Attentional control

· Attentional control = the ability to direct, maintain and shift focus onto the most relevant cues for successful skill execution.
· Correct attentional focus is required for proficient execution of specific skills.
· In exams, always link attentional control to performance under pressure, skill execution, distraction, arousal and psychological strategies.
· Key idea: performers must focus on the right cue, at the right time, while ignoring irrelevant internal or external distractions.

This image shows the four attentional focus quadrants created by combining direction and width of attention. It is useful for comparing when athletes should scan broadly, analyse internally, rehearse mentally or focus narrowly on key external cues. Source

Types of attentional focus

· Internal focus = attention directed towards the performer’s thoughts, feelings, body sensations or movement mechanics.
· External focus = attention directed towards the environment, such as the ball, opponent, target, teammates, court/field position or auditory cues.
· Broad focus = attention spread across many cues at once, useful for scanning and decision-making.
· Narrow focus = attention restricted to one or two key cues, useful for precise execution.
· Four exam-useful combinations:
· Broad external = scanning the environment, e.g. a footballer assessing teammates and opponents.
· Broad internal = analysing and planning, e.g. choosing tactics during a break.
· Narrow external = focusing on a specific cue, e.g. watching the ball before striking it.
· Narrow internal = mental rehearsal or controlling emotions, e.g. using breathing before a penalty.
· Strong answers should match the attentional style to the demands of the skill or situation.

Distraction and loss of concentration

· Concentration is “lost” when attention moves away from the relevant task; this is called distraction.
· External distractors = distracting stimuli from the environment, especially visual or auditory cues.
· Examples: crowd noise, opponent movement, weather, scoreboard, coach shouting, camera flashes.
· Internal distractors = distracting cognitions that are negative or unrelated to goal-directed behaviour.
· Examples: fear of failure, overthinking technique, worrying about the score, remembering a previous mistake.
· Exam link: distractions reduce performance because they shift attention away from task-relevant cues and increase the chance of poor decision-making or skill execution errors.
· High-quality evaluation: some distraction can be trained for using controlled distraction, but uncontrolled distraction often harms performance.

Controlled distraction

· Controlled distraction = deliberately practising with distractions so athletes improve attentional control in realistic conditions.
· Examples: training with crowd noise, time pressure, simulated opponents, unexpected coach calls or fatigue.
· Purpose: help athletes maintain focus on relevant performance cues despite external or internal interference.
· Useful for sports where pressure, noise or opponents are unavoidable, e.g. penalties, free throws, serving, starts, officiating or combat sports.
· Exam phrase: controlled distraction improves an athlete’s ability to filter irrelevant stimuli and retain task-focused attention under competitive pressure.

Attentional narrowing and arousal

· Attentional narrowing occurs when a performer’s focus becomes restricted in a high-arousal situation.
· This can be helpful if the athlete narrows attention onto the most relevant cue, e.g. a sprinter focusing on the starter’s signal.
· It can be harmful if the athlete misses important wider information, e.g. a games player failing to see a teammate or opponent.
· High arousal can increase the risk of tunnel vision, poor tactical decisions, choking or over-focusing on technique.
· Link to C.1.2: mental toughness training may reduce harmful attentional narrowing by improving confidence, control, resilience and focus under pressure.

Strategies to control attentional focus

· Self-talk = using internal or spoken cue words/phrases to control attention, confidence and action.
· Instructional self-talk: directs attention to technique or execution, e.g. “elbow high”, “eyes on ball”.
· Motivational self-talk: supports confidence and persistence, e.g. “commit”, “stay calm”.
· Goal setting = focuses attention on a specific task or target.
· Best linked to process goals for attentional control, e.g. “focus on follow-through” rather than only “win the match”.
· Good attentional cues should be short, specific, positive and task-relevant.
· Avoid vague cues such as “try harder”; use cues that direct attention to the key performance demand.
· Exam link: self-talk and goal setting improve performance by helping athletes maintain relevant focus, block distractions and regulate arousal.

Applying attentional control to exam scenarios

· For team invasion games, broad external focus helps performers scan space, teammates and opponents before selecting an action.
· For closed skills, narrow external focus is often important at the moment of execution, e.g. aiming at a target in archery, golf putting or basketball free throws.
· For tactical planning, broad internal focus helps performers analyse strategy, opponent patterns or previous feedback.
· For pre-performance routines, narrow internal focus can support breathing control, mental rehearsal and emotional regulation.
· In evaluation questions, explain that the best focus depends on the skill type, stage of learning, pressure level, environment and performer experience.

Common exam mistakes to avoid

· Do not define attention only as “concentration”; include direction and width.
· Do not assume internal focus is always bad or external focus is always good; effectiveness depends on the task demand.
· Do not confuse controlled distraction with losing concentration; it is a training method.
· Do not describe attentional narrowing only negatively; it can help if attention narrows onto relevant cues.
· Always give a sporting example when explaining internal/external or broad/narrow focus.