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Simmonds, P, Wakefield, C, Coyles, G and Roberts, J (2023) Enhanced expectancies benefit performance under distraction, but compromise it under stress: exploring the OPTIMAL theory. Human Movement Science, 89. ISSN 0167-9457
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Abstract
Motor learning can benefit from practice under enhanced expectancies; that is, the belief one can generate an intended positive outcome. According to the OPTIMAL (Optimizing Performance Through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning) theory, this benefit manifests from a greater coupling between action and its external consequences, which potentially coincides with a more automatic mode of control. The aim of the study was to examine this possibility, and in so doing, understand more about the psycho-motor processes underpinning the influence of expectancies. On Day 1, novice participants practiced a dart-throwing task under enhanced (EE) (n=11), reduced (RE) (n=12) or no (control; CTL) (n=12) expectancies. Enhanced and reduced expectancies were indirectly manipulated by positively reinforcing shots that landed within the large or small circle on the dartboard, respectively. On Day 2, participants transferred to a dual-task (i.e., tone-counting) or stress (i.e., social-comparative threat, false feedback) setting. While there was no evidence of improvement across practice, RE was significantly worse than CTL for the dual-task, but EE was significantly worse than RE and CTL under stress (ps < .05). Therefore, the ability of EE to retain performance within the dual-task, but decline under stress, suggests a more automatic mode of control was adopted. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | 09 Engineering; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences; Experimental Psychology |
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine |
| Divisions: | Sport & Exercise Sciences |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| SWORD Depositor: | A Symplectic |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Apr 2023 09:41 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2023 09:45 |
| DOI or ID number: | 10.1016/j.humov.2023.103085 |
| URI: | https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/19393 |
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