The Use of Self Modeling as an Instructional Technique on Free Throw Performance

RM 212

The use of video technology as a form of instruction to acquire motor skills has been well established (e.g., Martini, Rymal, & Ste-Marie, 2011). However, in the development of Ste-Marie and colleagues’ (2012) conceptual model for the use of observation/demonstration in applied settings, the authors noticed gaps in the literature. The focus of this presentation targets one of the gasps related to “who” is being observed. When investigating who is the most appropriate person to observe, research has shown that viewing oneself is more beneficial than viewing another. Nonetheless, it is still uncertain as to whether viewing the self at current skill level (i.e., positive selfreview; PSR) or at a level not yet achieved through an edited video (i.e., feed-forward; FF) benefit skill learning in different ways. Within the FF technique, one could produce a mirror image of a skill to demonstrate an individual performing that skill on their non-dominant side when in reality it is their dominant side flipped. To date, only two studies have investigated mirror image self-modeling (e.g., Anderson and Keaney 2015; Steel, Adams, Coulson, Canning, and Hawtin, 2013) and the results differed. Thus, this research examines the effects of PSR self-modeling and FF self-modeling, in the form of a mirror image video, on basketball free throw performance of the non-dominant and dominant arms. Participants (n=87) were divided into four groups based on the type of video seen; (1) PSR Dominant, (2) PSR Non dominant, (3) FF Dominant, and (4) FF Non dominant arm (as if you are viewing that shot as your dominant). Participants completed 10 free throw shots on both arms over four sessions where they viewed their videos in sessions two and three. Preliminary results suggest that participants are increasing free throw performance. The complete physical performance results will be presented followed by discussion of future applications and limitations.