Positive Self Talk
discriminated with regard to the content of self talk between two broad dimensions, positive and negative self talk. Positives has been conceptualised as self-addressed statements in the form of praise and encouragement [4] and negative self talk has been conceptualised as statements in the form of criticism and self-preoccupation [5]. Contemporary research has further discriminated self talk with regard to the purposes it serves, as instructional or motivational.
Instructional self talk refers to statements aiming to direct attention and guide action through technical remarks or tactical choices, whereas motivational self talk refers to statements aiming to increase confidence, regulate effort and create positive moods [6]. Hardy [7] viewed ST as
“verbalizations or statements addressed to the self, multidimensional in nature, having interpretive elements associated with the content of statements employed, is somewhat dynamic and serving at least two functions; instructional and motivational for the athlete” (p.
84). In sport settings, research has generally supported the beneficial effects of self talk strategies on performance [e.g., 8, 9], although field studies have been less supportive. In addition, contemporary research has begun to investigate mechanisms and functions of ST [10, 11] in order to extend research into new paths.
Field studies, where ST has been examined as thought content, have provided equivocal results regarding the relationship between ST and performance. Van Raalte, Brewer, Rivera and Petitpas [12] found that junior tennis players, who lost in matches, used more external negative ST. Furthermore, although external positive ST was not associated with better performance, players in their reports indicated that positive ST helped them to perform better. Van Raalte, Cornelius, Brewer, & Hatten [13] in a similar study with adult tennis players found that negative ST may not necessarily be related to defeat. In contrast,
Instructional self talk refers to statements aiming to direct attention and guide action through technical remarks or tactical choices, whereas motivational self talk refers to statements aiming to increase confidence, regulate effort and create positive moods [6]. Hardy [7] viewed ST as
“verbalizations or statements addressed to the self, multidimensional in nature, having interpretive elements associated with the content of statements employed, is somewhat dynamic and serving at least two functions; instructional and motivational for the athlete” (p.
84). In sport settings, research has generally supported the beneficial effects of self talk strategies on performance [e.g., 8, 9], although field studies have been less supportive. In addition, contemporary research has begun to investigate mechanisms and functions of ST [10, 11] in order to extend research into new paths.
Field studies, where ST has been examined as thought content, have provided equivocal results regarding the relationship between ST and performance. Van Raalte, Brewer, Rivera and Petitpas [12] found that junior tennis players, who lost in matches, used more external negative ST. Furthermore, although external positive ST was not associated with better performance, players in their reports indicated that positive ST helped them to perform better. Van Raalte, Cornelius, Brewer, & Hatten [13] in a similar study with adult tennis players found that negative ST may not necessarily be related to defeat. In contrast,