Date: Sat, 21 Jan 1995 18:29:36 EST From: "Rob Slade, Social Convener to the Net" Subject: "Concentration" by Dalloway BKCNCNTR.RVW 941221 "Concentration", Dalloway, 1993, 0-9634933-1-0, U$14.95 %A Marie Dalloway %C 320 West Medlock Drive, #205, Phoenix, AZ 85013 %D 1993 %G 0-9634933-1-0 %I Optimal Performance Institute Press %O U$14.95 602/274-1889 fax 602/274-0466 %P 59 %T "Concentration" One of our family "legends" is the story of a particular busboy. He, laden with fresh cutlery and napkins, would approach a table. You could actually *see* him focus his concentration. Then, in a blur of moving arms and china, the table would be cleared, cleaned and fully reset in a matter of seconds. The intensity he brought to the task seemed out of proportion to the work, but it does show that concentration skills can be applied in areas other than sports. This book is one of a series of works on improving the "mental game" in sports. The five exercises (and one test) are quite practical. Although there are variations, much of the material is based upon standard relaxation practise. Much of the specific content of the book relates solely to sports, but the perceptive reader will be able to generalize it to other situations. Unfortunately, the presentation is primarily field independent, without much explanation or analysis. Analytical readers will find this frustrating, and it makes it all the harder to see broader applications. What conceptual overview does exist is very poor: Dalloway sees concentration and distraction as "two dimensions" rather than the ends of a single continuum, while the studies cited to support the work are all anecdotal rather than quantitative. This also makes the material much less convincing than it could have been. The exercises given in the book should be of value to most who are trying to improve any type of skill or behaviour. For those who want proof, all I can recommend is a solid trial. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1994 BKCNCNTR.RVW 941221 ============= Vancouver ROBERTS@decus.ca | "Remember, by the Institute for Robert_Slade@sfu.ca | rules of the game, I Research into rslade@cue.bc.ca | *must* lie. *Now* do User p1@CyberStore.ca | you believe me?" Security Canada V7K 2G6 | Margaret Atwood