Improvement Strategies in Free-Throw Shooting and Grip-Strength Tasks

• Published in: The Journal of general psychology Vol. 127; no. 2; pp. 145 - 156
• Main Authors: Peynircioğlu, Zehra F., Thompson, Jennifer L. W., Tanielian, Terri B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis Group 01.04.2000; Journal Press, etc; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Arousal; Basketball; Cognition; Confidence; Female; Hand Strength; Humans; Imagination; Learning; Male; Memory; Motor ability; Motor Skills; Physiology; Psychomotor Performance; Rehearsals; Sports; Sports psychology; Transfer (Psychology)
• ISSN: 0022-1309; 1940-0888
• DOI: 10.1080/00221300009598574

Participants performed a free-throw shooting task and a grip-strength task before and after imagery, nonspecific arousal, or no instructions. Imagery improved performance in the free-throw shooting task, which is assumed to have more cognitive components than the grip-strength task. Imagery did not improve performance in the grip-strength task, which is assumed to have fewer cognitive components than the free-throw task. Nonspecific arousal, on the other hand, improved performance in the grip-strength task but not in the free-throw shooting task. Athletic experience, confidence levels, and gender were correlated with actual performance levels in both tasks, but not with improvement. Results are discussed within the transfer-appropriate processing framework.