Focusing of attention in professional women skiers

The ability to focus attention was investigated in 5 high-level skiers from the Italian National Women Ski Team and 10 control participants. The aim w as to investigate differences between skiers and control participants in th e time necessary for attentional focusing and in the duration of time that a given focus size could be maintained. Participants were instructed to pre ss a bar at the onset of a stimulus which could appear at different stimulu s onset asynchronys inside a small or a large cue. By using a pre-cueing pr ocedure, the time necessary for focusing was estimated, excluding the time necessary for orienting. Results showed that skiers were more rapid in focu sing on the ale and maintained focused attention for a longer time period. In addition, skiers used the warning signal differently to prepare their re sponse.