The effects of competition and social reinforcement upon perceptual motor performance

Junior high school boys (n=180) performed 40 trials on the ball roll-up task in order to determine whether competition, initial ability level, and social reinforcement interact to influence performance. A 3 x 2 x 3 x 8 factorial design, with repeated measures on the last factor (initial ability level x competition x social reinforcement x blocks of trials) was used. The analysis of the data demonstrated that: (a) competition, initial ability level, and social reinforcement factors did not interact with one another; (b) social reinforcement (reproof) facilitated performance, while competition had no effect; and (c) the competition group had a greater tonic heart rate (increase from basal) than the noncompetitive group. Although it was not entirely clear why changes in the performance of the experimental groups did not accompany the changes in the groups' tonic heart rate, it was concluded that competition was an incentive.