Shifts in Adaptation: The Effects of Self-Efficacy and Task Difficulty Perception

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore adaptation through the manipulation of perceived task difficulty and self-efficacy to challenge the concepts postulated by the two-perception probabilistic concept of the adaptation phenomenon (TPPCA) conceptual framework. Twenty-four randomized performers completed a handgrip and putting task, at three difficulty levels, to assess their self-efficacy and perceived task difficulty interactions on motivations, affect, and performances. The TPPCA was partially confirmed in both tasks. Specifically, as the task difficulty level increased, arousal increased, pleasantness decreased, and the performance declined. There was no solid support that motivational adaptations were congruent with the TPPCA. The findings pertaining to the human adaptation state represent a first step in encouraging future inquiries in this domain. The findings clarify the notion of perceived task difficulty and self-efficacy discrepancy, which then provokes cognitive appraisals and emotional resources to produce an adaptation response.

Reading the MAP: A Pracademic Perspective on the Current State of Play of the Multi-Action Plan Model with Regard to Transitions between Mental States

“…For example, in a Type 1 state, the performer’s skills optimally match task demands [ 32 ]. Similarly, evidence suggests that self-efficacy increases when perceived task difficulty decreases [ 33 ]. Consequently, it can be speculated that an athlete’s self-efficacy level in Type 1 might be optimally calibrated in relation to perceived task difficulty.…”

“…Of course, both macro and micro dynamics require investigation; as an example for a possible macro timeframe, a performance by an athlete that took place earlier in the season could be interpreted by them as Type 2. In order to better understand the link between PT appraisal and momentum, it would be instructive to determine how the perception of this experience then influences the performer’s self-efficacy profile for the remainder of the season, considering that task difficulty will vary during the course of a season [ 33 ]. In short, what factors influence psychological momentum, be it towards optimizing or stabilizing performance?…”