Internal/external focus describes the direction of an athlete's attention, whereas broad/narrow focus describes how much information receives attention. These are two separate dimensions that combine to produce four attentional styles.
In SEHS subtopic C.2.2, attentional control is the ability to direct and maintain attention on relevant stimuli while ignoring distractions. Athletes must select an appropriate attentional style and switch styles as the sporting situation changes.
- Internal attention is directed toward the athlete's own thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, or movement.
- External attention is directed toward information in the environment, such as opponents, teammates, equipment, or the ball.
- Broad attention processes several cues simultaneously.
- Narrow attention concentrates on one cue or a very limited number of cues.
Nideffer's attentional model combines these dimensions:
| Attentional style | Meaning and sporting example |
|---|---|
| Broad-external | Assessing several environmental cues, such as a football midfielder scanning teammates, opponents, and available space. |
| Narrow-external | Focusing on one external cue, such as a tennis player watching the ball during a serve return. |
| Broad-internal | Considering several internal factors, such as a coach or athlete analyzing tactics and planning a race strategy. |
| Narrow-internal | Focusing on one internal cue, such as a sprinter controlling breathing immediately before the start. |
The appropriate focus depends on the task. Open, rapidly changing situations often require broad-external attention, while precise execution may require narrow-external attention. Internal attention can support planning or emotional control, although excessive internal focus during a well-learned skill may disrupt automatic performance.
A common misconception is that internal/external and broad/narrow are competing categories. They are not: direction and width operate together.
Exam technique: If asked to distinguish these terms, define both dimensions, identify all four combinations, and apply each to a specific sporting example. Avoid merely listing the terms without explaining what the athlete attends to.