Journal of Sports and Motor Development and Learning
Year:2013 | Volume:- | Issue:10|Papers Count:10

The aim of this study was to predict expert archers’ performance on the basis of psychological factors such as arousal, activation, anxiety, motivation and personality characteristics with an emphasis on extraversion / introversion dimension. In this predictive correlation study, 34 expert archers were randomly selected as the sample of the study out of the archers of national team (statistical population). Skin conductance level was measured to assess arousal. To determine trait anxiety, Sport Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) and for state anxiety, Competitive State Anxiety Inventory (CSAI-2) were used. Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) was used to determine motivation. Extraversion / introversion level was measured by eysenck personality questionnaire. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the level of correlation and linear multivariate regression was used to predict subjects’ performance. The results indicated a significant positive relationship between subjects’ performance and arousal, activation, motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic) and extraversion / introversion whereas there was no significant relationship between their performance and anxiety (trait, cognitive, somatic) and consequently they could not predict performance. Also, the results revealed that arousal and activation (P<0.05, F(2, 31)=79.418, R2=0.837), intrinsic motivation (P<0.05, F(1, 30)=1031.826, R2=0.972) and extraversion/introversion (P<0.05, F(1, 33)=330.199, R2=0.909) were significant predictors of archers’ performance. Furthermore, extrinsic motivation could not predict performance. It is recommended that coaches pay attention to these factors when they intend to educate, select and involve archers in matches.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of motivational self-talk as one of the psychological strategies. Motivational self-talk is a type of self-talk that appears to improve performance and control arousal level through increased drive and effort and positive motivation in performance. This study tried to investigate the effect of motivational self-talk on performance of simple and complex skills. Using a quasi-experimental method, 42 physical education students (20-25 years old who had passed basketball 1 and 2 units) were selected to participate in this study. Then, they were randomly divided into two equal groups (experimental and control) and completed a 15-minute warm-up and task practice. Firstly, the subjects performed a pre-test (without self-talk) including basketball passing test (AAHPERD, 1996) as simple skill and basketball passing test (AAHPERD, 1984) as complex skill. Then, the participants performed a post-test using self-talk with the above tests. Statistical analysis was performed using independent t test and paired sample t test by SPSS 11.5 at a£0.05. The results showed no significant difference between experimental and control groups in pre-test in the performance of simple (P=0.703) and complex (P=0.512) skills so both group were at the same level of performance. Motivational self-talk improved the simple skill in the experimental group (P=0.001). A significant difference (in favour of experimental group) was observed in the improvement of the simple skill in the post-test of both groups (P=0.004). Also, motivational self-talk improved the performance of complex skill in the experimental group (P=0.001). A significant difference (in favour of experimental group) was observed in the improvement of the complex skill in the post-test of both groups (P=0.048). The mean difference in the simple task (D`X=0.94) and in the complex task (D`X=0.48) between the two groups showed that the mean difference of simple skill was higher than the complex skill. Generally, the results showed that motivational self-talk improve the performance of both skills while it influenced simple skill more than complex skill.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a selected physical activity program on the development of motor skills in children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and high functioning autism (HFA). In this semi experimental research, 20 children (8.8+0.7 years old) with HFA and 10 children (7.9+1.4 years old) with ADHD based on pretest scores were randomly selected. Bruininks – Oseretsky test of motor proficiency (BOTMP) for children with ADHD and test of gross motor developmental – 2 for children with HFA were used. Selected motor program (SPARK motor program) which included motor strengthening activities, games and sports for children was performed 18 sessions for ADHD children and 12 sessions for HFA children. K-S test to determine the normality of data distribution and statistical t tests, Levene test and covariate analysis were used to compare the means. The results showed the selected program made significant changes in most variables in ADHD and HFA children in experiment group but not in control group. According to the results of this research, it is suggested that the selected physical activity program (SPARK) can improve motor skills in children with ADHD and HFA.

The present study aimed to examine throwing accuracy and spatial and digit working memory of field dependent-independent participants. The group embedded figure test (GEFT) was distributed among 320 male students and based on the GEFT scores, 45 participants were randomly divided into field dependent, field independent and control group (15 participants/each group). The study included two tasks (dart throwing and spatial and digit working memory). In dart throwing task, participants threw 10 darts in pre-test stage. In acquisition stage, participants threw 60 darts in 6 blocks of 10 trials. The retention test included a block of 10 trials which was performed 24 hours after the acquisition stage. The spatial and digit working memory test was performed individually with Cambridge brain science software. Data were analyzed with 2-way analysis of variance with repeated measures, one-way ANOVA test, Tukey post hoc test and Pearson correlation coefficient. The results indicated that field independent participants performed better in both tests of dart throwing and working memory than field dependent participants. The findings indicated that higher scores of the GEFT task demonstrated higher visuospatial ability (as a component of working memory) in field independent participants which may cause a better performance in spatial and digit working memory and dart throwing task.

Psychological and educational findings show that preschool years play a very important role in educating and developing children. One of the dimensions of development is motor development. The survey of motor performance with respect to anthropometric characteristic is of utmost importance. Thus, the aim of this study was to survey the relationship between dimensional anthropometric characteristic and motor performance and to determine the difference in motor performance in all preschool children from Shiraz city (157 boys and girls aged between 3 and 6). The method of this research was analytical descriptive. Demographic information form, (AC) recording sheet and motor performance test were used to collect data. One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient and t test were used to analyze the data. The results showed significant differences between girls and boys in vertical jump (F=25.47, df=2, P£0.000) and horizontal jump (F=14.15, df=2, P£0.000).5-year-old subjects were stronger in vertical jump and 4-year-old subjects in horizontal jump. Also, boys were better in vertical jump (t=1.70, df=155, P£0.008) and ball throwing (t=1.98, df=155, P³0.030). In investigation of the relationship between dimensional AC and motor performance, weight and length dimension showed the highest relationship. The results showed the gradual increment of muscular strength parallel with age. Gender difference observed in some variables necessitates more research. It is suggested that other samples and tools be used in anthropometric characteristics.

The aim of the present investigation was to determine the effect of two karate techniques on the reduction in stereotypic behaviours in three 5-year-old boys with autistic disorders. The study included three boys with autistic disorders. A single subject method with A-B-A design was used. Participants of the present study were required to exercise two karate techniques (Zuki and Mae-Geri) for 12 weeks. Changes in the severity of stereotypic behaviours were assessed by Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (second edition) during intervention process and during one month after intervention with one-week intervals. Results showed that with respect to descriptive statistics and visual analytics, the karate techniques had an effect on all three participants (PND=100% for first and third participants, PND=50% for the second participant) and this reduction was maintained one month after the end of the intervention. The findings of the present study indicated that teaching karate techniques to autistic children dramatically decreased their stereotypic behaviours.

The aim of this study was to determine the interactional effects of various video shows (skilled and self-model) and feedback type on performance and learning of dart throwing skill.90 volunteers were randomly divided into 6 groups including self-control, experimenter control and yoked feedback that received either skilled model or self-model. Three groups who watched the skilled model observed dart throwing by a member of dart national team at first and at rest intervals whereas self-model groups watched their own performance as a recorded movie. Self-control groups requested feedback from the examiner during their performance. Yoked groups received feedback in those attempts on which self-control groups requested feedback and experimenter-control groups received feedback by examiner. Subjects trained for six days and then participated in the retention (after 48 hours) and transfer (immediately after retention) tests. The method of the study was semi-experimental and data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measures, two-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni and Tukey post hoc tests. Results showed that all six groups improved from pretest to acquisition, retention and transfer. Regardless of the role of feedback, there was no difference between skilled and self-model in any stages. Experimenter control feedback had more efficiency than other feedbacks in the acquisition while self-control feedback was better in retention and transfer. Furthermore, results showed that those subjects who received self-control feedback had more learning when they observed self-model. The main reason why self-model-self-control feedback group was better than other groups could be the effect of motivational processes resulted from this interaction and more coordination of this feedback with subjects’ demands.

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of observing animated model, static images and combined model on motor learning of handstand balance skill.45 subjects (mean age 8.03±1.7 yr) were randomly divided into three experimental groups: observation of animated model, static images, combined model. Subjects trained handstand balance skill for three weeks (three sessions per week). Pretest, acquisition test and retention test was performed for three groups. Subjects' scores were obtained by calculating mean scores of three gymnastic referees based on specific norm of Gymnastics Federation. The results of two-way ANOVA with repeated measures showed significant effects of the three methods on motor learning of handstand balance skill (pv=0.001). Also, the results showed no significant difference between the combined model and animation model groups (pv=0.156). Finally, both combined model and animation model groups were better than static images group (pv=0.001). As a whole, results suggest that observation of animation is a useful modeling method of learning handstand balance skill in childhood. It is also suggested that static images be used along with the animations as a supplement.