Enhancing Performance and Skill Acquisition in Novice Basketball Players with Instructional Self-Talk

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of instructional self-talk on acquiring and performing three basketball skills (dribbling, passing, and shooting). Sixty-two young, novice players were organized into two groups. The experimental group accompanied the practice of three specific drills with self-talk. The control group performed the same drills traditionally. Six assessment sessions were completed. Repeated measures MANOVAs showed that experimental group participants performed better than their control group counterparts when dribbling and passing. Experimental group participants and their coaches reported using self-talk more when passing and dribbling and less when shooting. In addition, experimental group participants achieved significantly better dribbling and passing scores (p < .05) between assessment sessions. These results support instructional self-talk as an effective tool for skill acquisition and performance enhancement of skills low in complexity.

The Influence of Self-Talk on Learning Achievement and Self Confidence

“…The third hypothesis that states that instructional self-talk have more positive effect on learning achievement of badminton clear lob skill than motivational self-talk parallels the findings of earlier research (Zigler, 1987;Theodorakis et al, 2000;Perkos et al, 2002;Harvey et al, 2002;Cutton & Landin, 2007;Kolovelonis, Goudas & Dermitzaki, 2011). This is in line with the functions of instructional self talk which can be used for skill development, skill execution, performance improvement, and strategy .…”

“…Meanwhile, evidence on the relationship between self-talk and self confidence is relatively limited. However, early evidence regarding this relationship can be deduced from researches by Landin and Herbert (1999) on five female tennis players, Perkos et al, (2002) on four young basketball players, and, Johnson, Hrycaiko, Johnson and Halas (2004) on four female football players, proves that self talk intervention program can increase self confidence. Motivational self talk is found to help increase ability to execute tennis forehand drive, self confidence, and decrease anxiety (Hatzigeorgiadis et al, 2008), and, increase self efficacy and tennis forehand drive (Hatzigeorgiadis et al, 2009).…”

“…Instructional self-talk is common in many research and has been proven to significantly increase performance, for example studies conducted on badminton service skill and soccer scoring accuracy (Theodorakis et al, 2000), basketball skills (Perkos et al, 2002), golf accuracy and consistency (Harvey, Van Raalte & Brewer 2002), and, forehand tennis groundstroke (Cutton & Landin, 2007). On the other hand, motivational self talk has significantly positive influence on motor task performance in dart throwing (Van Raalte, Brewer, Lewis, Linder, Wildman & Kozimor, 1995), enhance a knee extension (Theodorakis et al, 2000), water-polo (Hatzigeorgiadis et al, 2004), tennis forehand drive and self efficacy (Hatzigeorgiadis et al, 2008), self confidence, and decrease cognitive anxiety.…”

“…Self-talk is an internal part of psychological skill training program. The use of self talk is usually combine with other psychological skills in an intervention training package (Hardy, 2006), and can be used by athletes to develop self confidence (Zinsser, Bunker & Williams, 2006;Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Goltsios & Theodorakis, 2008;Hatzigeorgiadis, Zourbanos, Mpoumpaki & Theodorakis, 2009), increase motivation (Hardy, Gammage & Hall, 2001a;Hardy, Hall & Alexander, 2001b), increase performance (Perkos, Theodorakis & Chroni, 2002;Kolovelonis, Goudas & Dermitzaki, 2011), and increase ability to focus (Papaioannou, Ballon, Theodorakis & Auwelle, 2004). As a multi dimension construct, self talk is related to various dimensions such as valence, overtness, self-determination, motivational interpretation, frequency, and functions.…”

Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Improving Breast Core Needle Biopsy

“…Current research on skill acquisition ranges from the investigation of the effects of nefazodone on the acquisition of psychotherapy skills (Manber et al, 2003) and the acquisition of skill among those suffering from Alzheimer's disease (Dick, Hsieh, Bricker, & Dick-Muehlke, 2003) to the testing of acquisition of athletic skills such as dribbling a basketball (Perkos, Theodorakis, & Chroni, 2002) and exploring the links between acquisition and intention in sports (Seiler, 2000). Current applied efforts in this area are equally varied.…”