Abstract
Research has shown that the self-efficacy-performance relationship is reciprocal in continuous sport tasks with high self-efficacy leading to increased performance (LaForge-MacKenzie & Sullivan, in submission). However, an internal focus of attention may be detrimental to performance (e.g., Wulf, 2007) and is further associated with low self-efficacy whereas high self-efficacy is associated with a broad focus (Bandura & Jourden, 1991). As high confidence and focused attention have been shown to be important to peak running performance (Brewer, Van Raalte, Linder, & VanRaalte, 1991), the purpose of the present pilot study was to examine the effects of the direction of attention on the self-efficacy-performance relationship. Twenty-six participants were randomly assigned to three attention conditions: internal (9 participants), external (9 participants), and control (8 participants). Participants were required to run continuously for one kilometer employing their specific attentional focus and respond to a one-item self-efficacy measure every 200 meters. Path analyses revealed significant efficacy-to-performance pathways in the external (p < .05, βs ranging from -.25 to -.35) and internal conditions (p < .05, βs ranging from -.49 to -.59). Contrary to previous research, consistent, reciprocal relationships were absent from all conditions. However, the results showed that external focus was beneficial to the efficacy-performance relationship in the middle of the task whereas internal focus was beneficial late in the task. These results support the suggestion that internal focus increases at the end of a running performance (e.g., Lima-Silva, Silva-Cavalcante, Pires, Bertuzzi, Oliveira, & Bishop, 2012), and in this case, positively affects the efficacy-performance relationship.
