Communication In Live Sports Broadcasts: Attributions Of Task Performance Errors

Abstract

A single study was conducted exploring perceptions of causal attributions communicated through a task performance error during a live sports broadcast. Participants were recruited from within the live broadcast sports community and causal attributions of a camera operator's performance were measured using a Multidimensional Observer Attributions for Performance Scale (MOAPS) developed by Rutherford, Harari, and Rudolph (2013). Additional scales were created to measure perceptions of importance, frequency, and future hiring recommendations. Results found that following a camera mistake in a live sports broadcast, the camera operator's relationship with the director significantly influenced future hiring recommendations and attributions of ability in certain conditions. A camera operator in a close relationship with a director was more likely to be recommended for future work compared with a camera operator in a distant relationship with a director. As expected, fatigue had no significant impact on future hiring recommendations. However, fatigue influenced attributions of luck in certain conditions. This study extended attribution theory into the area of live sports broadcasts and sports communication generally. Practical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.