INFLUENCE OF COGNITIVE STRATEGIES ON TENNIS SERVES OF PLAYERS OF HIGH AND LOW ABILITY

Summary.--The present study was designed to determine the effects that various cognicive strategies had on the tennis serves of advanced and beginning tennis players. 20 male and 20 female players of high and low ability performed a standard serving test under four different cognitive strategies in a 2 X 2 X 4 (sex by ability level by cognitive strategy) repeated-measures design. The four cognitive strategies included imagery, positive self-efficacy statements, attentional focus, and a control condition in which the subjects prepared as they normally would. The results showed that none of the cognitive strategies facilitated performance; only the main effect of ability reached significance. The lack of any significant cognicive strategy effects is discussed in terms of the nature of the task and the need to examine the possibility of prior training in using cognitive strategies.