The Effect Type of Attentional Focus and the Frequency of Feedback on Explicit Knowledge and the Learning of Basketball Free Throwing

The purpose study was to investigate the effect type of attentional focus and the frequency of feedback on explicit knowledge and learning of Basketball free throwing. Fifty students were selected by accessible sampling method as a research sample. Subjects after the pretest randomly assigned to five experimental groups (internal focus feedback with frequency of 100%, internal focus feedback with frequency of 33%, external focus feedback with frequency of 100%, external focus feedback with frequency of 33% and control). At the acquisition phase, Experimental groups conducted six blocks of ten attempts (each day, two blocks of ten attempts and a total of 60 attempts) per week and in three training sessions so that received attentional focus related to feedback (internal or external) with the relevant frequency (33% or 100%). After 72 hours, the retention and transfer tests with blocks of ten attempts and measurement of explicit knowledge of subjects was done. Accuracy of throwing by Hardy and Parfit method (1991) and explicit knowledge by questionnaire was evaluated. ANOVA with repeated measure showed a significant effect on the block in all experimental groups except the control group (P<0/05). Significant difference was found between the research groups in the retention and transfer tests (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference between type of explicit knowledge of the external and internal focus groups (P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference between of them (P > 0.05). The findings showed that the significant accumulation of external explicit knowledge in the external focus feedback groups prevents breakdown of automated processes.