Self-talk Flashcards
Define self-talk
What people say to themselves either out loud (external) or as a small voice in their head (internal). (Theodorakis et al., 2000)
What are the 4 W’s of self-talk and what study supports the theory?
What, when, where and why.
Hardy et al. (2001) recruited 150 varsity athletes who answered open ended questions .
Where - ST mostly used at the sport-related venue (changing room/pitch). Most common non-sports related venue was home
When - mostly during and before competition and during practice
What - mostly positive, phrases more than cue-words/sentences. Specific (more than general) task instructions
Why - Most common reported from this study was MOTIVATIONAL (mastery function) - to maintain focus and attention. Other types: Motivational (arousal, master, drive function). Instructional (specific or general function).
What questionnaire can be used to assess self-talk?
Self-talk Use Questionnaire (STUQ; Hardy et al., 2005) - 59 items assessing the 4 Ws. 1-9 scale.
The Hardy et al (2005) study of 295 athletes revealed that, across gender, type and level of sport, ST was mostly internal, positive and in the form of phrases.
Males and team sports used more negative and external ST than females and individual sports
Hardy et al. (2005) reported what as the most the most common function of self talk?
Motivation - arousal. Specifically, psyching themselves up. This was the same across all athletes
What did the study by Van Raalte et al (1984) reveal regarding ST and performance?
n=24 junior tennis players. More negative ST than positive used. Negative ST was associated with poorer performance, no significant association between positive ST and performance.
Describe the Perkos et al (2002) study
n=62 novice basketball players. Control V Experimental (12 week, 16 sessions instructional ST program) groups. Multiple assessments of passing, dribbling and shooting skills. ST group outperformed control in passing and dribbling but no sig. difference in shooting.
This shows instructional ST is an effective tool for skill acquisition and performance enhancement for skills of low complexity.
Describe the Johnson et al (2004)* study
n=4 female, elite junior footballers. Assessed low-drive shot skill in practice and in games after specific instructional ST program. This led to improvement in performance from baseline.
What were the results from Hatzigeorgidias et al.’s (2008) study?
n=46 young tennis players. Only 5 sessions. Motivational ST group V control. Forehand drive and SE assessed at baseline and at 5th session. Backhand drive taught in between. ST group significantly improved and outperformed control at final assessment SE also significantly increased so this could be the mechanism underlying improved performance.
What were the results from Theodorakis et al.’s (2000) study?
Got various athletes to perform a range of skills after having been assigned to either motivational ST, instructional ST or control groups. Results showed that instructional ST group outperformed motivational ST and control in soccer and badminton skills. ST had no effect on gross skills like sit up. Motivational and instructional ST groups outperformed control group on knee extension task.
This shows that when a task requires fine motor movements, instructional ST is more effective whereas for gross motor movements, instructional and motivational ST is effective.
What were the results from Hatzigeorgiadias et al.’s (2004) study?
n=60 swimming students with no water polo experience. Throwing accuracy, throwing power and TOQS assessed at baseline and experiment. Participants randomly split into instructional, motivational ST or control groups. Instructional and motivational ST outperformed control in the accuracy test. In power test, motivational ST outperformed instructional and control. Both ST group tended to negative thoughts less (TOQS) than control following the 2 week program.
This shows that ST can help attentional focus as it reduced time spent on interfering thoughts.
What were the results from Hatzigeorgiadias et al.’s (2009) study?
n=72 young tennis players split into 2 groups completed baseline assessment of forehand drive and CSAI-2, 3 training sessions with intervention, and final assessment. Experimental (motivational ST) Vs control. Motivational ST outperformed control as final assessment and had reduced cog. anxiety and somatic anxiety and greater self-confidence.
What were the results from Kolovelonis’s et al. (2011) study?*
n=54 schoolchildren who were randomly assigned to either a motivational ST, instructional ST or control group. Each completed pre- and post-test trials of chest pass accuracy task and modified push-up task.
Both ST groups outperformed the control group on both tasks. Instructional and motivational ST was equally effective for the chest-pass task whilst motivational ST was more effective than instructional for the push-up taks.
