Robert C. Eklund

The Development of an Individuals-Within-Dyads Multilevel Performance Measure for an Interactive Cheerleading Task

ABSTRACT Dyadic interactions generate direct relationships in which interdependent sport behaviors can be destructured. The focus of this investigation was to develop a two-level performance framework and corresponding measures of individual- and dyad-level sport performance. The described procedures surrounded a male–female cheerleading paired-stunt task, as only team-level outcomes are currently assessed during sport competition. Multiple observers employed the developed measures (α = .89–.96; interclass correlation = .87–.95) to assess the videoed performance of 132 individuals within 66 intact dyads competing at a national competition. Unique information is revealed from each partner’s individual-level score, disjointedly assessed, and their dyad-level score, an assessment of combined efforts. Score differences are especially apparent when in contrast to an aggregated dyad-level score. A discussion of the outlined approach and interpretation of multilevel occurrences of interdependent processes and outcomes of sporting performance is provided.

Transformational leadership in sport: current status and future directions

Borrowed from organizational psychology, the concept of transformational leadership has now been applied to a sport context for a decade. Our review covers and critically discusses empirical articles published on this growing topic. However, because the majority of studies used cross-sectional designs and single-source questionnaires to tap what has been a fuzzy construct, current theoretical and methodological issues impede understanding of whether transformational leadership matters for sport outcomes. To make a difference to applied practice and policy, the transformational leadership construct requires a refined definition and stronger empirical tests allowing for robust causal inference. We highlight avenues for advancing research on transformational leadership in the sport context.

Behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise among American college students relative to stages of change and gender

ABSTRACT Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise among university students in terms of gender and stage of change. Participants: Data were collected from American college students (N = 257; Mage ± SD = 23.02 ± 4.05) in Spring 2013. Methods: Behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise were assessed, along with stage of change. Results: Exercisers in the maintenance stage of change displayed significantly more self-determined motivation to exercise and a greater tendency to experience flow than those in preparation and action stages. Significant correlations were observed among behavioral regulations and flow state. Nonsignificant differences were observed for gender on behavioral regulations and dispositional flow in exercise. Conclusions: The results suggest that promotion of self-determined motivation and dispositional flow in exercisers may improve the quality of their experiences, as well as to foster their exercise behavior.

Time Pressure and Attention Allocation Effect on Upper Limb Motion Steadiness

ABSTRACT Following ironic process theory (IPT), the authors aimed at investigating how attentional allocation affects participants’ upper limb motion steadiness under low and high levels of mental load. A secondary purpose was to examine the validity of skin conductance level in measuring perception of pressure. The study consisted of 1 within-participant factor (i.e., phase: baseline, test) and 4 between-participant factors (i.e., gender: male, female; mental load: fake time constraints, no time constraints; attention: positive, suppressive; order: baseline→→→test, test→→baseline). Eighty college students (40 men and 40 women, Mage = 20.20 years, SDage = 1.52 years) participated in the study. Gender-stratified random assignment was employed in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 mixed experimental design. The findings generally support IPT but its predictions on motor performance under mental load may not be entirely accurate. Unlike men, womens performance was not susceptible to manipulations of mental load and attention allocation. The validity of skin conductance readings as an index of pressure perception was called into question.