What Is Feedback?
Feedback is information a performer receives about their performance. It can come from internal feelings or external sources. Effective feedback helps performers correct errors, reinforce good technique, and stay motivated.
Types of Feedback
Intrinsic Feedback (Internal)
- Comes from within the performer — their own senses and feelings during and after the movement.
- Also called kinaesthetic feedback — the performer "feels" whether the movement was correct.
- Example: a basketball player knows their free throw felt smooth and the release was good before the ball even reaches the basket.
- More reliable in experienced performers who have a well-developed sense of what correct technique feels like.
- Beginners often cannot distinguish between correct and incorrect technique through intrinsic feedback alone.
Extrinsic Feedback (External)
- Comes from an outside source — a coach, teacher, video replay, scoreboard, or teammate.
- Essential for beginners who lack the experience to self-evaluate.
- Can reinforce intrinsic feedback (e.g. a coach confirming that the technique "looked right").
Knowledge of Results (KR)
- Feedback about the outcome of the performance.
- Example: the time on the scoreboard after a 100m sprint, whether the shot went in or not, the score awarded by a judge.
- Provides a clear, objective measure of success.
- Can be motivating but does not tell the performer why the result occurred or how to improve.
Knowledge of Performance (KP)
- Feedback about the quality of the movement itself, regardless of the outcome.
- Example: "Your arm action was too low during the serve" or "Your take-off angle in the long jump was too flat."
- More useful for learning and improvement because it addresses the technique.
- Often given by a coach through observation or video analysis.
Positive Feedback
- Tells the performer what they did well.
- Reinforces correct technique — the performer is more likely to repeat the action.
- Builds confidence and motivation, especially in beginners.
- Example: "Excellent follow-through on that shot — that is exactly the technique we practised."
Negative Feedback
- Tells the performer what they did wrong or what needs to improve.
- Used to correct errors and prevent bad habits from forming.
- Must be delivered constructively — especially to beginners, who may become discouraged by too much negative feedback.
- More effective with experienced performers who can handle criticism and use it productively.
- Example: "You dropped your elbow during the throw — keep it high and drive it forward."
Summary Table
| Feedback Type | Source | What It Tells the Performer | Best For |
|---|
| Intrinsic | Within the performer | How the movement felt | Experienced performers |
| Extrinsic | External (coach, video, score) | What was observed or measured | All performers, especially beginners |
| Knowledge of Results (KR) | Outcome / result | What happened | All performers (motivational) |
| Knowledge of Performance (KP) | Movement quality | How well the technique was executed | Learning and refining technique |
| Positive | Coach / self | What was done well | Building confidence, reinforcing good habits |
| Negative | Coach / self | What needs to improve | Correcting errors (handle with care for beginners) |
Guidance
Guidance is the method a coach or teacher uses to communicate information about how to perform a skill. The type of guidance used depends on the skill being taught and the stage of learning of the performer.
Visual Guidance
- The performer is shown what to do through a demonstration, video, diagram, or model performance.
- Highly effective for beginners (cognitive stage) because they can form a mental image of the correct technique.
- The demonstration must be accurate — a poor demonstration creates a poor mental model.
- Can also benefit experienced performers refining technique (e.g. slow-motion video analysis).
Verbal Guidance
- The performer is told what to do through spoken instructions and explanations.
- Works well alongside visual guidance ("watch how I position my feet, and notice how my hips rotate").
- Most effective for intermediate and advanced performers who can understand technical language.
- Should be brief, clear, and relevant — too much verbal information overwhelms beginners.
Manual Guidance
- The performer is physically guided through the movement by the coach or by a mechanical device.
- Example: a swimming teacher supporting a child under the stomach while they practise the front crawl; a gymnastics coach physically guiding a handstand.
- Builds confidence and helps the performer feel the correct movement pattern.
- Must be used carefully — the performer may become dependent on the support and unable to perform without it.
Mechanical Guidance
- Similar to manual, but uses equipment or devices to support the performer.
- Example: a harness in trampolining, armbands in swimming, stabilisers on a bicycle.
- Provides safety and confidence during the early stages of learning dangerous or complex skills.
- Should be gradually removed as the performer gains competence to avoid dependency.
Summary of Guidance Types
| Guidance Type | Method | Best For | Caution |
|---|
| Visual | Demonstrations, videos, diagrams | Beginners; complex skills | Demo must be accurate |
| Verbal | Spoken instructions | Intermediate / advanced performers | Keep it concise for beginners |
| Manual | Physical support from a coach | Beginners; building confidence | Risk of dependency |
| Mechanical | Equipment support (harness, armbands) | Beginners learning dangerous skills | Remove gradually |
Matching Feedback and Guidance to the Learner
| Stage of Learning | Recommended Feedback | Recommended Guidance |
|---|
| Cognitive (beginner) | Mostly positive; simple KR; extrinsic | Visual + manual/mechanical |
| Associative (intermediate) | Mix of positive and negative; KP introduced; extrinsic + developing intrinsic | Visual + verbal |
| Autonomous (expert) | Detailed KP; negative for fine-tuning; strong intrinsic | Verbal; video analysis |
Exam Tips
- Know the six types of feedback and be able to explain each with a sporting example.
- Understand the difference between KR and KP — KR is about the result, KP is about the quality of the movement. A common mix-up.
- When asked which feedback or guidance is best for a performer, link your answer to their stage of learning.
- A typical 6-mark question: "Explain the types of guidance a coach could use when teaching a beginner to perform a complex gymnastics skill. Justify your choices." — cover visual, manual/mechanical, and explain why verbal alone would not be sufficient.
- Remember that feedback is most effective when it is immediate, specific, and constructive.