Correcting Player Mistakes: Effects of Coach and Player Social Influence on Increasing Player Intention to Intervene with Teammates

Abstract

Correcting mistakes is a key component in sport performance. Typically, the coach is tasked with providing this feedback. While teammates could serve this role, it is not the norm for teammates to provide this feedback (Goldsmith & Fitch, 1997). The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of coach and player sources of social influence on increasing player intention to intervene with teammates following a technical mistake. Adult soccer players (N = 170) read one of five hypothetical soccer team vignettes where the description differed in the levels of coach and player social influence about intervening with teammates. Participants rated their intention to intervene with teammates who made a technical mistake during a game. ANCOVA results indicated that the overall model was significant (p < .002). Post hoc analyses revealed that intention to intervene was higher when teams were described as having a coach that encouraged players to intervene and the team norm was for players to intervene. However, this was not the case when coach and teammate social influences were at cross purposes. This provides initial support that aligned social influences from the coach and players increase soccer players’ intentions to intervene when their teammates make technical mistakes.