The effects of coaches’ emotional expressions on players’ performance: Experimental evidence in a football context

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Author
Moll, Tjerk
Davies, Gemma Louise
Date
2021-02-12Acceptance date
2021-02-08
Type
Article
Publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
1469-0292
Embargoed until
2023-02-12
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objectives
Across two experiments, we examined the effects of coaches' nonverbal expressions of pride, shame, and happiness on players' emotions and performance.
Design
Both experiments employed a between (emotional expression manipulation) within (pre- and post-manipulation) subjects design.
Method
An expert male football coach was scripted to deliver performance feedback randomly displaying a specified emotion to skilled players who had just performed a passing test. In Experiment 1 (n = 28), players' actual coach displayed pride or shame. In Experiment 2 (n = 60), a confederate displayed pride, shame, happiness, or a neutral expression. Players then performed the passing test for a second time. In both experiments, players reported their emotions and perceptions of the coach.
Results
The results showed that coaches' emotional expressions influenced players' emotions especially when players held a close relationship with the coach. Regardless, coaches' display of pride and happiness benefitted players' performance while the display of shame did not.
Conclusion
These findings provide the first experimental evidence for the effects of coaches' emotional expressions on players' emotions and performance. These findings have important practical implications and advance the literature on how coaches' emotional expressions may influence players' emotions and performance.
Journal/conference proceeding
Psychology of Sport and Exercise;
Citation
Moll, T., & Davies, G. L. (2021) 'The effects of coaches' emotional expressions on players' performance: Experimental evidence in a football context', Psychology of Sport and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101913
Description
Article published in Psychology of Sport and Exercise available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101913
Sponsorship
Cardiff Metropolitan University (Grant ID: Cardiff Metropolian (Internal))
Collections
- Sport Research Groups [1094]
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