Feedback Interventions

Just completed a research proposal on the 'Impact of Feedback Interventions on kicking accuracy in Football (Soccer)', what do you think?

Overview of the problem

The proposed research study will look at the impact of positive, negative and neutral feedback (feedback interventions) has on individuals kicking accuracy. The study will also indirectly access at their effect on overall performance. By looking at the effects of feedback interventions on accuracy, it is hoped the research will aid in the better understanding of how the application of feedback affects individuals. Currently there are large inconsistences within the literature regarding the effect that feedback interventions have on performance, of which much of this is controversial and highly debated. 

At the conclusion of the study it is hopped that there will be a clearer and more in depth understanding of the most effective feedback interventions to used. This data will assist in implementing the optimal feedback intervention to an individual to improve accuracy and thus performance. Therefore, the key question that this study will try to answer is ‘Does feedback interventions effect kicking accuracy, and if so which is the most effective intervention?’

Aims/Objectives

To find out if feedback interventions effect kicking accuracy over a 6 month period, which intern will help identify the optimal feedback process to elicit a positively affect an athletes performance.

Key Terms and Definitions

Feedback interventions; actions taken by an external agent to provide information regarding aspects of one’s task performance.

Positive and Negative Feedback: knowledge of a result and/or performance that has the potential to influence behaviour or modify further performance in an three ways, adversely, beneficial or have no effect.

Neutral feedback:  Similar to positive and negative however no information is given regarding knowledge of result and/or performance.

Historical Context and justification

Since the early 1900’s research has been conducted around the area of feedback interventions in psychology, however their has been very little if any consensus regarding the affects feedback has on individuals and more specifically on kicking accuracy in sport. However there are three theories that have appeared in feedback intervention literature. They are; Goal Setting Theory, Control Theory and Feedback Intervention Theory.

Goal Setting Theory (Locke and Lathem 1990) and Control Theory (Carver and Sheier 1981) both look at feedback as a theoretical component of psychology. Approaching feedback interventions in this way limits these theories ability to be applied to different areas within feedback (e.g. can only look at cognitive process effects), therefore researchers are only able to analyse a single dimension of overall effects.

            Feedback Intervention Theory (Kluger and Denis 1996) takes elements of Control, Goal Setting, and Action Identification Theory as well as small components of several other theories in order to develop a holistic approach in understanding effects of feedback. Research into this approach by Klugar and Denis have found that it poorly details overall effects of feedback interventions as well as lacking specificity in predicting feedback responses.

As a result of the lack of sufficient theory and poor understanding within the area of feedback interventions there has been a growing hypotheses being derived from Behaviouristic Law of Effect (Thorndik 1927). However they have been disproven due to inconsistences within data collection methods by Annett (1969). Further to this, research conducted by Levi (1965), Patkai (1971) and Frankenhaeuser (1975) shows that positive feedback can produce physical arousal/stimulation, just as research by Suls and Mullen (1981) highlight how negative feedback is able to elicit the same outcomes as positive feedback, as well as force changes to an individuals behaviour. Finally, studies by Burick and Burnes (1958) and Gomly (1971 and 1974) show that information ‘in opposition to one’s self opinion elicits physiological arousal’.

As highlighted above there is currently very limited and unclear evidence to conclusively outline the effect(s) of feedback on performance and more specifically accuracy. Due to this, it is of great importance that there is a study that looks into the impact feedback interventions has on kicking accuracy, in order to determine the effects on performance.

Hypotheses

Drawing from what has been discovered and presented in published literature this proposal hypothesises that:

H₁: Both positive and negative feedback will have and equal beneficial effect on kicking accuracy over a short period of time, but will then have a progressively greater impact over a long period of time.

H₀: Feedback interventions will have no impact on kicking accuracy over either a short or a long period.

Method

Participants

Participants will be selected from students between the ages of 18 – 40. The participants will be an equal mix of males and females, whom study a Bachelor of Sport Coaching and Exercise Science at the University of Canberra, and have had previous experience in playing soccer. Individuals will be chosen using these criteria in order to maximise the likelihood of them being able to competently complete assigned tasks. The range of ages and an equal number of male and females will help identify if feedback effects differ with age and gender. A pre exercise-screening questionnaire will be conducted prior to the start of the experiment and analysed by an accredited sports scientist to make sure there are no health concerns.

Design

The study will be a randomised continuum test that will be conduct in a lab setting to minimise any effects of the external environment. The independent variable is feedback given, while the dependant variable is kicking accuracy. By looking at these variables the effects of feedback interventions on kicking accuracy can effectively be measured. Written consent will be required by all participants and an a detailed explanation of the different ways feedback may given regarding knowledge of result and/or performance so that everyone is confortable and prepared

Equipment Require

1. A soccer ball
2. A movable mini soccer goal post (0.5 x 1m) and
3. A cone marker

Analysis

Procedure

Prior to testing, participants will be divided into three groups with equal age and gender distributions (Group 1 – No Feedback, Group 2  - Negative Feedback and Group 3 – Positive Feedback) with only the experimenter knowing their assigned groups. Group members will be tested one at a time in a randomised order, with the test involving them to kick a soccer ball into a goal (set at a distance of 15m) five times. They will be given specific feedback according to their allocated group and retested. Tests will be conducted once a month, continuously for six months to analyse the effects of feedback over a long-term period.

Analysis

In order to analyse data collected a Three – Way ANOVA was used to show the effects that experiment variables have on kicking outcome while removing implications that random results have on data sets. While, kurtosis and skewness test will be conducted to ensure data collected is clean. Results will be presented in both tabular and graph form with changes in kicking accuracy due to feedback given being of key importance (shows feedback interventions affect kicking accuracy).