External versus internal focus enhances motor performance and learning in children with different visuospatial working memory capacities
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61989592%3A15510%2F25%3A73628513" target="_blank" >RIV/61989592:15510/25:73628513 - isvavai.cz</a>
Result on the web
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167945725000089" target="_blank" >https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167945725000089</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2025.103327" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.humov.2025.103327</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
External versus internal focus enhances motor performance and learning in children with different visuospatial working memory capacities
Original language description
Research has shown that external focus (EF) instructions—directing attention to intended movement effects (e.g., ball's or dart's path)—are more effective for enhancing motor performance and learning than internal focus (IF) instructions, which focus on body movements (e.g., arm or foot motion). Nonetheless, the impact of visuospatial working memory capacity (WMC) in this context, especially among children, has been less investigated. This research sought to examine the effects of EF compared to IF on the skill acquisition and motor learning of a dart-throwing task among children with both high and low visuospatial WMC. Forty-eight boys aged 9–11 (Mage: 9.67 ± 0.76 years) were grouped by high or low WMC based on spatial span and memory tests, then assigned to receive either EF or IF instructions. The experiment comprised three stages: practice, retention, and two transfer tests, including throwing from a longer distance and a dual-task scenario with added cognitive load (tone counting). Results showed that EF outperformed IF at all stages. While WMC did not affect performance during practice and retention, children with low WMC performed better than those with high WMC during the longer distance test. In dual-task conditions, an EF continued to surpass an IF, whilst the WMC exerted no significant impact. The present findings suggest that an EF relative to an IF promotes more automatic movement and enhanced multitasking, while the impact of visuospatial WMC was less than expected, highlighting the benefits of EF in teaching motor skills to children, regardless of visuospatial WMC.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
30306 - Sport and fitness sciences
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/EH23_025%2F0008686" target="_blank" >EH23_025/0008686: ReDiKid: Resilient Kid in Digital World</a><br>
Continuities
P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)
Others
Publication year
2025
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE
ISSN
0167-9457
e-ISSN
1872-7646
Volume of the periodical
100
Issue of the periodical within the volume
February
Country of publishing house
NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
Number of pages
12
Pages from-to
1-12
UT code for WoS article
001422902600001
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85216653826