Major League Baseball Performance as a Function of Being Traded: A Drive Theory Analysis

The proposition that increased generalized drive interferes with complex task performance by enhancing a dominant response tendency (Zajonc, 1965) was tested in a nonreactive, real-life setting involving a natural and meaningful task. Batting performance (batting average and slugging percentage) of 59 major league baseball players was examined under four different motivational or drive conditions caused by being traded. A pattern of statistically significant performance changes in directions consistent with drive theory predictions (low drive-increased performance; high drive-decreased performance) emerged. The quality of the players and teams involved was unrelated to the magnitude of this effect, although a predicted interaction with player experience was borne out and supports a drive theory analysis. Several less viable interpretations of the data (e.g., statistical regression) are considered. Implications for sports psychology and applications to professional baseball are discussed.