The Effects of Focus of Attention on Shooting Skill of Novice and Elite Shooters in Malek Ashtar Arak Educational Center

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of external and internal attention on the shooting skills of novice and elite shooters among the staff of Malek Ashtar Educational Center in Arak.

The research was quasi-experimental with an applied purpose. The statistical population of the study included all soldiers at the Malek Ashtar Educational Center. The statistical sample consisted of 30 individuals selected through convenience sampling. Participants were divided into two groups: 15 skilled shooters and 15 novice shooters. The tools used in the present study were a shooting simulator and a scorecard. To test the hypothesis, mixed-design ANOVA was administered using SPSS 26 software at a significance level of 0.05.

The results showed that the main effects of the experimental groups and the attention conditions were significant. However, the interaction between the group and attention conditions was not significant. The shooting accuracy of novice and elite shooters in the external attention condition was significantly better than in the internal attention condition (P<0.001).

It appears that the staff of Malek Ashtar Educational Center would likely benefit more from providing instructions and guidance focused on elements outside the body and its movements while performing shooting skills.