The Influence of Perceived Self-Efficacy in the Learning Process upon Motor Performance

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference of perceived self-efficacy according to each learning process, and the influence of perceived self-efficacy on motor performance.
Thirty-six male children, who were fifth and sixth grade, were randomly assigned to three equal sized learning process groups; Forced Step Learning, Self-determined Step Learning, and Success Experienced Step Learning Group. This experiment was divided into three sections; 10 trials practice, 50 trials learning, and 10 trials test sections. The ringtoss task was employed to examine children's motor performance.
The results were as follows:
1) Success Experienced Step Group perceived higher self-efficacy than other groups.
2) In regard to motivation there was no significant difference among the groups before the test session.
3) In ringtoss performance there was no significant difference among the groups though Success Experienced Step Group performed better than other groups. But Success Experienced Step Group appeared to have acquired a cognitive strategy more effectively than other groups.
These findings indicate that a subject's perceived self-efficacy level and acquired cognitive strategy were differentiated in each learning process. It is suggested that perceived self-efficacy and acquired cognitive strategy in the process of motor learning were important to improve motor performance.