Abstract
The provision of performance-related feedback during exercise is acknowledged as an influential external cue used to inform pacing decisions. The provision of this feedback in a challenging or deceptive context allows research to explore how feedback can be used to improve performance and influence perceptual responses. However, the effects of deception on both acute and residual responses have yet to be explored, despite potential application for performance enhancement. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of challenging and deceptive feedback on perceptual responses and performance in self-paced cycling time trials (TT) and explored whether changes in performance are sustained in a subsequent TT following the disclosure of the deception. Seventeen trained male cyclists were assigned to either an accurate or deceptive feedback group and performed four 16.1 km cycling TTs; (1 and 2) ride-alone baseline TTs where a fastest baseline (FBL) performance was identified, (3) a TT against a virtual avatar representing 102% of their FBL performance (PACER), and (4) a subsequent ride-alone TT (SUB). The deception group, however, were initially informed that the avatar accurately represented their FBL, but prior to SUB were correctly informed of the nature of the avatar. Affect, self-efficacy and RPE were measured every quartile. Both groups performed PACER faster than FBL and SUB (p < 0.05) and experienced lower affect (p = 0.016), lower self-efficacy (p = 0.011), and higher RPE (p < 0.001) in PACER than FBL. No significant differences were found between FBL and SUB for any variable. The presence of the pacer rather than the manipulation of performance beliefs acutely facilitates TT performance and perceptual responses. Revealing that athletes' performance beliefs were falsely negative due to deceptive feedback provision has no effect on subsequent perceptions or performance. A single experiential exposure may not be sufficient to produce meaningful changes in the performance beliefs of trained individuals beyond the acute setting.
Highlights
During self-paced endurance exercise, athletes will adopt a pacing strategy in the endeavor to produce an optimal performance whilst preventing the occurrence of premature fatigue (Abbiss and Laursen, 2008; Hettinga et al, 2012)
Performance times between trials were significantly different (F = 4.9; P = 0.015), with pairwise comparisons indicating that PACER was performed in a significantly faster time than fastest baseline (FBL) (mean difference (MD) = −17 s; confidence intervals (CI) = −0.55, −0.01; P = 0.042, d = 0.20) and subsequent ride-alone TT (SUB) (MD = −19 s; CI = −0.59, −0.03; P = 0.027, d = 0.14; Table 2)
Post hoc analysis revealed that PACER was performed at a significantly higher power output than both FBL (MD = 7 W; CI = 3.17, 10.70; P < 0.001; d = 0.22) and SUB (MD = 8 W; CI = 4.34, 12.03; P < 0.001; d = 0.27)
Summary
During self-paced endurance exercise, athletes will adopt a pacing strategy in the endeavor to produce an optimal performance whilst preventing the occurrence of premature fatigue (Abbiss and Laursen, 2008; Hettinga et al, 2012). Performance-related feedback from external sources is interpreted in accordance with the current pace, internal physiological feedback and the task goals. This integration of information will govern the continuous and dynamic process of during-task decision-making regarding pace (Renfree et al, 2014; Smits et al, 2014). When external feedback is interpreted in relation to an individual’s beliefs in their ability to meet the task demands, it has the potential to elicit positive or negative perceptual experiences (Hutchinson et al, 2008) and performance outcomes (Halson and Martin, 2013). The provision of false external feedback prior to or during an exercise bout allows selfbeliefs to be surreptitiously augmented in order for behavior to be examined without the influence of unwanted expectancies
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