ON ATTENTIONAL CONTROL: A dimensional framework for attention in expert performance

This chapter discusses the framework for exploring the multidimensional nature of attention in sport expertise. The major goal of this framework is to integrate binary distinctions that are often discussed in the literature to view attention as a multifaceted construct where the “optimal” focus of attention is dynamic and context dependent. A major distinction in research on attention is between overt attention, which is directly observable by a researcher and covert attention, which is a psychological process inferred through experimental methods. The question of whether attention should be associative or dissociative relates to implicit and explicit levels of motor control. A large number of studies have explored different types of internally and externally focused attention compared to each other or to a control condition across a wide range of participant populations. The benefits of externally focused attention have also been shown for rapid, powerful movements in addition to prolonged, sustained efforts.