ABSTRACT
Without doubt, motor behavior is subject to a variety of social-cognitive-affective influences (Lewthwaite & Wulf, 2010a). For instance, the instructions or feedback given to learners not only provide them with “cold” information about the task, what to do, or how to correct errors, but also influence the learner’s emotional state directly impacting on the performance, learning, and control of movements (e.g., Lewthwaite & Wulf, 2010b). This effect is exemplified by how small differences in the wording of instructions or feedback influence performance and learning (e.g., Hutchinson, Sherman, Martinovic, & Tenenbaum, 2008; Jourden, Bandura, & Banfield, 1991; Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2009). One line of research in which differential effects on motor skill learning as a function of instructions have been found consistently is research on attentional focus (see Wulf, 2007a, 2007b). Specifically, if attention is directed to the performer’s body movements (i.e., inducing an internal focus of attention), motor learning is generally hampered compared with attention directed at the movement effect (i.e., inducing an external focus).
