Effect of divergent self-monitoring strategies on motor performance and emotion as a function of alternating task complexity

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of implementing different self-monitoring (SM) strategies as a function of varying task complexity on a computer game, 'Shufflepuck'. Self-monitoring theory suggests that positive self-monitoring (PSM) results in better performance for difficult tasks, whereas negative self-monitoring (NSM) is preferable for easy tasks. When SM was tested under easy and complex task conditions, it was found that performance effectiveness was a function of matching appropriate task difficulty with the SM strategy. Unpaired t-tests compared the first set of 100 trials (pre-task) with the second set of 100 trials (post-task) on a computer skills game requiring hand-eye coordination. The results showed that subjects who changed from the difficult task/PSM condition to the easy task/PSM condition (different task, same SM strategy) performed significantly poorer (P < 0.001) than subjects who changed from the difficult task/PSM condition to the easy task/NSM condition (different task, different SM strategy). A second unpaired t-test comparing the two sets of difference performance scores indicated that performance was significantly superior for subjects using the PSM than the NSM strategy while performing the difficult task (P < 0.05). That is, changing from the easy task/NSM condition to the difficult task/NSM condition produced poorer performance than changing from the easy task/NSM to the difficult task/PSM condition. In terms of subjects' emotions, the use of NSM and PSM when performing easy and difficult tasks, respectively, resulted in markedly less negative affect (P < 0.01), but did not influence positive affect, on pre- and post-task comparisons. Finally, correlations between affect and performance, based on pre- and post-performance and affect scores, were moderate to high. Implications of the present results for slumps in sport performance are offered.