Internal-External Control and Social Reinforcement Effects on Motor Performance

Abstract

The effect of praise and reproof as social reinforcers on the performance of a motor task among young boys high in internal control as compared to external control was determined. Thirty internal control and 30 external control subjects, as selected by the Bialer Locus of Control Scale, were randomly divided into a praise, reproof, and control group. Results failed to support the hypothesis that social reinforcement has greater influence on the motor performance of internal control subjects than for external control subjects. Results were discussed in relation to social learning theory and previous research. An attempt was made to show that the equivocal social reinforcement literature contained some consistency when distinguishing between accuracy and speed motor responses and between learning and performance.