Effects of knowledge of opponents' past performance on performance of a motor task and its interaction with need achievement

Abstract

Purpose [line break] The purpose of this study was to determine how performance was affected by knowledge of opponents' results in the same task and to determine the interaction of such knowledge with high and low need achievement subjects. [line break] Procedure [line break] Subjects for this investigation were 200 male students randomly selected from the concepts sections of the required physical education program at Texas A&M University. The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule was administered to each subject. Subjects scoring above the mean on the achievement variable were classified as possessing a high need for achievement and subjects scoring below the mean were classified as possessing a low need for achievement. Subjects were matched into five cells of 20 for the high need achievement group and five cells of 20 for the low need achievement group. The equated cells were randomly assigned to one of the following experiment treatment: (a) knowledge of a 25 per cent superior score of an opponent on performance of a motor task, (b) knowledge of a 10 per cent superior score of an opponent on performance of a motor task, (c) knowledge of a 10 per cent inferior score of an opponent on performance of a motor task, (d) knowledge of a 25 per cent inferior score of an opponent on performance of a motor tack, and (e) no knowledge about opponent. The work bouts designed for this investigation consisted of two all-out sprints on the bicycle ergometer against a three kilopond resistance. The duration of each sprint was one minute: one sprint was performed alone and another in competition with a sham competitor under the various experiment treatments. Performance scores were the number of revolutions pedaled in each time period and were recorded with the use of an electric impulse counter. Scores from the ride without competition were used as covariate in the statistical analysis. ...