Application of Strategic Self-Talk: An Experimental Study on the Effects on Shooting Stability and Performance

Emmanouil Tzormpatzakis, Evangelos Galanis, Annitsa Chaldeaki, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis

Abstract


Background: Pistol shooting is a sport with high attentional demands. Strategic self-talk has been shown to assist learning and increase performance, in particular due to its effects on attention. Objective: The current study aimed to examine the impact of a strategic self-talk intervention on the learning of pistol shooting. Methods: An experimental study was designed and implemented. Forty sport sciences students with no experience in pistol shooting were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The study took part in nine sessions, one for familiarization, two for baseline measurements, four for training, and two for final measurements. The shooting was performed from a distance of five meters and recorded through the SCATT shooting system. Performance as Average Score (AS) and two stability variables, Average Length of Tracing (ALOT) and Stability of Aim (SOA), were recorded. Results: Repeated measures MANOVA showed a significant multivariate group by measurement interaction. Pairwise comparisons revealed that (a) AS increased for both the experimental (p<.001) and the control group (p=.006), with the experimental group showing greater improvement, and (b) SOA and ALOT improved for the experimental group (p<.001 and p=.003, respectively) but not for the control group (p=.37 and p=.21, respectively). Conclusions: The increases in performance for both groups can be attributed to the learning effect; however, the impact of self-talk was evidenced in the greater performance improvement, but also in the improvement of the stability variables that were targeted through the instructional self-talk cues that were used. The greater performance change for the self-talk group may be attributed to attentional mechanisms that brought about the improvement of the stability parameters.

Keywords


Self-Talk Mechanisms, Attention, Steadiness, Pistol

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdoli, B., Hardy, J., Riyahi, J. F., & Farsi, A. (2018). A closer look at how self-talk influences skilled basketball performance. The Sport Psychologist, 32(1), 9–15. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0162

Bahrami, A., Moradi, J., & Rasouli, P. (2020). The relationship between cognitive styles, attention and performance of shooting skill. International Journal of Motor Control & Learning, 2(3), 23–30. https://doi.org/10.29252/IJMCL.2.3.23

Bell, J. J., & Hardy, J. (2009). Effects of attentional focus in skilled performance in golf. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 21(2), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200902795323

Chang, Y. K., Ho, L. A., Fu, F. J. H., Ou, C. C., Song, T. F., & Gill, D. L. (2014). Self-talk and softball performance: The role of self-talk nature, motor task characteristics, and self-efficacy in novice softball players. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15(1), 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.10.004

Cutton, D. M., & Hearon, C. M. (2014). Self-talk functions: Portrayal of an elite power lifter. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 119(2), 478–494. https://doi.org/10.2466/29.PMS.119c25z2

Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191. https://doi.org/10.3758/bf03193146

Galanis, E., & Hatzigeorgiadis, A. (2020). Self-talk mechanisms. In A.T. Latinjak & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Self-talk in Sport (1st ed., 136-153). Routledge.

Galanis, E., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Comoutos, A., Charachousi, F., & Sanchez, X. (2018). From the lab to field: Effects of self-talk on task performance under distracting conditions. The Sport Psychologist, 32(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2017-0017

Galanis, E., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Comoutos, N., Papaioannou, A., Morres, I. D. & Theodorakis, Y. (2021). Effects of a strategic self-talk intervention on attention functions. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2021.1963304

Galanis, E., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., & Theodorakis, Y. (2016). Why self-talk is effective? A review on the self-talk mechanisms in sport. In M. Raab, P. Wylleman, R. Seiler, A.M. Elbe, & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Sport and Exercise Psychology Research: From Theory to Practice (pp. 181-200). Elsevier.

Gregersen. J., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Galanis, E., Comoutos, N., & Papaioannou, A. (2017). Countering the consequences of ego depletion: The effects of self-talk on selective attention. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 39(3), 161-171. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2016-0265

Hardy, J., Comoutos, N., Hatzigeorgiadis, A. (2018). Reflections on the maturing research literature of self-talk in sport: Contextualizing the special issue. Sport Psychologist, 32(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2017-0141

Hardy, J., Oliver, E., & Tod, E. (2009). A framework for the study and application of self-talk within sport. In S. D. Mellalieu & S. Hanton (Eds.), Advances in applied sport psychology: A review (pp. 37–74). Routledge.

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Galanis, E., & Theodorakis, Y. (2020). Strategic self-talk interventions. In A.T. Latinjak & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Self-talk in Sport (1st ed., 123-135). Routledge.

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Galanis, E., Zourbanos, N., & Theodorakis, Y. (2014). Self-talk and competitive sport performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 26(1), 82–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2013.790095

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Galanis, E., & Theodorakis, Y. (2011). Self-talk and sport performance: A meta-analysis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(4), 348–356. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691611413136

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Latinjak, A. T., & Theodorakis, Y. (2014). Self-talk. In A. Papaioannou & D. Hackfort (Eds.), Routledge companion to sport and exercise psychology (pp. 372–386). Routledge.

Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Mpoumpaki, S., & Theodorakis, Y. (2009). Mechanisms underlying the self-talk – performance relationship: The effects of motivational self-talk on self-confidence and anxiety. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 10(1), 186–192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2008.07.009

Johnson, J. M., Hrycaiko, D. W., Johnson, G. V., & Halas, J. M. (2004). Self-talk and female youth soccer performance. The Sport Psychologist, 18(1), 44–59. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.18.1.44

Konttinen, N. Lyytinen, H., & Viitasalo, J. (1998) Preparatory heart rate patterns in competitive rifle shooting, Journal of Sports Sciences, 16(3), 235-242. https://doi.org/10.1080/026404198366759

Latinjak, A. T., Hardy, L., & Hatzigeorgiadis, A. (2020). Pieces of the self-talk jigsaw puzzle: An introduction. In A. Latinjak & A. Hatzigeorgiadis (Eds.), Self-talk in Sport (pp. 11-27). Routledge.

Latinjak, A. T., Torregrossa, M., & Renom, J. (2011). Combining self-talk and performance feedback: Their effectiveness with adult tennis players. The Sport Psychologist, 25(1), 18–31. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.25.1.18

McCormick, A., Meijen, C., & Marcora, S. (2018). Effects of a motivational self-talk Intervention for endurance athletes completing an ultramarathon. The Sport Psychologist, 32(1), 42-50. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2017-0018

Perkos, S., Theodorakis, Y., & Chroni, S. (2002). Enhancing performance and skill acquisition in novice basketball players with instructional self-talk. The Sport Psychologist, 16(4), 368–383. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.16.4.368

Salazar, W., Landers, D. M., Petruzzello, S. J., Han, M., Crews, D. J., & Kubitz, K. A. (1990). Hemispheric asymmetry, cardiac response, and performance in elite archers. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 61(4), 351-359. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.1990.10607499

Sarig, Y., Ruiz, M. C., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., & Tenebaum, G. (2017). The effects of instructional self-talk on quiet-eye duration and performance. Proceedings, Annual Meeting of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), Orlando, Florida.

Theodorakis, Y., Weinberg, R., Natsis, P., Douma, I., & Kazakas, P. (2000). The effects of motivational versus instructional self-talk on improving motor performance. The Sport Psychologist, 14(3), 253–272. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.14.3.253

Tod, D., Hardy, J., & Oliver, E. J. (2011). Effects of self-talk: A systematic review. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 33(5), 666–687. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.33.5.666

Zetou, E., Vernadakis, N., Bebetsos, E., & Liadakis, N. (2014). The effect of self-talk on tae-kwon-do skills’ learning of novice athletes and perceived use of it. Journal of Human Sport & Exercise, 9(1), 124-135. http://dx.doi.org/10.4100/jhse.2014.91.13

Zourbanos, N., Chroni, S., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., & Theodorakis, Y. (2013). The effects of motivational self-talk on self-efficacy and performance in novice undergraduate students. Journal of Athletic Enhancement, 2(3), 1-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2324-9080.1000117

Zourbanos, N., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Bardas, D., & Theodorakis, Y. (2013). The effects of self-talk on dominant and non-dominant arm performance on a handball task in primary physical education students. The Sport Psychologist, 27(2), 171–176. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.27.2.171




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.10n.1p.52

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.




Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2013-2024 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.