The Effect of External Attentional Focus Instructions on Learning Tracking Task under Auditory Secondary Task Condition

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of external attentional focus instructions on learning tracking task under dual-task condition. Forty-two students of Kerman University (aged 19–25) were randomly devided into three groups (the distal external group, proximal external group and control group) after participating in the pre-test. Then, the participants practiced the tracking task in four blocks of four attempt. After 48 hours, they participated in delay retention test under dual-task condition (auditory). In order to measure the performance in tracking task, we used tow-hand coordination test of Vienna set, and the mean total duration in this task was calculated as related variable. Proximal external focus group received instructions about joysticks movements. Distal external focus group received instructions about red dot movement in different parts of track. Control group didn’t receive any instructions. Repeated measures ANOVA test was used in order to specify the difference in acquisition and retention phases. Result showed significant difference between different training blocks in acquisition phase (P = 0.0001) and between attentional groups in retention stage of the test (P = 0.0001). These findings express that increasing the distance of an external focus of attention improves tracking task learning, especially under secondary task; because secondary task condition will enhance attention resources and shift attentional focus to external resource.