The effect of self-talk in learning the volleyball service skill and self-efficacy improvement

Abstract

Zetou E, Vernadakis N, Bebetsos E, Makraki E. The effect of self-talk in learning the volleyball service skill and self-efficacy improvement. J. Hum. Sport Exerc. Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 794-805, 2012. In this study the effect of self-talk on learning the volleyball service skill was examined and also the self-efficacy improvement. Participants were 57 female players 13 years old (mean age =12.83, SD=0.97) with two years experience (Μ=1.99, SD=0.67). Prior to the beginning of the program, participants were randomly assigned into two groups: a. the instructional self-talk group (ISTG, n = 28) and b. the control (traditional) group (CG, n = 29). All athletes followed a four-week practice program, aiming at overhand service skill learning and self-efficacy improvement. The program consisted of two practice units (60 min) per week. Participants of ISTG were taught to use the self-talk (for technique) loud before they performed the service drills. The control group received traditional feedback, that is, knowledge of performance and knowledge of results provided by the instructor. Service performance was assessed by videotaped evaluations in five basic elements of skill. There were three measurement periods for field test: pre-, post-and retention tests (one week after post-test). ANOVA repeated measures revealed significant interaction between groups and measures. There was also significant interaction between groups and self-efficacy scores. The results indicated that participants of the ISTG had better scores in the final measurement than the control group, when technique was evaluated and improved also their self-efficacy. In conclusion the Self-talk helps female volleyball athletes to improve performance and learning of overhand service skill and to improve also their self-efficacy. This study adds some useful elements to practitioners and how they used self-talk in the practice.

Self-talk does not affect the transfer and retention in the tennis forehand learning in beginners

“…In fact, it is important to highlight that the study showing benefits of self-talk on retention of motor learning did not involve beginning learners (Zetou, et al, 2012), which supports our findings. In the previous study, subjects with two years of experience practised the volleyball service skill.…”

“…To put it in another way, the fact that few studies involving tasks and learners with distinct characteristics have used learning tests (e.g. Zetou, Vernadakis, Bebetsos, & Makraki, 2012;Zetou, Vernadakis, & Bebetsos, 2014a;Zetou, Vernadakis, Bebetsos, & Liadakis, 2014b) raises the need of further investigation in order to add consistency to this scientific knowledge.…”

Cognitive, Social, and Teaching Presence as Predictors of Students' Satisfaction in Distance Learning

“…To explain the meaning of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, Kupczynski, Ice, Wiesenmayer, & McCluskey (2010) defined this framework as a theoretical framework that explains the online and hybrid learning experience in terms of interactions between three overlapping presences: Teaching, Social and Cognitive. In line, such presences are, among others, fundamentals in effective instruction of physical education (Derri, Vasiliadou, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2015;Kyrgiridis, Derri, Emmanouilidou, Chlapoutaki, & Kioumourtzoglou, 2014;Zetou, Nikolaos, & Evaggelos, 2014;Zetou, Malliou, Lola, Tsigganos, & Godolias, 2006;Zetou, Vernadakis, Bebetsos, & Makraki, 2012).…”

The effects of verbal and visual feedback on performance and learning freestyle swimming in novice swimmers

“…In another study, the demonstration of an experienced model was more effective in primary school children than the demonstration of children's execution (self-observation of the athlete) of the skill of volleyball serving (Zetou, Fragouli, & Tzetzis, 1999). In contrast, self-observation of older female beach volleyball athletes proved better for the improvement of beach volleyball technical skills (Zetou, Kourtesis, Getsiou, & Michalopoulou, 2008;Zetou, Vernadakis, Bebetsos, & Makraki, 2012). It has to be noticed that simultaneous verbal instructions, which direct the attention of athletes to six key points of the skills, are crucial (Kernodle, Johnson, & Arnold, 2001).…”