concentration, lose focus and performance suffers

Distraction TheoriesDistraction Theories

WorryWorry– AnxietyAnxiety

worry as an emotional state distracts worry as an emotional state distracts attention and thus can explain the attention and thus can explain the negative effects of test anxiety on negative effects of test anxiety on performanceperformance– anxious individuals focus attention on task-anxious individuals focus attention on task-

irrelevant thoughts and ignore critical task cues irrelevant thoughts and ignore critical task cues – Not focusing on what is importantNot focusing on what is important

Distraction TheoriesDistraction Theories

Defeating thoughtDefeating thought– Negative ThinkingNegative Thinking– Positive ThinkingPositive Thinking

Taking a TestTaking a Test– Negative “I am not going to pass”Negative “I am not going to pass”– Positive “Cant wait to party this weekend”Positive “Cant wait to party this weekend”

Distraction TheoriesDistraction Theories

self-awarenessself-awareness– While performing, attending to oneself not While performing, attending to oneself not

focusing focusing – some say "it is impossible to attend to oneself some say "it is impossible to attend to oneself

and to the environment at the same time" and to the environment at the same time" Self TalkSelf Talk

– Outside environmentOutside environment Cameras, pressureCameras, pressure

Automatic FunctioningAutomatic Functioning

relates to automatic processing relates to automatic processing – Typing, Texting, PianoTyping, Texting, Piano

In competitive situations, when individuals In competitive situations, when individuals realize importance of correct skill execution, realize importance of correct skill execution, they attempt to ensure success by they attempt to ensure success by consciously changing itconsciously changing it– normally under automatic processing normally under automatic processing

control now under control processing control now under control processing mechanism mechanism

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

Broad-external: requires individual to focus Broad-external: requires individual to focus on a wide area of external environmenton a wide area of external environment– Volleyball, BasketballVolleyball, Basketball

Broad-internal: attention is focused internally Broad-internal: attention is focused internally on a variety of strategies and past on a variety of strategies and past experienceexperience– Coach of a football teamCoach of a football team

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

Narrow-external: appropriate for activities Narrow-external: appropriate for activities that require individual to focus on a narrow that require individual to focus on a narrow aspect of the external environment; e.g. golf aspect of the external environment; e.g. golf ballball– Golf, Bowling, Football QuarterbackGolf, Bowling, Football Quarterback

Narrow-internal: attending to specific images Narrow-internal: attending to specific images or cognitive cues or cognitive cues – Body building, Marathon runningBody building, Marathon running

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

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

Attentional StyleAttentional Style

There are tools to measure attention which There are tools to measure attention which assess strengths and weaknessesassess strengths and weaknesses– TAIS-Test of Attentional and Interpersonal StyleTAIS-Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style

Scale only Measure the Narrow-Broad Dimension but Scale only Measure the Narrow-Broad Dimension but not Internal-External dimensionsnot Internal-External dimensions

Examples of Psycho-Physiological aspects Examples of Psycho-Physiological aspects concerning concentration and attentionconcerning concentration and attentionCan’t focus because your hungryCan’t focus because your hungryCan’t focus because your sleepyCan’t focus because your sleepyCan’t focus because your sickCan’t focus because your sickEven having to go to the bathroom Even having to go to the bathroom

Psycho-Physiological ApproachPsycho-Physiological Approach

Psycho-Physiological ApproachPsycho-Physiological ApproachThis approach involves the investigation of This approach involves the investigation of

component parts of auto regulation:component parts of auto regulation:EEG, evoked response potentials (ERPs), EEG, evoked response potentials (ERPs),

and Heart Rateand Heart Rate

Pro Golfers and PuttingPro Golfers and Putting

Elite ShootersElite Shooters

Professional AthletesProfessional Athletes

Archers and elite shooters have been Archers and elite shooters have been tested using EEGtested using EEGAs performance increased the profile of the As performance increased the profile of the

EEG resembled elite archersEEG resembled elite archersHeart decreasedHeart decreasedToo much activity of the alpha waves gave a Too much activity of the alpha waves gave a

poorer performancepoorer performance

Things that can improve the physiological Things that can improve the physiological responseresponseBreathingBreathingProgressive muscular relaxationProgressive muscular relaxationAutogenic trainingAutogenic training

MeditationMeditation