Neleschlapkohl *, Tanja Hohmann **/*** and Markus Raab **
(*) University of Flensburg, Germany
(**) German Sport University Cologne, Germany
(***) University of Stuttgart, Germany
Citation
, N., Hohmann, T., Raab, M. (2012). Effects of instructions on performance outcome and movement patterns for novices and experts in table tennis. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 43(6), 522-541. doi:10.7352/IJSP.2012.43.522
Abstract
In three studies we explored the question of whether analogy and rule-based instructions have different effects on performance and movement patterns in novices and experts. In Study 1 novices learned the table tennis topspin forehand in a rule-based, analogy, or control group. After acquisition, hitting performance was equal for all groups in a retention test. However, the analogy group showed superior performance in additional transfer and decision tests compared to both other groups. In Study 2 novices received decision training already in the acquisition phase. The analogy group showed a better hitting performance, compared to the rule-based and the control group, as early as during acquisition. In Study 3 junior national table tennis players were examined. After the acquisition phase, the rulebased group showed a significantly better hitting performance than the analogy group. Additionally, we found that different types of instructions produced changes not only in outcome variables, but also in arm–bat direction. These findings extend the literature by accentuating the role of implicit learning for novices and explicit learning for experts and show how instructions modulate movement patterns.
Keywords: Decision making, Kinematic analysis