The Effect of self-controlled practice on forearm passing, motivation, and affect in women’s volleyball players (original) (raw)

Motor learning research has suggested that self-controlled practice (or "autonomy") leads to more effective learning of motor tasks. Debate continues, however, as to why. Most motor behaviorists maintain the better learning is due to cognitive and information-processing factors. Recently, others have proposed the learning enhancement is due to such psychological factors as motivation and affect. The present study sought to measure motor skill learning, intrinsic motivation, and affect in self-controlled versus externally-controlled (yoked) practice conditions. Participants, 16 collegiate women's volleyball student-athletes from two National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I programs, were paired by forearm passing skill level, and one of each pair was randomly placed in either the self-control or yoked group. The self-control participants were asked to design their own forearm passing drill during the practice phase of the experiment. The yoked participants followed the design established by the selfcontrol participant to whom they were yoked. Each of the participants' forearm passing accuracy was measured in a free ball passing drill consisting of a preiv test and practice phase on Day 1, and a post-test on Day 2. Their intrinsic motivation was measured using the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), and their positive and negative affect was measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale-Expanded Edition (PANAS-X). The IMI and PANAS-X were administered in a baseline condition (after a team practice one week prior to participation in the study) at the end of Day 1, and the end of Day 2. Analysis of the data revealed no statistically significant differences between groups in either forearm passing, intrinsic motivation, or affect. Further research is needed to determine if intrinsic motivation and affect are partially responsible for the learning benefits of self-controlled practice. v AKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you Julie for your love, prayers, support, and understanding through the research process. You helped me much more than you know. To Erin Hannon, Ph.D., thank you for your valuable insight regarding the psychological aspects of this study. To Janet Dufek, Ph.D., thank you pushing me in your class, for encouraging me to continue working hard, and for inspiring me with your hard work including on this project. To John Mercer, Ph.D., thank you for your thoughtful analysis of this thesis and for challenging me to think at a deeper level. Thank you all for agreeing to be a part of my thesis committee. To Gabriele Wulf, Ph.D., thank you for giving me the opportunity to work for and with you, and to become your friend. Your support and encouragement has meant very much to me and I look forward to further collaboration with you. Most importantly, thank you God, my heavenly King, for providing this experience and all I needed to accomplish my goals. vi