Social facilitative effects of dominant motor skills in NCAA Division I baseball pitchers

• Main Author: Monteleone, Brian R.
• Other Authors: Ball State University. Dept. of Psychological Science.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Pitchers (Baseball); Achievement motivation.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/184807; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/864940

This study used archival data retrieved from the 1992-1993 baseball season from Ball State University. Pitching data were used from thirteen pitchers, ages ranging 18-22, from all practices (fall and winter) and games (home and away conference and non-conference). The dependent variable was the strikes per balls ratio, multiplied by number of batters faced. Two hypotheses were generated: (1) pitchers would perform better, as defined by the strikes per balls ratio, in game situations than in practice; (2) pitchers would perform better, as defined by the strikes per balls ratio, in home games than away games. Practice conditions duplicated game conditions except for the presence of an audience. Results were analyzed by a multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (MANOVA) and followed up by a univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). Sufficient data were available for windup fastballs and windup curveballs. Data wereanalyzed for (1) practice versus home and away games, (2) home versus away, conference and non-conference games, and (3) practice versus nonconference games. Data were positively skewed and were modified by a logarithmic transformation. The transformed data for practice versus nonconference games showed a significant multivariate effect, E(2, 98) = 6.90, A = .002. A univariate analysis test showed significant effects for a windup curveball, F(1, 99) = 13.33, . < .000. The univariate test for the windup fastball was not significant. These results support the hypothesis that pitchers will perform better in game conditions than in practice. The transformed data for practice versus home and away games showed a significant multivariate effect, E(4, 194) = 3.52, l . = .008. A univariate analysis showed significant effects for a windup curveball, E(2, 98) = 6.90, P_= .002. These results supported the first hypothesis which stated pitchers would perform better in game conditions than in practice. Results were not significant for the windup fastball. A moderate association between performance conditions and both dependent variables, eta2 = .13, was obtained. The association for the windup curveball was almost the same, eta2 = .12. === Department of Psychological Science