Self efficacy and motor skill performance

eneral and specific self-efficacy are characteristics of a performer which may enhance or hinder skill performance. This study examined the effects of general and task-specific self-efficacy on the performance of a fine motor skill. Clarifying the relationship between self-efficacy and performance may aid in optimizing the performance of athletes.;Subjects completed a training session on the rotary pursuit instrument, a three trial pretest, and a manipulation session, followed by completion of a task-specific self-efficacy questionnaire and a three trial posttest. Task-specific self-efficacy was manipulated by providing falsified feedback. Regardless of actual performance, subjects in treatment group ;No significant difference was found in the performance of the low and high general self-efficacy groups. Significant differences were found between task-specific self-efficacy groups with subjects in the high manipulated self-efficacy group (;This study provided evidence that specific self-efficacy could be manipulated but that performance would not necessarily be altered in the direction of the manipulation. Feedback was shown to be an important aid to performance improvement with positive feedback being especially advantageous.;Two-hundred and four college students volunteered to participate in the study and completed the Perceived Physical Ability Scale (PPAS). Responses to the PPAS were then used to identify those who were high or low in general self-efficacy. Sixty-six volunteers were then randomly chosen as subjects, 33 from the high general self-efficacy pool, and 33 from the low general self-efficacy pool. Equal numbers of subjects from each group were then randomly assigned to three treatment groups: group...