STUDY INTO THE EFFECT AND EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDBACK, ON BOTH ATHLETES’ PERCEPTIONS AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The main aim of the following study was to establish a variety of perceptions from undergraduate rugby players regarding how different types of feedback effect their performance and also their perceptions of their coach. This topic of research was selected as a review of current literature found that there is a need for research into feedback and also for research investigating athletes’ perceptions. The findings will help to inform coaches of the effects of their feedback, how they should deliver their feedback and any important aspects they may wish to consider in order to better their practice. A purposive sampling method was used as participants were all representatives of the same university rugby union team. The study employed a mixed-method, grounded theory approach whereby the results were obtained in two stages. Firstly, participants [n=10] reflected on the feedback they received over the previous week. The results obtained over these two weeks of reflective logs were collected at the end of the week and provided information which shaped the second stage of data collection. The second stage of the study was the conducting of semi-structured interviews on some of the participants [n=3] which aimed to gain a more detailed insight into athletes’ thoughts and feelings. Five key findings generated from the study were then highlighted and their implications discussed. Firstly was the benefit of using video analysis as a method of providing feedback. Secondly was the participants’ issues with the coach and the way he administers feedback. It was also discovered that a number of participants were experiencing a lack of feedback which was having an extremely negative effect both on participants’ perceptions of the coaches and their performance. Pen-ultimately it was found that a greater level of detail was important to participants. Finally participants described varying effects of feedback depending on whether or not they felt the feedback was justified. Future research investigating a greater number of individuals and therefore coaches and coaching environments would give a more detailed representation of the effects of different forms of feedback on athletes’ perceptions and performance.