Considerable literature on the role of attentional focus in motor performance and learning has accumulated for over two decades. We report the results of comprehensive meta-analyses that address the impact of an external focus (EF, on intended movement effects) versus internal focus (IF, on movements of body parts) of attention on the performance and learning of motor skills. Values of effect sizes (ES) from 73 studies with 1,824 participants and 40 studies with 1,274 participants were used for examining the effects of EF versus IF on behavioral outcomes of motor performance and learning (separately for retention and transfer phases) respectively. The EF condition was more effective than the IF condition for performance, Hedges' g value = 0.264 (95% CI [0.217, 0.310]), retention learning, Hedges' g value = 0.583 (95% CI [0.425, 0.741]), and transfer learning, Hedges' g value = 0.584 (95% CI [0.325, 0.842]). Multivariable metaregression analyses on behavioral measures further indicated that neither age group, health status, or skill level, nor their two-way interactions, moderated the ES differences between EF and IF in performance, retention, and transfer models (all p > .100). A secondary analysis on 12 studies with 216 participants that examined the effects of EF versus IF on electromyographic outcomes of motor performance also indicated that EF was associated with more efficient neuromuscular processing, Hedges' g value = 0.833 (95% CI [0.453, 1.213]). From nine studies with 272 participants, performance measured by behavioral outcomes was found to be more effective when a more distal, rather than proximal, EF was used, Hedges' g value = 0.224 (95% CI [0.019, 0.429]). Overall, the meta-analytic results are consistent with prior narrative reviews and indicate that an external focus is superior to an internal focus whether considering tests of motor performance or learning, and regardless of age, health condition, and level of skill expertise. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

中文翻译：

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运动表现和学习的外部注意力焦点的优势：系统评价和荟萃分析。

关于注意力集中在运动表现和学习中的作用的大量文献已经积累了二十多年。我们报告了综合荟萃分析的结果，这些分析解决了外部焦点（EF，对预期的运动效果）与内部焦点（IF，对身体部位的运动）对运动技能表现和学习的影响。来自 1,824 名参与者的 73 项研究和 1,274 名参与者的 40 项研究的效应量 (ES) 值分别用于检查 EF 与 IF 对运动表现和学习行为结果的影响（分别用于保留和转移阶段）。EF 条件比 IF 条件对性能更有效，Hedges 的 g 值 = 0.264 (95% CI [0.217, 0.310])，保留学习，Hedges 的 g 值 = 0.583 (95% CI [0.425, 0.741])，和迁移学习，Hedges 的 g 值 = 0.584 (95% CI [0.325, 0.842])。对行为测量的多变量元回归分析进一步表明，无论是年龄组、健康状况或技能水平，还是它们的双向交互作用，都不能缓和 EF 和 IF 在绩效、保留和转移模型中的 ES 差异（所有 p > .100） . 对 216 名参与者的 12 项研究进行的二次分析检查了 EF 与 IF 对运动表现的肌电图结果的影响，也表明 EF 与更有效的神经肌肉处理相关，Hedges 的 g 值 = 0.833 (95% CI [0.453, 1.213] ）。在 272 名参与者的 9 项研究中，发现当使用更远端而非近端的 EF 时，通过行为结果衡量的表现更有效，Hedges 的 g 值 = 0.224 (95% CI [0.019, 0. 429]）。总体而言，荟萃分析结果与之前的叙述性评论一致，表明无论是考虑运动表现还是学习测试，无论年龄、健康状况和技能水平如何，外部关注都优于内部关注。（PsycInfo 数据库记录 (c) 2021 APA，保留所有权利）。