Forrester PE Dept

Positive Reinforcement techniques

Positive Reinforcement techniques

 

Many elite athletics have a coach or manager who they work alongside to achieve their goals. A coach can enhance the athletic experience and performance of a players by recognizing and adhering to one of the oldest learning principles in psychology: positive reinforcement. Rewarding appropriate behaviour, or catching people doing things right, is much more effective than punishing negative behaviour, or being predominantly critical.

 

When a player does something right, a coach will frequently reinforce the behaviour by giving the player rewards that she or he values. Since each player finds different things rewarding, you have to know your players and have a good understanding of their personalities.

 

Positive behaviour shouldn’t be rewarded every time, as this may undermine the effect of the reward. Psychological studies show that people produce greater effort and persistence for occasional positive reinforcement than for continuous reinforcement. For example, in tennis, players would probably see positive comments and praise that are given about half the time after good behaviours as greater rewards than if praise were given automatically every time. However, positive approaches to behavioural change are highly motivating and enjoyable for players. Researchers in sport psychology suggest that 80% to 90% of reinforcement from the coach be positive.