Interactive Effects on Motor Performance of Mindfulness, Performance Under Pressure, Self-Talk, and Motor Task...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Motor Control
• Sports Psychology

Background:

• High mindfulness is linked to better motor task performance.
• The interplay between mindfulness, pressure, self-talk, and motor performance remains unclear.
• Investigating these factors is crucial for understanding cognitive strategies in motor skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how mindfulness levels influence motor task performance under pressure.
• To determine the effect of instructional versus unrelated self-talk on motor skills.
• To explore the combined effects of pressure, mindfulness, and self-talk on distinct motor tasks.

Main Methods:

• 46 male participants (high vs. low mindfulness) completed dart-throwing and two-hand coordination tasks.
• Tasks were performed under pressure and non-pressure conditions.
• Participants used either instructional or unrelated self-talk during performance.

Main Results:

• On the two-hand coordination task, performance suffered under pressure, with low mindfulness, and with unrelated self-talk.
• Instructional self-talk improved performance for both high and low mindfulness groups, irrespective of pressure.
• For dart-throwing, instructional self-talk enhanced performance across all conditions, particularly under pressure.

Conclusions:

• Instructional self-talk is an effective cognitive strategy for motor tasks, particularly under pressure.
• This strategy benefits individuals irrespective of their baseline mindfulness levels.
• Findings have implications for attention theory, self-talk mechanisms, and motor control research.