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Performance and decision making in rugby union: Influence of team-based goals and task complexity
Guillaume Hacques1, Quentin Bourgeais2, Mickaël Campo3
1CETAPS UR 3832, University of Rouen Normandy, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France; MIP UR 4334, Le Mans University, Le Mans, France.
Acta Psychologica
|July 29, 2025
Summary
Priming individual goals, rather than team goals, improved rugby players' performance by making them more aware of individual space, especially in complex game situations. This challenges previous findings on team-based goal benefits.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Motor Control
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Rugby union success depends on dynamic action adjustment to game situations.
- Player decision-making may be influenced by social factors like motivational goals.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how individual and team-based motivational goals and task complexity influence rugby players' decision-making.
- Hypothesize that team-based goals benefit performance and that actions differ between goal conditions in complex situations.
Main Methods:
- A 3 vs 3 rugby game with two task complexity levels (defensive conditions).
- Motivational goals (individual vs. team-based) primed via a cover story.
- 102 elite rugby players analyzed using video and GPS data.
Main Results:
- Individual goal priming enhanced performance, contrary to previous findings.
- Goal orientation significantly influenced player decisions.
- Individual goals led to greater responsiveness to personal space (more runs), while team goals increased responsiveness to teammates' space, particularly in complex situations.
Conclusions:
- Individual motivational goals can enhance rugby performance, especially in complex scenarios.
- Player behavior is significantly shaped by goal orientation and task complexity.
- Findings suggest a nuanced understanding of motivational influences in team sports.
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