Chapter 17 Concentration

Concentration Overview

Concentration is a critical mental skill that involves the focused mental effort on sensory or mental events. The key concept is that concentration equals attention, and it relates directly to an individual's performance in various situations.

Objectives of Study

• Define concentration and its relation to performance.

• Explain the theories of concentration effects.

• Identify different types of attentional focus.

• Discuss attentional problems and techniques for improvement.

What Is Concentration?

• Attention is the concentration of mental effort on significant sensory or mental events.

• Concentration is the deliberate mental effort focused on what is important in each situation.

Components of Concentration

1. Focusing on Relevant Cues: Selecting which cues to attend to while disregarding others.

2. Maintaining Attentional Focus: Sustaining focus throughout the competition.

3. Situational Awareness: Understanding surroundings to make informed decisions.

4. Shifting Focus: Being able to change focus as the situation demands.

Maintaining Attentional Focus

• It is essential for optimal performance as the average person has about 4,000 distinct thoughts in a day.

Situational Awareness

• Athletes need to size up game situations under pressure, differentiating between experts and novices based on attentional processing.

Expert-Novice Differences

• Experts are more adept at identifying cues and anticipating actions, leading to faster decision-making compared to novices.

Shifting Attentional Focus

• Attentional flexibility enables athletes to adjust their focus based on situational needs, from broad external assessments to narrow internal reflections during performance.

Attentional Focus: Three Processes

1. Attentional Selectivity: Focusing on certain information while ignoring irrelevant cues.

2. Attentional Capacity: The transition from controlled to automatic processing in athletes as they gain proficiency.

3. Attentional Alertness: Emotional arousal can narrow the focus field significantly.

Concentration and Optimal Performance

• Athletes must focus on relevant environmental cues and eliminate distractions for peak performance.

Types of Attentional Focus

• Broad Focus: Assessing situations rapidly (e.g., a quarterback assessing the defense).

• Narrow Focus: Concentrating on specific cues (e.g., a golfer focusing on the ball).

• Internal Focus: Mentally rehearsing performance or controlling emotional states.

• External Focus: Directing attention outward during performance tasks.

Choking as an Attentional Problem

• Choking occurs when athletes overly analyze skills, impacting their performance negatively.

Interventions to Alleviate Choking

• Techniques include imagery for confidence, preshot routines for focus, and controlled exposure to stress.

Self-Talk to Enhance Concentration

• Self-talk involves statements or thoughts about oneself, helping to maintain focus and recover from setbacks.

  • Types include positive, instructional, negative, and goal-directed self-talk.

Techniques for Improving Self-Talk

1. Identify and stop negative thoughts.

2. Focus on task-relevant thoughts.

3. Shift from negative to positive self-talk.

Rules for Effective Self-Talk

• Keep it short, positive, personalized, and practice often.

The 5 Ps of Self-Talk

1. Personalized: Tailored content for meaning.

2. Practiced: Familiarize oneself with self-talk strategies.

3. Purpose: Define goals clearly to frame effective self-talk.

4. Positive Phrasing: Use positive statements for motivation.

5. Position: Adapt self-talk based on the current situation.

Improving Concentration Techniques

• Maintained focus requires intentional effort and engaging strategies such as simulations, cue words, mindfulness, and established routines.

Five-Step Approach to Pre-Performance Routines

1. Record performances for feedback.

2. Clarify behaviors and their significance.

3. Develop focus for each component of the routine.

4. Construct and agree on a routine.

5. Practice the routine consistently.