Effect of Feedback and Task related Attention Focus on Acquisition and Learning of Dart Throwing Special Task

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigating the Effect of Feedback and task related Attention Focus on Acquisition and learning of Dart Throwing special task. Forty five male students (mean of 16 ± 1/4 years old) were participated in the study, voluntarily. Participants randomly were assigned into the three groups; internal focus feedbacks, external focus feedbacks and control conditions. Each participant performed 30 practice trials (5 blocks of 6 trails) in one session. In each of the two feedback-type conditions, one of four feedback statements was given after 2th end 5th trial in per block. Control group was not any given focus feedback. All scores were recorded in acquisition phase. Two days after the practice phase, a retention test was performed. The results of practice phase showed; scores differences between ExFF group and InFF group and also between control group and InFF group was significantly different (p < 0.05), but this difference was not significant between control group and ExFF group (p < 0.05). In retention phase, the results showed; ExFF group significantly more accurate rather than InFF group (p < 0.001), but was not significantly different with control group (p > 0.05). Control group than the InFF group was more accurate (p < 0.001). My findings suggest participants in control condition, probably, employed similar attentional focus mechanisms that external focus participants used.