External focus
External focus has been studied in 1 paper since 2025: 1 trial in people. The newest paper, Mar 21, 2025: “The Influence of Attentional Focus on Gait Stability and Conscious Movement Processing During Challenging Walking Conditions in Older Adults”.
1 paper studies it3 findingsUpdated
“Older adults displayed significantly lower variability of stride length and step width under an external focus condition compared to control.”
None of its findings points the other way.
- 1 lab in 1 country
- Funder: University Grants Committee
- Human trial1
Studies in people
1 study gave external focus to people and measured what changed.
down: Decreases stride length variability
no change: Has no effect on EEG T3-Fz coherence
Randomized trial98 peoplemean age of 70.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 4.6)three walking trials per condition across three blocks
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, Mar 21, 2025
What did studies of External focus find?
3Studies of External focus measured 3 outcomes; the most studied are EEG T3-Fz coherence (1 study), stride length variability (1) and stride length variability (1).
EEG T3-Fz coherence
no changein humans1
1 study
EEG T3-Fz coherence
no changein humans1
External focus showed no clear effect on EEG T3-Fz coherence in humans.
“No statistically significant differences were found in EEG T3-Fz coherence [F(2, 192) = 1.185, p =.308, ηp2 = 0.012] and T4-Fz coherence [F(2, 192) = 2.965, p =.054, ηp2 = 0.03] among the three attentional focus conditions.”
Human trialthree walking trials per condition across three blocksn = 98
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences
Stride length variability
downin humans1
1 study
Stride length variability
downin humans1
External focus decreases stride length variability in humans.
“Post hoc tests revealed the variability of stride length (p =.016; ) and step width (p =.003; ) were significantly lower under EXT compared to CON.”
Human trialthree walking trials per condition across three blocksn = 98
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences
Stride length variability
downin humans1
1 study
Stride length variability
downin humans1
External focus decreases stride length variability in humans (walking on an unstable foam surface).
“Older adults displayed significantly lower variability of stride length and step width under an external focus condition compared to control.”
Human trialwalking on an unstable foam surfacen = 98
The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences