Effects of Knowledge of Results and Change-Oriented Feedback on Swimming Performance

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the effect of providing knowledge of results (KR) with, and without, promotion- and change-oriented feedback on repeated-sprint ability in swimmers. Methods: Twenty-nine male and female swimmers (age = 16 [1] y, height = 1.74 [0.07] m, body mass = 61.0 [8.4] kg) were randomly allocated into 2 different feedback conditions, or a condition without feedback (NoFb), as a crossover, repeated-measures design. In one feedback condition, the swimmers were provided with lap completion times as KR. The other feedback condition was athlete-driven, where the swimmers were asked to estimate their lap completion times, and the investigators responded on whether their actual sprint times were faster (promotion-oriented), slower (change-oriented), or the same. Results: The results showed significantly faster average completion times during the repeated-sprint swim protocol in the athlete-driven KR (P = .014) and KR condition (P = .023), when compared with the NoFb condition. However, significantly faster best completion time was only found in the KR condition (P = .012), when compared with the NoFb condition. Furthermore, the stroke rate was significantly greater during the athlete-driven KR (P = .009) and KR (P = .021) conditions, when compared with the NoFb condition. Conclusions: The KR condition exhibited the greatest benefit for improving several swimming performance measures during a repeated-sprint protocol, and the increase in stroke rate may have contributed to this performance enhancement. Thus, it is recommended that swimmers receive lap completion times during repeated-sprint training sessions to optimize training quality.

Extrinsic feedback facilitates mental chronometry abilities in stroke patients

“…Based on numerous studies that have demonstrated that KR and KP can improve motor performance in healthy subjects (Doma et al, 2022;Han et al, 2022;Sparrow & Summers, 1992;Zalech & Bujak, 2017) and stroke patients (Chen et al, 2016;Cirstea et al, 2006;Cirstea & Levin, 2007;Kim & Oh, 2019;Molier et al, 2010;Subramanian et al, 2010), we hypothesized that MC could be modified in a similar way.…”