Maximizing Performance

Abstract

PurposeDifferent approaches like providing augmented feedback (aF), applying an external focus of attention (EF), or rewarding participants with money (RE) have been shown to instantly enhance motor performance. So far, these approaches have been tested either in separate studies or directly against each other. However, there is no study that combined aF, EF, and/or RE to test whether this provokes additional benefits. The aim of the present study was therefore to identify the most powerful combination.MethodsEighteen participants performed maximal countermovement jumps in six different conditions: neutral (NE), aF, RE, aF + EF, aF + RE, and aF + EF + RE.ResultsParticipants demonstrated the highest jump heights with aF + EF, followed by aF + EF + RE, aF + RE, aF, RE, and finally, NE. Activity of the M. rectus femoris differed significantly between conditions resulting in lower muscular activity in aF + EF and aF + EF + RE compared with NE. All other parameters, such as ground reaction forces and joint angles, were comparable across conditions.ConclusionsThis is the first study showing superior performance when combining aF with EF. As reduced muscular activity was found only in conditions with EF, it is argued in line with the constrained action hypothesis that adopting an EF improves movement efficiency. In contrast, aF seems to rather enhance (intrinsic) motivation. However, monetary reward did not further amplify performance.

Disproportionate positive feedback facilitates sense of agency and performance for a reaching movement task with a virtual hand

“…Higher internals may be inclined to stronger sense of agency with positive affirmation of performance. Positive performance expectancy enhances intrinsically driven behavior [18,44,46]. Therefore, highly internal participants may have been more receptive to positive affirmation in this study.…”

“…The effects of positive, or negative, feedback on movement may depend on the mode of delivery of feedback, the experimental context, and the specific characteristics of the person receiving feedback. Feedback from an external source can improve future and immediate motor performance [18,46]. Depending on personality type and tendencies, optimizing behavioral effects, as with movement rehabilitation, may require careful consideration of how performance feedback is best provided.…”

Positive Effects of Augmented Feedback to Reduce Time on Ground in Well-Trained Runners

“…In 2 recent studies that investigated the influence of aF about jumping performance, the immediate increase in jump height with aF and the reduction in performance as soon as aF was withdrawn was assumed to depend on predominantly motivational factors. 3,27 Therefore, positive long-term effects of aF might also be related to a more intense movement execution with aF, making each training session more efficient. 3 However, this might not be entirely transferable to the present study, in which the variable that was fed back was not the performance variable per se-for example, the time for a certain distance-but, rather, technical guidance.…”

Presence of an Overhead Goal Does Not Improve the Effectiveness of Jump Training

“…Enhanced performance under OG was also commonly ascribed to the increased motivation and commitment in performing the task (9,18). However, OG entails the emergence of 2 other factors, which together combine to create the most powerful combination for enhancing performance, i.e., external focus of attention and augmented feedback (37).…”