The effects of self-efficacy on physical and cognitive performance: An analysis of meta-certainty

In the present research, we analyzed the effects of self-efficacy (SE) on physical and cognitive performance in real-world settings as a function of the metacognitive certainty in SE. In three studies, participants completed a measure of SE, which asked them to report how sure they were that they can achieve several specific results on various athletic and academic tasks. Moreover, general certainty in their own SE (i.e., SEC) was measured (Studies 1 and 3) or manipulated to be high versus low (Study 2). Relevantly, our studies aimed to obtain a high level of ecological validity by including athletes in natural, real-world settings (i.e., gymnasiums). Furthermore, we sought to extend the findings beyond physical performance by analyzing university students’ cognitive performance in their actual academic setting (i.e., classrooms). Specifically, physical performance was assessed with pull-ups (Study 1) and vertical jump tests (Study 2), and cognitive performance was measured with grades on exams (Study 3). As expected, SE was positively related to performance. Most importantly, we predicted and found an interaction between SE and SEC on performance. That is, the effect of SE on physical and cognitive performance was greater for participants with higher (vs. lower) metacognitive certainty in their SE. In conclusion, to increase the explanatory and predictive power of efficacy beliefs across different domains, we propose that the assessment of SE should also include measures of one's metacognitive certainty in SE. In addition, we suggest that interventions on SE could benefit from the use of certainty inductions when including these inductions is possible and convenientThis work was supported in part by the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spain) [Grant number PSI2017-83303-C2- 1-P], and by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) [Grant number PID2020-116651GB-C33

La convicción en las actitudes relacionadas con el dopaje : un estudio experimental con entrenadores de fútbol

Este experimento analizó el efecto que el pensamiento deliberativo involucrado en el procesamiento de información relevante produjo sobre la convicción de los participantes en sus actitudes relacionadas con el dopaje. Los participantes fueron entrenadores de fútbol que recibieron por escrito una propuesta (i.e., un mensaje persuasivo) en contra (o a favor) de la legalización de algunas sustancias y conductas consideradas como dopaje en la actualidad. A su vez, la cantidad de pensamiento deliberativo (i.e., la probabilidad de elaboración, alta vs. baja) fue manipulada entre los participanes. Finalmente, las actitudes hacia la propuesta de legalización y la convicción en esas actitudes fueron medidas como variables dependientes. Como se predijo, los resultados mostraron que las actitudes fueron significativamente influidas sólo por la dirección del mensaje persuasivo (η2 = .064); de tal forma que los entrenadores que recibieron el mensaje en contra de la legalización mostraron actitudes más desfavorables que los que recibieron el mensaje a favor. Sin embargo, como se esperaba, la convicción en las actitudes estuvo sólo en función de la elaboración (η2 = .050). Así, los entrenadores de la condición de alta probabilidad de elaboración mostraron más convicción en sus actitudes que los de la condición de baja probabilidad de elaboración. En este artículo, discutimos la importancia de esta convicción para comprender y predecir mejor el impacto que las actitudes tienen sobre los consecuentes modos de pensar y de actuar de entrenadores y deportistas respecto al dopaje.This experiment analysed the effect that deliberative thinking involved in the processing of relevant information had on the conviction of the participants in their doping-related attitudes. Participants were football coaches who received a written proposal (i.e., a persuasive message) against (or in favour of) the legalization of several banned substances and doping behaviours. Moreover, the extent of deliberative thinking (i.e., the elaboration likelihood, high vs. low) was manipulated between participants. Finally, attitudes towards legalization and conviction in those attitudes were assessed as dependent variables. As predicted, results showed attitudes were only affected by the direction of the message (η2 = .064). Therefore, coaches who received the message against legalisation showed attitudes which were less favourable than coaches who received the message in favour of legalization. However, as expected, conviction was only in relation to elaboration likelihood (η2 = .050). Thus, coaches with a high elaboration likelihood showed more conviction in their attitudes than coaches with a low elaboration likelihood. In this paper, we discuss the importance of conviction in the understanding and the prediction of the impact of attitudes on subsequent thinking and behaviour with respect to doping in coaches and athletes.Este estudo analisou o efeito que o pensamento deliberativo envolvido no processamento de informação relevante produziu sobre a convicção dos participantes nas suas atitudes relacionadas com o doping. Os participantes foram treinadores de futebol que receberam por escrito uma proposta (i.e., uma mensagem persuasiva) contra (ou a favor) da legalização de algumas substâncias e comportamentos considerados como doping na actualidade. Por seu turno, a quantidade de pensamento deliberativo (i.e., a probabilidade de elaboração, Alta vs. Baixa) foi manipulada entre os participantes. Por último, as atitudes face à proposta de legalização e a convicção nessas atitudes foram medidas como variáveis dependentes. Como foi hipotetizado, os resultados mostram que as atitudes foram significativamente influídas apenas pela direcção da mensagem persuasiva (η2 = .064); de tal forma que os treinadores que receberam a mensagem contra a legalização revelaram atitudes mais desfavoráveis que os que receberam a mensagem a favor. Contudo, como esperado, a convicção nas atitudes variaram apenas em função da elaboração (η2 = .050). Assim, os treinadores da condição de alta probabilidade de elaboração revelaram mais convicção nas suas atitudes que os da condição de baixa probabilidade de elaboração. Neste artigo, discutimos a importância desta convicção para compreender e prever melhor o impacto que as atitudes têm sobre os consequentes modos de pensar e actuar dos treinadores e atletas a respeito do doping