The Effects of Monitoring and Outcome Pressure on Decision-making of Table Tennis Athletes: Reinvestment or Distraction

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Motor Behavior, Physical Education and Sport Sciences Faculty, Tehran University

2 Associate Professor/University of Tehran

3 Associate Professor, University of Tehran. Sport Sciences and Physical Education Faculty

4 Assistant professor, University of Tehran. Sport Sciences and Physical Education Faculty

Abstract

Athletes may perform weaker than their own skill level (choking) when they are being watched by others (monitoring), or receive a reward if a specific goal is achieved (outcome). The purpose of this research was to study the effects of monitoring and outcome pressure on the cognitive decision-making task in table tennis athletes. 30 elite athletes took part in this semi-experimental study, which adhered to a within-group design, and performed the task under one 15-trial block of low pressure and two 15-trial blocks of monitoring and outcome pressure in two separate days. The subjects performed the task in a “take the first” heuristic paradigm. To measure competitive anxiety level under pressure, the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, and to measure propensity for self-focus behavior, the Decision-specific Reinvestment Scale were used. The results of the analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that under both high pressures, the decision making task decreased (p ≤ 0/05). The regression results revealed that the propensity for reinvestment could not predict changes in decision making under pressure. Therefore, it seems that the distraction approach provides a better description of choking under pressure.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Sport Management and Motor Behavior
Volume 19, Issue 37
April 2023
Pages 42-23

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