The focus of attention affects the information available when making assessments of performance and when attributing responsibility for the outcome of an athletic play or contest. The current study tested the hypotheses that: (a) The type of play viewed would affect sport spectators' attentional focus, with certain plays leading to more internal focus, (b) the temporal position of the play would affect sport spectators' attentional focus, with earlier plays leading to more internal focus and later plays leading to more external focus, and (c) the effects of greater actor focus and a differential level of that actor focus as a function of type of play or temporal position seen in Wann and Steele's (1998) prior study would be replicated. These hypotheses were tested by having participants view 1 of 4 differently ordered series of 4 video clips depicting football plays. Participants then stated their focus of attention following each clip. The results supported each hypothesis.

©2013  Psi Chi - The International Honor Society in Psychology, All Rights Reserved