Sport Psychology Chapter 7: Feedback, Reinforcement, and intrinsic Motivation

How would a coach create a mastery (task)-oriented environment?

• reinforce behavior to influence motivation 

What is reinforcement?

• factors and strategies that increase the likelihood of a behavior occurring again

• increase desired behavior

What is punishment?

• used to decrease undesirable behaviors

Are reinforcement and punishment rooted in behavior modification?

• yes

What are the positive and negative approach to reinforcement?

• positive approach, add something

• negative approach, take something away

What ratio of positive/negative reinforcement should be used? 

• positive should dominate 5:1 ratio 

What is positive oriented coaching?

• create motivation through positive reinforcement rather than focusing on weaknesses, problems, deficits

• more enjoyment, coach likeability, team cohesion

What are intrinsic and extrinsic rewards?

• Intrinsic: come from within

• Extrinsic: received from others or the environment

How should coaches/leaders structure athletic climate?

• to promote intrinsic motivation

• focus on effort, mastery, learning

When should coaches provide reinforcement?

• early learning 

• learned skills 

How often should reinforcement be given during early learning?

• continuous and immediate reinforcement

Why does early learning require continuous and immediate reinforcement?

• new skills mean lower levels of confidence and autonomy, requiring more frequent encouragement, and recognizing partial success

How should reinforcement be given for learned skills?

• intermittent and immediate reinforcement

• as execution improves, task enjoyment goes up (intrinsic), requiring less frequent encouragement. But reinforcement should still be quick, recognizing higher levels of success

When does reinforcement need to be given? 

• reinforce soon after behaviors for strongest effect, especially for new skills when confidence is low 

Does skill development increase intrinsic motivation?

• yes, if the athlete enjoys the sport

When using reinforcement, should coaches reward behaviors or outcomes?

• reward appropriate behavior, not just outcomes

• reward successful approximations (shaping) to complex skills

Example of rewarding the behavior

• basketball coach tells players to find the extra pass

• a player passes up on an open mid-range shot, finding the extra pass, but the teammate misses the layup

• coach applauds finding the extra pass

When a pitcher is working on a new curveball, how should the coach focus on?

• coach focuses on their grip and pitch location, not worrying about the action of the ball in early stages of learning

During periods of learning, why is it affective to reward behaviors?

• increases motivation and guides learning process

How should coaches give performance feedback?

• show knowledge of results and correction of actions…. demonstrate game knowledge in feedback

• give sincere and contingent (specific events seen as important) feedback tied to specific behavior. A coach needs to know which behaviors that are most focused on and make sure their feedback is consistent with team priorities

Should coaches avoid the phrase keep up the good work?

• yes

• coaches should also avoid vague praise when behavior is incorrect

What is positive reinforcement?

• Add pleasant stimulus to increase/maintain behavior

What is negative reinforcement?

• remove aversive (unpleasant) stimulus to increase/maintain behavior

What is positive punishment?

• add aversive stimulus to decrease behavior

What is negative punishment?

• remove pleasant stimulus to decrease behavior 

Example of positive and negative reinforcement

• Positive: coach gives hustle points to players for putting in extra effort. Points for prizes

• Negative: coach removes a less fun drill segment from practice to reward the execution of teams’ motion offense

Examples of positive and negative punishment

• Positive: coach makes the team run after practice for their lack of effort during practice

• Negative: coach benches star player for not working back on defense

When should punishment be used?

• for breaking team rules/standards

• punish the behavior not the person

Coaches should refrain from using…when punishing 

• criticism 

• sarcasm 

• physical abuse

• guilt 

Why is it inappropriate for a coach to use criticism/sarcasm/physical abuse/guilt?

• these harm motivation and learning, regardless of the approach to reinforcement or punishment

What makes punishment a good thing?

• deters wrongdoing and maintains order

What is a con to punishment?

• can shame athletes

• reduce motivation

• promote failure/fear

what percentage of reinforcement should be positive?

• 80-90

How should punishment be used?

• punish breaking rules, not making mistakes

What are the guidelines for using punishment?

• Be consistent - similar punishment for similar behaviors 

• let athletes contribute to rule setting 

• avoid physical punishment/embarrassment

• punish sparingly and respectfully 

• don’t use physical activity as punishment 

Does intrinsic or extrinsic motivation increase when using punishment?

• extrinsic motivation increases

• EX: players run harder to avoid punishment (external)

what is contingency management?

• form of behavior modification

• is a systematic use of reinforcement and punishment to shape athlete’s behaviors

What is the goal of contingency management?

• target, define, record behaviors that you want to change

• tailor feedback and rewards 

Intrinsic vs. extrinsic vs. amotivation

• Intrinsic motivation: driven by self-determination (want, not ought)

• Extrinsic motivation: driven by external rewards or pressures

• Amotivation: lack of both types of motivation

For intrinsic motivation, is behavior self-determined?

• yes

How does intrinsic motivation affect knowledge, accomplishment, and stimulation?

• increases in knowledge, accomplishment, and stimulation/joy of doing activity

For extrinsic motivation, how is behavior controlled? 

• behavior controlled by rewards 

What is the regulatory style, source of motivation, and motivation regulators for amotivation?

• Regulatory style: non-regulation

• Source of motivation: impersonal

• Motivation regulators: no intention, incompetence, lack of control

What are the types of extrinsic motivation?

• external regulation

• introjected regulation

• identified regulation

• integrated regulation

Motivational regulators of external regulation

• compliance

• external rewards or punishments

source of motivation and motivation regulators for introjected regulation 

• Source of motivation: somewhat external 

• Motivation regulation: ego-involvement, approval from others 

Source of motivation and motivation regulators for identified regulation

• Source of motivation: somewhat internal

• Motivation regulators: valuing an activity, endorsement of goals

Source of motivation and motivation regulators for integrated regulation

• Source of motivation: internal

• Motivation regulators: congruence, synthesis with self

Source of motivation and motivation regulation of intrinsic regulation

• source of motivation: internal

• Motivation regulators: interest, enjoyment, inherent satisfaction

What is cognitive evaluation theory?

• sub theory of self-determination theory 

• intrinsic motivation = competence, autonomy, relatedness 

Based on cognitive evaluation theory, how do rewards affect intrinsic motivation?

• rewards affect intrinsic motivation via controlling and informational aspects

Based on CET what matter more, perceptions or rewards?

• perceptions

What is the controlling aspect of CET?

• when an external event (money, praise, punishment) is perceived as a way to control behavior

• it reduces autonomy

How would an athlete feel in a controlling environment? 

• the athlete feels they are acting to gain a reward or avoid punishment which causes intrinsic motivation to decrease 

When can controlling aspect be beneficial??

• adhering to rules and standards

What are the informational aspects of CET?

• when feedback or rewards are perceived as providing useful information about competence

• enhance intrinsic motivation

what is flow?

• an optimal state where skills match challenge

• features complete absorption, clear goals, effortless movement

can flow be controlled?

• no

• but you can increase the likelihood with preparation, and increases in intrinsic motivation 

What is the negative side to flow?

• can lead to dependency on activity associated with flow

• can draw you away from life