Bartholomew, J. B. (1999). Post exercise stress reactivity: The affect of manipulated performance feedback in college athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 31(5), Supplement abstract 1431.

The effect of performance feedback on post-exercise reactivity was assessed. College athletes (N = 40) completed a graded exercise test. Performance feedback was manipulated to form four groups: high performance, low performance, no feedback, and an inactive control. Stress was induced through a public speaking task, with reactivity measured as mean arterial pressure during the speech.

No feedback and high performance groups showed significantly less stress than low performance and inactive groups.

Implication. Threat appraisal is moderated by the type of feedback received for a task. High, positive evaluations or no evaluations are better than low evaluations. Coaches should emphasize what is done well in tasks, as opposed to stressing negative performance features.

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