Do interpersonal relationships affect the impact of verbal encouragement on exercise performance?

Verbal encouragement aims to increase athletes’ performance by mobilizing resources, such as commitment and motivation, self-efficacy and/or the reduction of stress. A large body of literature supports its effectiveness in a variety of settings (e.g., sport, exercise). Yet, most studies suffer from important limitations, including the lack of external validity of the experimental stimulus. In particular, many verbal encouragement studies utilized standardized verbal stimuli, which were provided by research assistants who were strangers to the participants. The present study seeks to explore the interaction of characteristics of the sender and receiver of verbal encouragement, as well as their interaction during a task. The planned research will significantly advance our theoretical understanding of the process of verbal encouragement, which may in turn help to elevate athletic performance.
The present study is a collaborative effort between St. Francis Xavier University and the University of Münster. It is intended to be the first project in a line of studies, which will be conducted collaboratively in Germany and Canada, deepening the ties between both institutions, enriching the experiences of all stakeholders and producing cutting-edge research, which may be fundable by several agencies in both countries.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sebastian Harenberg

Student:

Partner:

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other

University:

St. Francis Xavier University

Program: