Investigation of Alpha Band Activity in Self-Paced and Externally-Paced Tasks: A Fitts and Posner Perspective.

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Title: Investigation of Alpha Band Activity in Self-Paced and Externally-Paced Tasks: A Fitts and Posner Perspective.
Authors: Keshvari, Fatemeh (AUTHOR), Farsi, Alireza (AUTHOR), Abdoli, Behrouz (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Motor Behavior. 2026, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p184-201. 18p.
Subjects: Alpha rhythm, Automaticity (Learning process), Cognitive neuroscience, Motor learning, Basketball, Motor ability, Cerebral cortex
Abstract: This study explored Alpha band activity during automaticity in self- and externally-paced basketball tasks, per the Fitts and Posner model. Twenty male basketball players volunteered, split into elite and trained groups. Alpha band power was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (α = 0.05). Results showed elite athletes had greater Alpha band activation than the trained group across both tasks. Alpha band activation was also higher in the free-throw task compared to pass-catching. This difference was more pronounced in the elite group; the trained group showed no significant Alpha band activity difference between tasks. Detailed elite group analysis revealed the free-throw task elicited higher Alpha band power in most cortical regions (excluding temporal and occipital areas) compared to pass-catching. Alpha band activity for the free-throw task was greater in the seconds leading up to execution, but no difference was observed between the two tasks during the actual execution. While self-paced findings align with the general neural efficiency hypothesis, elite Alpha band modulations during externally-paced tasks are better explained by the net neural efficiency and pulsed inhibition hypotheses. Overall, these findings highlight the need to revise neural-efficiency accounts from self-paced skills, explicitly considering perceptual–attentional processing demands imposed by dynamic, reactive, externally paced tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Motor Behavior is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Investigation of Alpha Band Activity in Self-Paced and Externally-Paced Tasks: A Fitts and Posner Perspective.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Keshvari%2C+Fatemeh%22">Keshvari, Fatemeh</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Farsi%2C+Alireza%22">Farsi, Alireza</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Abdoli%2C+Behrouz%22">Abdoli, Behrouz</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Motor+Behavior%22">Journal of Motor Behavior</searchLink>. 2026, Vol. 58 Issue 2, p184-201. 18p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alpha+rhythm%22">Alpha rhythm</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Automaticity+%28Learning+process%29%22">Automaticity (Learning process)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+neuroscience%22">Cognitive neuroscience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motor+learning%22">Motor learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Basketball%22">Basketball</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Motor+ability%22">Motor ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cerebral+cortex%22">Cerebral cortex</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This study explored Alpha band activity during automaticity in self- and externally-paced basketball tasks, per the Fitts and Posner model. Twenty male basketball players volunteered, split into elite and trained groups. Alpha band power was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (α = 0.05). Results showed elite athletes had greater Alpha band activation than the trained group across both tasks. Alpha band activation was also higher in the free-throw task compared to pass-catching. This difference was more pronounced in the elite group; the trained group showed no significant Alpha band activity difference between tasks. Detailed elite group analysis revealed the free-throw task elicited higher Alpha band power in most cortical regions (excluding temporal and occipital areas) compared to pass-catching. Alpha band activity for the free-throw task was greater in the seconds leading up to execution, but no difference was observed between the two tasks during the actual execution. While self-paced findings align with the general neural efficiency hypothesis, elite Alpha band modulations during externally-paced tasks are better explained by the net neural efficiency and pulsed inhibition hypotheses. Overall, these findings highlight the need to revise neural-efficiency accounts from self-paced skills, explicitly considering perceptual–attentional processing demands imposed by dynamic, reactive, externally paced tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Motor Behavior is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/00222895.2026.2626496
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 184
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Alpha rhythm
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Automaticity (Learning process)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive neuroscience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motor learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Basketball
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Motor ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cerebral cortex
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Investigation of Alpha Band Activity in Self-Paced and Externally-Paced Tasks: A Fitts and Posner Perspective.
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            NameFull: Keshvari, Fatemeh
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          Name:
            NameFull: Farsi, Alireza
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          Name:
            NameFull: Abdoli, Behrouz
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            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: 2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 58
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Motor Behavior
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