The effect of an internal versus external focus of attention on the learning of a tennis backhand

Abstract

The present study examined the influence of instructions regarding the performer's attentional focus on the learning of a tennis backhand stroke. In two experiments, one group of participants was instructed to focus on their movement pattern, i.e., backspins and racket-ball contact point (internal focus of attention), while the other group was instructed to focus on the effect of their movements, i.e., the arc of the ball and landing point (external focus of attention). Experiment 1 showed that the external focus condition produced higher accuracy scores in acquisition, retention, and transfer. In Experiment 2, movement form was evaluated in addition to the accuracy of the shots. We also examined the effects of attentional focus on individuals that were determined to be field-independent versus individuals that were field-dependent. The external focus participants again demonstrated more effective learning with regard to movement accuracy than the internal focus participants. Furthermore, movement form was similar for both groups indicating that the benefits of an external attentional focus were not achieved at the expense of movement form. These results extend previous findings showing learning advantages of focusing on the movement effects rather than the movements themselves (e.g., Wulf, Hoss, & Prinz, 1998) by demonstrating that corresponding instructions can have a significant influence on the learning of complex sport skills. The analysis of the field-dependence data revealed no interaction between the focus and field-dependence.