Chapter 7

• Conditioned reinforcer

  Something that players learned would be given to them if they did good and followed instructions, which made them more willing to do so
• Motivation


  Something within us that causes our actions, an inner drive that causes people to act a certain way
• The traditional conceptualization of motivation involves circular reasoning
• Practical limitations to conceptualizing motivation as an internal cause of behaviour


  • The suggestion that the cause of behaviour lie within us might influence some coaches to blame athletes for inferior athletic performance
  • It may influence some athletes to blame themselves for inferior athletic performance
  • It may prevent some coaches from examine antecedents and consequences to motivate athletic behaviour
• To motivate


  To influence individuals to behave in various ways
• Antecedents that can be used to motivate athletic behaviour

  • Goals
  • Models
  • Imagery
  • Self-Talk
  • Picture Prompts
  • Announcements of Friendly Competitions
  • Schedule Cross Training for Variety
  • Rules
• Using imagery to motivate practice performance

  • Imagining the ball as a punching bag and hitting it with rage
• Using self-talk to motivate competitive performance


  • Counting strides in your head or out loud and saying reassuring things when nervous
• Using picture prompts to motivate practice performance

  • Hanging up ribbons to see your hard work and be motivated to continue
• Consequences that can motivate participation in sports and improved practice and competitive sport performance

  • Reinforcing for Performing Well and Winning
  • Coach's Praise
  • Self-Improvement
  • Stimulation of the senses
  • Posted Records of Progress
  • Enjoying Competing
  • Peer Approval
• Many athletes appear to participate in sport for the sake of the competition
• Reinforcement analysis


  Explaining the observation that many athletes participate in sport for the sake of the competition
• Reinforcement analysis example


  • A highly driven volleyball player who just likes competing and trying to win
• External informational feedback


  A judgement provided to an athlete about the quality of performance they just displayed
• External informational feedback example


  • In a hunter course, being judged on your form, approach, etc. and knowing how well you did
• Deliberate use of reinforcement by coaches is not bribery
• Extrinsic reinforcement undermining intrinsic motivation


  People might not want to play sports or do activities just for the sake of the activity itself, and only do it for external rewards
• Problems with the view that extrinsic reinforcement undermines intrinsic motivation

  • Their definitions of intrinsically motivated behaviours does not take into account probable natural reinforcers
  • When young people first begin a sport, they usually lack the skills to experience natural reinforcers
  • Careful review of studies indicates reward contingencies do not have pervasive negative effects
  • Observations indicate rewards in everyday settings do not negatively affect intrinsic motivation
  • The notion flies in the face of common sense
• UMO (Unconditioned Motivating Operation)

  When deprivation and satiation alter the effectiveness of unconditioned reinforcers or punishers, without prior learning
• UMO example


  • Food only being an effective reinforcer when someone is hungry
• CMO (Conditioned Motivating Operation)

  When something alters the effectiveness of conditioned reinforcers or punishers because of prior learning
• CMO example


  • Learning to jump and snap the ball down at the same time when hitting a volleyball, making hits stronger
• Coach Dawson's program with the basketball players involved a CMO
• Difference between CMO and S^D

  A CMO temporarily changes what you want and tells you how to get it, while an S^D tells you what to do to get what you already want
• Difference between CMO and S^D examples

  • CMO - A teacher showing a color they like, making students use that color. S^D - Being told to grab a specific color of paint
• Steps a coach might follow to motivate athletes from a behavioural perspective

  • Arrange antecedents to prompt motivated behaviour
  • Manipulate MOs to maximize the effectiveness of reinforcers
  • Describe environmental arrangements in appropriately stated rules
  • Provide reinforcers following motivated behaviour