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SPEX 204
BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION:
Feedback & Reinforcement
I.
PRINCIPLES OF FEEDBACK & REINFORCEMENT
Feedback, Reinforcement, & Punishment are
behaviour modification approaches that coaches,
teachers, & exercise leaders use to direct behaviour
& help participants develop motivation, commitment,
& desired skills.
[related to the ‘direction’ component of Motivation]
A.
Fundamental Assumption
Behaviour is determined by its consequences
B = f (???)
(Skinner, 1968)
B = f (p x E)
B.
Feedback
-- Information about a behaviour or the consequences
of a behaviour (eg. knowledge of results, verbal & nonverbal
communication, reinforcement, punishment)
Try change -ve behaviour
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C.
Why is feedback (eg., reinforcement, punishment) important?
C.
Why is feedback important?
1.
2.
3.
D.
It is necessary if learning is to occur.
It influences the performance of well-learned skills (by
acting as an incentive).
It affects psychological variables such as motivation
self-confidence, stress, and state anxiety.
How does feedback influence behaviour?
1.
INFORMATIONAL Function
-- feedback ‘informs’ person what should and
should not be done (information to improve next time)
if you do good keep going, if you do bad improve
2.
E.
MOTIVATION Function
-- feedback increases effort & intensity thru
incentives & ‘rewards’ for goal accomplishment
Type of Feedback: Reinforcement
-- Any reward, praise, or event that increase the
frequency or strength of a behaviour (ie. it reinforces or
‘strengthens’ the behaviour).
Reinforcement is defined by its effect: “Increase”
1. Positive Reinforcement: contingent use of rewards/
reinforcers to increase the frequency of a particular
behaviour (eg., increasing praise when a skill/drill is done correctly).
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2. Negative Reinforcement*: contingent withdrawal of a
negative stimulus to increase the frequency of a particular
behaviour (eg., withdrawing criticism when drill/skill is done correctly).
Hate sports>punish by PE teacher
F.
Type of Feedback: Punishment (Referee)
--
Application of a negative stimulus (eg. pain, criticism), or
the removal of something positive (eg. opportunity to play,
praise), in order to decrease the frequency of a
particular behaviour.
--
It ‘weakens’ a particular behaviour. For example,
punishing a player with a ‘time-out’ or criticism when a
drill/skill is done incorrectly or with little effort.
NB. Punishment does not necessarily eliminate or extinguish
a behaviour; it may only temporarily reduce the rate of
the behaviour.
II.
BASIC ASSUMPTION OF BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION
Behaviour is controlled by its consequences (Skinner, 1968)
===> PERCEPTION
B = f (p x E)
If a behaviour is followed by a reinforcer. It is more likely to
occur again under similar conditions (situation-specific).
The behaviour is :. ‘contingent’ upon the reinforcement/
punishment consequences (contingency management).
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III. RESEARCH
EXAMPLES
of
MODIFICATION in SPORT & EXERCISE
BEHAVIOUR
(see Weinberg & Gould, 2019: pp. 128-130)
Behavioural modification programmes have successfully:
 increased the pace a new skill (rowing)
(eg., Rushall, 1973)
 increased productivity at practice
(eg., Rushall & Pettinger,1969; Young et al, 2009)
 improved gymnastic performance
(eg., Wolko et al., 1993)
 reduced errors in tennis, gridiron/football, &
gymnastics (eg., Simek et al., 1994)
 improved sportspersonship attitudes
(eg., Martin & Thompson, 2011)
 improved exercise adherence
(eg., Luiselli et al, 2011)
 Motivation Example:
Rushall & Pettinger (1969)
Studied swimming workout productivity
32 swimmers (9-15 years), 4 groups
(a) Money
II
(b) Candy/choc bars
(c) Coaches Attention (only older swimmers
want coaches attention(14,15yo)
(d) Nothing (Control)
For each lap swum in under 60 seconds.
Results: ???
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IV.
GUIDELINES FOR USE OF REINFORCEMENT
(see Weinberg & Gould, 2019: pp. 130-131)
1.
Selecting the behaviour to be increased:
-- specific, observable, measurable
(Tkachuk et al., 2003)
2.
Choosing an effective reinforcer:
Select reinforcers that;
(a)
are readily available.
(b)
can be used immediately following the desired
behaviour.
(c)
can be used over and over again without losing
their ‘meaning’ / effect (use a variety of reinforcers)
(d)
do not require a great deal of time to ‘consume’.
3.
Applying Reinforcement: immediate & contingent.
V.
SUMMARY: USING BEH. MOD in SPORT/EXERCISE
Key Point:
Beh. Mod. (eg, reinforcement) is only ONE variable
influencing behaviour… don’t expect 100% in
behaviour (ie., it is complex: B = f [P x E] ).
(1)
Reinforce/Punish immediately & contingent
(2)
Be consistent across behaviours, players, &
time.
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Behaviour Mod. (eg, reinforcement)
Reinforcers  ‘Extrinsic Rewards’
Extrinsic Rewards 
Next topic:
(Extrinsic Motivation)
Intrinsic Motivation (?)
“Intrinsic Motivation & Flow”