Welcome to the World of Feedback!
Ever wondered how a professional golfer knows exactly why their swing felt slightly "off," or how a beginner swimmer learns to keep their head down? The secret ingredient is Feedback. In Skill Acquisition, feedback is the information a performer receives about their movement. Without it, we would never know if we were improving or just repeating the same mistakes!
Don't worry if some of these terms seem similar at first. By the end of these notes, you'll be able to spot the difference between "Knowledge of Results" and "Knowledge of Performance" as easily as a referee spots an offside!
1. The Source: Where is the information coming from?
Feedback can come from inside your own body or from the world around you. We split these into Intrinsic and Extrinsic.
Intrinsic Feedback (Internal)
This is the "internal" information you get from your own senses. It mainly comes from proprioception—the "feeling" of the movement in your muscles and joints (often called the kinaesthetic sense).
Example: A gymnast feeling that their legs are straight during a handstand without needing a coach to tell them.
Extrinsic Feedback (External)
This is information that comes from an outside source. It "augments" (adds to) what you are already feeling.
• From a Coach: "Keep your elbows tucked in!"
• From Video Analysis: Watching a replay of your sprint start.
• From the Scoreboard: Seeing that you ran a personal best time.
Quick Review: Think of Intrinsic as your "inner voice" and Extrinsic as the "outside noise."
2. The Nature: Is it about success or mistakes?
We can also categorize feedback by whether it focuses on what went well or what needs fixing.
Positive Feedback
This occurs when a performer is told what was successful about their movement. It is often used to reinforce good habits and boost motivation.
Who is it for? It is especially important for beginners (in the Cognitive Stage) to build their confidence.
Negative Feedback
This is information about what went wrong or what was unsuccessful. It is used to correct errors.
Who is it for? It is most effective for experts (in the Autonomous Stage) who have the motivation to hear what they did wrong so they can "fine-tune" their skills.
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't confuse "Negative Feedback" with "Criticism." In PE, negative feedback is just objective information about an error, like "Your foot was too far to the left."
3. The Focus: The Movement vs. The Outcome
This is often the trickiest part for students, but here is a simple trick to remember it!
Knowledge of Performance (KP)
This focuses on the quality of the movement or the technique itself. It doesn't matter if you scored; it matters how your body moved.
Example: A coach telling a basketball player, "Your follow-through was excellent on that shot."
Knowledge of Results (KR)
This focuses on the end outcome or the "result." Did the ball go in? Did you win the race?
Example: Seeing the referee signal a goal or seeing your name at the top of the leaderboard.
Memory Aid:
K.P. = Process (How you did it)
K.R. = Result (What happened at the end)
4. Advantages and Disadvantages
Not all feedback is perfect for every situation! Let's look at the pros and cons.
Intrinsic Feedback
Pros: It is available instantly; you don't have to wait for a coach. It helps performers become independent.
Cons: Beginners don't have the "feel" yet, so they might interpret their internal feelings incorrectly.
Extrinsic Feedback
Pros: Vital for beginners to learn basic techniques. Coaches can see things the performer can't.
Cons: If used too much, the performer might become over-reliant on the coach and fail to develop their own "feel" for the skill.
Positive vs. Negative
Positive Pros: Great for motivation and "S-R Bond" (Stimulus-Response) strengthening.
Negative Pros: Essential for elite performers to reach perfection; stops bad habits from forming.
Did you know? Elite athletes often prefer Negative Knowledge of Performance. They already know if they missed (KR), but they want to know the tiny technical error (KP) that caused the miss!
Summary Checklist
Before you move on, make sure you can answer these three questions:
1. Can I explain why a beginner needs Extrinsic feedback more than an expert?
2. Do I know the difference between Knowledge of Results and Knowledge of Performance?
3. Can I give a real-world sporting example for Intrinsic feedback?
Key Takeaway: Feedback is the bridge between doing a skill and mastering a skill. The type of feedback used should always match the performer's Stage of Learning.