Feedback to sportspeople at beginner and elite levels
A coach will need to judge what type of feedback – intrinsic or extrinsic – is most effective in helping the performer to acquire and improve their skills. This will vary depending on the performer's experience, ability and learning style. The following factors will help make a judgement.
Advantages of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback
| Advantages of intrinsic | Advantages of extrinsic |
| Helps performers to focus on the feel of a skill | Provides new or additional guidance |
| Helps performers to solve problems themselves | Helps performers to identify problems |
| Helps performers to develop skills independently | Offers solutions to problems |
| Gives performers more time to practise | Prevents performers from reaching a dead end |
| Advantages of intrinsic | Helps performers to focus on the feel of a skill |
|---|---|
| Advantages of extrinsic | Provides new or additional guidance |
| Advantages of intrinsic | Helps performers to solve problems themselves |
|---|---|
| Advantages of extrinsic | Helps performers to identify problems |
| Advantages of intrinsic | Helps performers to develop skills independently |
|---|---|
| Advantages of extrinsic | Offers solutions to problems |
| Advantages of intrinsic | Gives performers more time to practise |
|---|---|
| Advantages of extrinsic | Prevents performers from reaching a dead end |
Most performers benefit from a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback. Generally, beginners and elite level performers will seek different types of feedback at different times.
Beginners
A beginner can be thought of as a novice. When a performer is new to a sport, they may need more extrinsic feedback to start with. This helps them to acquire the basic skills. However, beginners should also have time to practise on their own so they can begin to get a feel for and grasp those skills.
Elite level performers
An experienced performer, who is familiar with the sport, will have acquired the basic skills and may have developed into an elite performer. They may need more intrinsic feedback to refine and master those skills. However, experienced performers will also need extrinsic feedback to overcome persistent problems and to develop more complex skills.
Research suggests that performers benefit from feedback most when they ask for it.
