ERIC EJ964455: Review of Sports Performance Research with Youth, Collegiate, and Elite Athletes

2011·0.05 MB·English

by  ERIC

JOURNALOFAPPLIEDBEHAVIORANALYSIS 2011, 44, 999–1002 NUMBER4 (WINTER2011)
REVIEW OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE RESEARCH WITH YOUTH,
COLLEGIATE, AND ELITE ATHLETES
JAMES K. LUISELLI AND KATHRYN E. WOODS
MAYINSTITUTE
AND
DEREK D. REED
UNIVERSITYOFKANSAS
This brief review summarizes translational and intervention research in the area of sports
performance.Wedescribestudieswithyouth,collegiate,andeliteathletes;identifyrecenttrends;
andpropose recommendations for futureresearch.
Keywords: applied behavior analysis, athletic skills,sports performance
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Behavior analysts have studied sports perfor- findings for sports performance professionals,
mance for over three decades (Martin & and (c) the increase in translational approaches
Tkachuk, 2000), including applications with to the athletic arena.
youth, collegiate,and elite athletesparticipating Recent intervention studies designed to en-
in baseball (Osborne, Rudrud, & Zezoney, hance athletic performance have targeted previ-
1990), basketball (Kladopoulos & McComas, ously researched sports (e.g., football) as well as
2001), figure skating (Ming & Martin, 1996), relativelynewonessuchasrugbyandgymnastics.
football (Ward & Carnes, 2002), ice hockey In research with high school football players,
(Rogerson & Hrycaiko, 2002), soccer (Brobst Stokes, Luiselli, and Reed (2010) developed a
& Ward, 2002), swimming (Hume & Cross- 10-step task analysis of tackling skills based on
man, 1992), and tennis (Allison & Ayllon, recommendations by the American Football
1980). This research has focused primarily on Coaches Association (1995). During practice
interventions that were implemented directly sessions,coach-andteammate-deliveredpositive
with performers and through consultation with reinforcement (praise and helmet stickers) in-
coachesandtrainers.Interestinbehavioralsport creasedcorrectexecutionoftacklingskillsbytwo
psychology has grown (Luiselli & Reed, 2011; linebackers.Similarly,Stokes,Luiselli,Reed,and
Martin, 2011), producing refined methods and Fleming(2010)increasedoffensivelineblocking
an expanded research focus. Behavior analysts proficiencyofhighschoolfootballathleteswhen
continue to examine the merits of applying the coach implemented descriptive feedback
basic learning principles to evaluate and predict (praise and correction) combined with video
competitive sports outcomes. Our purpose in feedback (viewing practice videotapes) and
this review is to highlight (a) the types of sports performance feedback provided by an audible
performance research published in the Journal stimulus (teaching with acoustical guidance
of Applied Behavior Analysis during the past [TAG]; Pryor, 1999). Both studies by Stokes
5 years, (b) the implications of these research andcolleaguesfoundthattheskillspracticedand
acquired during intervention were displayed
Correspondence concerning this article should be successfully in games.
addressed to James K. Luiselli, May Institute, 41 Pacella Also studying football, Smith and Ward
Park Drive, Randolph, Massachusetts 02368 (e-mail:
(2006) reported that three intervention proce-
[email protected]).
doi:10.1901/jaba.2011.44-999 dures improved wide receiver skills (blocks,
999
1000 JAMES K. LUISELLI et al.
routes, releases) of collegiate players: (a) public performance research should continue to assess
posting plus verbal feedback: display of a daily strategies for assessing and promoting general-
performance chart with praise and error cor- ization. For example, does intervention for
rection from the coach; (b) goal setting plus some athletic skills produce similar effects on
verbal feedback: players set a minimum of 90% nontargetedskills?Also,itiscriticallyimportant
correct performance criterion before practice thatskillsacquiredduringpracticearedisplayed
withpraiseanderrorcorrectionfromthecoach; fluently during competition (Martin, Vause, &
and(c) public posting plus verbal feedback plus Schwartzman,2005).Concerningmaintenance,
goal setting: reintroduction of the daily perfor- the skills learned through intervention may
mance chart with the two previous intervention diminish over time (Stokes, Luiselli, Reed,
procedures. Notably, the coaches and players et al., 2010), indicating the need for follow-up
rated public posting plus verbal feedback plus or booster training.
goal setting as the most preferred combination. In translational approaches to behavioral
In a related example, Mellalieu, Hanton, and research, behavior analysts are interested in
O’Brien (2006) found that goal setting in the demonstrating the generalizability of nonhu-
form of a three-stage intervention enhanced man studies on basic behavioral processes to
multiple skills of college rugby players over an everyday human events (see Mace & Critch-
entirecompetitiveseason.Eachplayerselecteda field, 2010). This has been the case with recent
performanceimprovementobjective,scoredper- sports performance research, due to the clear
formance according to a goal-attainment scaling quantificationofresponsesandreinforcers(e.g.,
formula, and reviewed performance outcomes two- and three-point shot attempts and points
with the researchers 48 hr before each match. made in basketball) and the wide availability of
Finally, Boyer, Miltenberger, Batsche, and such data on sports Web sites (see Reed, 2011).
Fogel (2009) instructed young, competitive In a seminal example of the applicability of
female gymnasts to watch video modeling of behavioral processes to sports performance,
an expert gymnast perform skills, followed by Vollmer and Bourret (2000) demonstrated that
their own performance of the same skills, the matching law (i.e., relative rates of behavior
concluding with freeze-framed and side-by-side match relative rates of reinforcement) could
video clips of both performers at five different explain and predict college basketball players’
points. The video modeling by experts with fieldgoalshotselections.Subsequently,Roman-
corresponding feedback improved skill perfor- owich, Bourret, and Vollmer (2007) replicated
mance more quickly than regular practice and these findings in professional basketball. In a
coaching alone. recent extension of these findings, Alferink,
In both earlier and more recent intervention Critchfield, Hitt, and Higgins (2009) demon-
studies, coaches were integrally involved in strated that basketball players’ degree of con-
defining target behaviors, collecting data, and formance to the matching law varied as a
implementing procedures. Specific coaching function of skill or ability.
behaviorsaddressedpropertechniquetoprevent In a similar series of analyses, Reed, Critch-
potential injuries and preparing athletes for field, and Martens (2006) suggested that offen-
successful game play and individual competi- sive play selection (passing and rushing) across
tions. Regarding social validation, coaches and various levels (e.g., college, professional, etc.) of
athletes rated the methods employed in these American-rules football could be explained and
studies favorably (Stokes, Luiselli, Reed, et al., accurately predicted via the matching law. In
2010; Mellalieu et al., 2006). Going forward, these analyses, Reed and colleagues found that
behavior analysts who concentrate on sports play-calling patterns varied systematically as a
BRIEF REVIEW 1001
function of down (i.e., there was a relative bias should compare different intervention proce-
for passing on third down) and turnover risk dures, targeting both early skill development in
(i.e., there was a relative bias for passing as youth athletes and refinement of skills among
fumble risks increased). In a subsequent study, proficient performers. Although the small body
Stilling and Critchfield (2010) more thoroughly of translational research has concentrated pri-
examined the role of situation-specific variables marily on quantitative analyses of collegiate and
onoffensiveplaycallinginfootball,demonstrat- elite basketball and football players, there are
ing that the matching law provides both an certainly extensions possible to other sports, as
accurate and operant explanation of play-calling well as further development of quantitative
strategies across situation-specific variables (e.g., models derived from behavioral momentum
timeleftinthehalf,yardsneededforafirstdown, and the matching law (Reed, 2011). On a
distance from the goal line, score, and down). practical level, this line of research should alert
Beyond the matching law, sports perfor- athletes and coaches to the benefits of analyzing
mance has served as a translational conduit to statistics that are tied directly to performance,
understanding the role of behavioral momen- decision making (e.g., situational play calling),
tum in natural settings (see Roane, 2011). For and competition strategy. Finally, following a
example, Mace, Lalli, Shea, and Nevin (1992) functional analysis that manipulated coach and
andRoane,Kelley,Trosclair,andHauer(2004) peer social consequences during attention and
demonstrated that college basketball teams’ escape conditions, Stokes and Luiselli (2010)
resistance to adversity increased as a function implemented a delayed, written performance
of relatively higher reinforcement rates. These feedback intervention that improved tackling
researchers also documented that a strategic use skillsofahighschoolfootballplayer.Functional
of time-outs could disrupt opponents’ rates of analysis methodology, in fact, may be valuable
reinforcement, providing an applied example of in formulating athlete-specific intervention and
how the principles of behavioral momentum trainingplansthatcanbeadoptedbycoachesfor
could be adapted to improve coaching success. a variety of individual and team sports.
Such translational studies of sports are impor-
tant to understanding the operant relations
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