Usefulness of a Self-Report Measure of Anxiety in Prediction of Motor Performance

Abstract

An instrument which provides a proper anxiety state measure and measures of seven other emotions was constructed. The instrument (Scale of Eight Emotions — S8E) was used in two investigations aimed at clarification of the relationship between anxiety and motor performance. An experiment which followed the usual design in the study of the effect of anxiety on motor behaviour was conducted. ‘Trait anxiety’ and instruction (2times2) were independent variables, while four motor tasks were dependent ones. Before and after performing motor tasks, the subjects (Ss) responded to the S8E. The Ss' scores on the S8E considerably helped the interpretation of experimental results. The second study was carried out in a natural setting: a modern rhythmical gymnastics contest. The multiple R between seven emotion predictors and motor performance was 0.72 (P< 0.05). Most important in prediction, anxiety state was correlated with performance with r = −0.58 (P< 0.01). Fear, the emotion frequently confused with anxiety, was not significantly correlated with performance. ‘Trait anxiety’ too was not significantly correlated with performance, indicating how problematic it is to substitute a trait for a state anxiety measure.