A Closer Look at How Self-Talk Influences Skilled Basketball Performance

in The Sport Psychologist

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Behrouz Abdoli Shahid Beheshti University

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James Hardy Bangor University

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Javad F. Riyahi Shahid Beheshti University

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Alireza Farsi Shahid Beheshti University

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2016-0162
Keywords:
accuracy; coordination variability; instructional self-talk; motivational self-talk; professional sport
In Print:
Volume 32: Issue 1
Page Range:
9–15
Restricted access

Empirical literature addressing the effectiveness of self-talk for expert performers is lacking. We addressed this shortcoming within the existent literature and examined the comparative effects of instructional and motivational self-talk on basketball free throw shooting accuracy and salient movement kinematics. We recruited 20 professional basketball players to participate in a 2 × 2 pre/post-test experiment. Free throw accuracy and movement patterns were recorded, with the latter subsequently used to calculate elbow–wrist coordination variability. Results indicated superior shooting accuracy and reduced movement coordination variability for instructional self-talk compared to baseline conditions, whereas no differences emerged for motivational self-talk. Findings from the study help practitioners to better guide skilled performers how best to use self-talk; an area in urgent need of further research.

Abdoli, Riyahi, and Farsi are with the Dept. of Physical Education, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Hardy is with the School of Sport, Health, and Exercise Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom.

Address author correspondence to Javad F. Riyahi at javad5r@yahoo.com.
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