Determination and Comparison of Motivation Levels in Adolescent Girls During Simultaneous and Delayed Observational Learning of Targeting Skills with a Racket

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine and compare the motivation levels of adolescent girls during simultaneous and delayed observational learning of targeting skills with a racket.

Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study involved 40 girls aged 16 to 18, randomly divided into two groups: simultaneous observational learning and delayed observational learning. The protocol lasted for three days, and the task involved performing a forehand strike in clay tennis with the non-dominant hand toward a concentric target on the ground. On the first day, the pre-test was conducted, followed by the acquisition phase, and after a one-hour rest, the post-test. The retention test was conducted on the second day, and the transfer test on the third day. The motivation questionnaire was completed after the pre-test, after the acquisition phase, and before the retention test. For the simultaneous group, the video was played concurrently with the participants' performance, whereas for the delayed group, the participants started hitting after the video ended. To determine the effects of the independent variables, the present study's data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Descriptive statistics were used to draw graphs, calculate the mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics (multivariate analysis of variance) and a 2 (group) × 4 (test) analysis of variance with repeated measures on the test factor were used to examine the total score of the motivation questionnaire.

Findings: The results of this study indicated that there was a significant difference in motivation between the simultaneous and delayed observational learning groups.

Conclusion: The mean total motivation score for the delayed observational learning group was higher than that of the simultaneous observational learning group.