The influence of a self-talk intervention on collegiate cross-country runners

Abstract

The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effectiveness of different types of self-talk (e.g., instructional, motivational, combined) and the self-determined nature of the self-talk (assigned vs. freely chosen) on one-mile run performance. Eighty-one collegiate cross-country runners were assigned to one of six intervention groups after completing a baseline one-mile time trial. A week later they completed the test trial using their specific intervention technique. Results of the 2 (assigned vs. freely chosen) × 3 (type of self-talk) × 2 (trials) repeated measures ANOVA yielded no significant between subject differences although the trials effect revealed that, in general, performance improved from pre-to-post-test. However, statistical analysis of the six combined groups across trials (6 ×2) revealed that the combined self-set, motivational self-set, and instructional assigned groups displayed significant improvements in performance from pre-to post-test. Results are discussed in terms of practical versus statistical significance, cognitive evaluation theory, and self-efficacy theory.

Keywords:

• self talk
• instructional and motivational self-talk
• one-mile run performance
• self-efficacy