Feedback - an important element in the development of a new
skill
Brian Mackenzie explains the types of feedback we receive that can help us control our movement.
The conscious brain, using a collection of learned movements,
controls the action when we choose to move. For the movement to progress
successfully, the athlete requires feedback which then allows the athlete to
evaluate the effectiveness of the movement performed. There are three loops in
this feedback process:
- Exteroceptive feedback - the outcome of the movement
through the athlete's senses, observation of the outcome by the athlete,
observations from the coach, observations via video
- Proprioceptive feedback - from proprioceptors in the
muscle and tendons and the balance sensors which provide information on the
'feel' of the movement. Athletes can use this feedback to make fine adjustments
to the movement
- Kinaesthetic feedback - information fed directly into
the spinal cord from the muscles, tendons, and joints to give information that
can be responded to without conscious control
Types of Feedback
The type of feedback used will depend on the performer and the
skill being learned. Feedback can be in the form of:
- Intrinsic feedback -information received by the athlete
as a direct result of producing a movement through the kinaesthetic senses -
feelings from muscles, joints, and balance.
- Extrinsic feedback - information not inherent in the
movement itself but which improves intrinsic feedback. This is also known as
augmented feedback. There are two main categories:
- Knowledge of performance (KP) - information about
the technique and performance. This can be provided verbally by the coach or
visually via video. This enables the athlete to establish a kinaesthetic
reference for the correct movement. e.g. an analysis of the sprinter's
action.
- Knowledge of results (KR) - information with regards
to the result of the athlete's performance. e.g. the sprinter's 100m time
- Positive feedback - Used to inform the athlete as to
what was correct about the movement. Athletes need to know if a movement is
correct as this provides the reference point for future execution of the
movement. Positive feedback is essential in motivating athletes
- Negative feedback - Used to inform the athlete as to
what was incorrect about the movement. Negative feedback must include
information on the action(s) required by the athlete to achieve the correct
movement
- Terminal feedback - information provided to the athlete
before or after the performance
- Concurrent feedback - information provided to the
athlete during the performance
Article Reference
This article first appeared in:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2003) Feedback - an important element in the development of a new
skill. Brian Mackenzie's Successful Coaching, (ISSN 1745-7513/ 5 / September), p. 2
Page Reference
If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:
- MACKENZIE, B. (2003) Feedback - an important element in the development of a new skill [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni5a2.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Brian Mackenzie is a British Athletics level 4 performance coach and a coach tutor/assessor. He has been coaching sprint, middle distance, and combined event athletes for the past 30+ years and has 45+ years of experience as an endurance athlete.