Investigating the Possible Negative Effects of Self-efficacy upon Golf Putting Performance (Beattie et al., 2011)
Key Information
Authors: Stuart Beattie, David Lief, Mark Adamoulas, Emily Oliver.
Title: Investigating the possible negative effects of self-efficacy upon golf putting performance.
Journal: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
Date: 13th February, 2011
Volume No: 12
Issue No: 4
Pages: 434-441
Rationale/Aims
To extend to the research done by Vancouver, Thompson and Williams (2001) who found that performance accomplishments had a positive influence on self-efficacy but self-efficacy had a negative influence on subsequent performances.
Method - Experiment 1
Participants: 52 adults (37 men, 14 women) volunteered. They were right-handed and had minimum golfing experience.
A self-efficacy scale was developed by measuring magnitude beliefs (magnitude score of 0-10) and strength beliefs (strength score of 0-1000).
Performance recorded by number of successful putts in each trial.
Procedure: 2 practice trials, 8 experimental trials. Participants placed there own ball where they wanted it. Completed 1st practice trial (20 putts), were told how many of these were successful and then did the self-efficacy questionnaire. Then completed the 2nd practice trial. They were told there was a prize to win after the other 8 trials. Self-efficacy questionnaire completed before each trial.
Method - Experiment 2
Participants: 56 adults (21 men, 35 women) volunteered. They were all right handed and had minimum golfing experience.
Self-efficacy measured via a questionnaire including a magnitude score of between 0-20 and a strength score of 0-1000.
Performance recorded by number of successful putts in each trial.
Procedure: identical to experiment 1 but there were 4 different starting positions of the ball, 5 putts made from each starting position in each trial (increased difficulty).
Results - Experiment 1
Results - Experiment 2
Discussion
A significant positive correlation between average self-efficacy magnitude and strength with average performance.
Average putting performance was 7.87/ 20 putts.
Self-efficacy scores were significantly related to subsequent performance across the other 8 experimental trials. More variation in strength scores than magnitude scores.
The results also support that learning and self-efficacy increase with task practice.
Significant variation between past performances and self-efficacy strength.
Strong positive correlation between self-efficacy magnitude and strength with performance.
Average putting performance was 4.89/20 putts.
Self-efficacy magnitude and strength also significantly increased over trials.
There was no significant variation across individuals with regards to self-efficacy’s relationship with subsequent performance
The study was designed to highlight the possible negative effects of self-efficacy on performance in a sporting context.
Self-efficacy had a strong influence on performance in the experimental trials - also supports the majority of self-efficacy research previously done in sport performance. Self-efficacy had a weak negative correlation with following performance.
Individuals with higher than average self-efficacy in experiment 1 tended to show higher levels of performance. Self-efficacy beliefs were consistently higher than actual performance standards across all trials.
Coaches and practitioners should be aware of the effects of high levels of self-efficacy e.g. undermining pre-performance preparations due to athletes becoming complacent.
Artificial task so not easily generalisable to real-life scenarios.