Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Self-Talk and Autonomy on Well-Structured Problem-Solving

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Applied Psychology Readings

  • 639 Accesses

Abstract

This study is to investigate how autonomy and different pronominal person self-talk may affect people’s performance of well-structured problems. A total of 111 (69 females and 42 males) young adults were randomly assigned to different groups of the 2 (autonomy-supportive vs. non-autonomy) × 3 (I self-talk, You self-talk, control group) experiment. In this study, we recorded the task accuracy, subjective interest, and intention (9-point Likert scale) toward the task-switching paradigm. Statistical results showed that participants turn to perform better in terms of accuracy in the You self-talk group than in the I self-talk group and control group. Inconsistent with previous findings, we also found that non-autonomy group showed statistically significant more interests in doing the task than the autonomy-supportive group. Related updated studies and the sensitivity to the hierarchical order in Chinese culture were used to explore the interesting findings and discuss the implications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alderson-Day, B., & Fernyhough, C. (2015). Inner speech: Development, cognitive functions, phenomenology, and neurobiology. Psychological Bulletin, 141(5), 931–965. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000021.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Alicia, T. G. (2015). How small change can radically improve your mindset. Huffpost Healthy Living. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alicia/how-small-changes-can-radically-improve-your-mindset_b_8041030.html.

  • Alter, A., Aronson, J., Darley, J., Rodriguez, C., & Ruble, D. (2010). Rising to the threat: Reducing stereotype threat by reframing the threat as a challenge. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46, 166–171.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley, A. (1992). Working memory. Science, 255, 556–559. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1736359.

  • Baddeley, A., Chincotta, D., & Adlam, A. (2001). Working memory and the control of action: Evidence from task switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 130, 641–657. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.130.4.641.

  • Bivens, J. A., & Berk, L. E. (1990). A longitudinal study of the development of elementary school children’s private speech. Merrill-palmer Quarterly, 36(4), 443–463. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23087309.

  • Chroni, S., Perkos, S., & Theodorakis, Y. (2007). Function and preferences of motivational and instructional self-talk for adolescent basketball players. Athletic Insight, 9(1), 19–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clowes, R. (2007). A self-regulation model of inner speech and its role in the organisation of human conscious experience. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 14(7), 59–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordova, D. I., & Lepper, M. R. (1996). Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning: Beneficial effects of contextualization, personalization, and choice. Journal of Educational Psychology, 88, 715–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dagrou, E., Gauvin, L., & Halliwell, W. (1992). The effects of positive, negative and neutral self-talk on motor performance. Journal of Sport Science, 17(2), 145–147. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1324109.

  • De Francesco, C., & Burke, K. L. (1997). Performance enhancement strategies used in a professional tennis tournament. International Journal Of Sport Psychology, 28(2), 185–195.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dolcos, S., & Albarracin, D. (2014). The inner speech of behavioral regulation: Intentions and task performance strengthen when you talk to yourself as a You. European Journal Of Social Psychology, 44(6), 636–642. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2048.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gammage, K. L., Hardy, J., & Hall, C. R. (2001). A description of self-talk in exercise. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2(4), 233–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1469-0292(01)00011-5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, B., de Bruijn, G. J., & Lally, P. (2011). A systematic review and meta-analysis of applications of the self-report habit index to nutrition and physical activity behaviours. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 42, 174–187.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilhooly, K. J., Wynn, V., Phillips, L. H., Logie, R., & Della Sala, S. (2002). Visuo-spatial and verbal working memory in the five-disc Tower of London task: An individual differences approach. Thinking & Reasoning, 8, 165–178. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13546780244000006.

  • Grünhagen, M., Wollan, M. L., Dada, O., & Watson, A. (2014). The moderating influence of HR operational autonomy on the entrepreneurial orientation–performance link in franchise systems. International Entrepreneurship And Management Journal, 10(4), 827–844. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-013-0270-7.

  • Hatzigeorgiadis, A. (2006). Instruction and motivational self-talk: An investigation on perceived self-talk functions. Hellenic Journal of Psychology, 3, 164–175. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from http://www.pseve.org/journal/upload/hatzigeorgiadis3b.pdf.

  • Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Goltsios, C., & Theodorakis, Y. (2008). Investigating the functions of self-talk: The effects of motivational self-talk on self-efficacy and performance in young tennis players [Abstract]. The Sport Psychologist, 22(4), 458–471. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.22.4.458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Galanis, E., Theodorakis, Y. (2011). Self-Talk and Sports Performance. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6 (4):348–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, R. A., & Sniezek, J. A. (1993). Situational factors affecting judgments of future performance. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 54, 104–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang, K. K. (2012) Confucian Relationalism and Social Exchange. Foundations of Chinese Psychology. International and Cultural Psychology, 1. Springer, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin, S. R. (2005). The dialectical effect of psychological displacement: A narrative analysis. Taipei, China: National Science Council.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin, S. R. (2010). Structure characteristics of psychological displacement and its dialectical phenomenon: Narratives of the multidimensional self. Chinese Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 28, 191–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Judith, E. (n.d.). Improve your self-talk. Business Know-How. Retrieved February 11, 2016, from http://www.businessknowhow.com/growth/self-talk.htm.

  • Kamen, R. (2015). Self-talk and self-compassion. Huffpost Healthy Living. Retrieved fromhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/randy-kamen-gredinger/self-talk-_b_7724532.html.

  • Kirkby, R. J. (1991). Use of sport psychology techniques by professional Australian Football League players. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 73(3, Pt 2), 1224. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.73.8.1224-1224.

  • Kraemer, D. J. M., Macrae, C. N., Green, A. E., & Kelley, W. M. (2005). Musical imagery: Sound of silence activates auditory cortex. Nature, 434, 158. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/434158a.

  • Kross, E., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., Park, J., Burson, A., Dougherty, A., Shablack, H., et al. (2014). Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: How you do it matters. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106, 304–324.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 998–1009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lantolf, J. P. (2006). Sociocultural theory and second language learning: State of the art. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 28, 67–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, R., & Wittrock, M. (2009). Problem Solving. Education.com. Retrieved December 19, 2016, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/problem-solving1/.

  • Mubenwafor, J. (2015). Problem Solving. Retrieved form https://www.google.com.hk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiG7sKgud_TAhWDHJQKHYFQAaYQFggwMAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjomubenwafor.6te.net%2FEDU2122LectureNotes3Spring2015.doc&usg=AFQjCNG7nv1H_nbnnfC25sOintd6YBLxjA&sig2=yR5by2jNKQAsKZFYKPalzQ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, E. J., Markland, D., Hardy, J., & Petherick, C. M. (2008). The effects of autonomy-supportive versus controlling environments on self-talk. Motivation and Emotion, 32(3), 200–212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-008-9097-x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puchalska-Wasyl, M. M. (2014). When interrogative self-talk improves task performance: The role of answers to self-posed questions. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 28(3), 374–381. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Senay, I., Albarracín, D., & Noguchi, K. (2010). Motivating goal-directed behavior through introspective self-talk the role of the interrogative form of simple future tense. Psychological Science, 21(4), 499–504.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, C. A., & Lazarus, R. S. (1993). Appraisal components, core relational themes, and the emotions. Cognition & Emotion, 7(3–4), 233–269. Retrieved form http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699939308409189.

  • Tod, D., Hardy, J., & Oliver, E. (2011). Effects of self-talk: A systematic review. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 33, 666–687.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vygotsky, L. S. (1987). Thinking and speech. The collected works of L. S. Vygotsky, 1, 37–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L., Huddleston, S., & Peng, L. (2003). Psychological skill used by Chinese swimmers. International Sports Journal, 7, 48–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, J. M., & Leffingwell, T. R. (1996). Cognitive strategies in sport and exercise psychology. In J. L. Van Raalte, B. W. Brewer, J. L. Van Raalte, B. W. Brewer (Eds.), Exploring sport and exercise psychology (pp. 51–73). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/10186-003.

  • Winsler, A., & Naglieri, J. (2003). Overt and covert verbal problem-solving strategies: Developmental trends in use, awareness, and relations with task performance in children aged 5 to 17. Child Development, 74(3), 659–678. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00561.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zell, E., Warriner, A. B., & Albarracín, D. (2012). Splitting of the mind: When the You I talk to is Me and needs commands. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3, 549–555.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zoltan, B. (1996). Vision, perception, and cognition: A manual for the evaluation and treatment of the neurologically impaired adult (3rd ed.). Thorofare, NJ: Slack Inc.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counselling of Psychology, Shue Yan University, Braemar Hill, North Point, Hong Kong

    Yuen Hung Katie Lam & Ruth De-Hui Zhou

Authors
  1. Yuen Hung Katie Lam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ruth De-Hui Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuen Hung Katie Lam .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Counselling and Psychology, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, North Point, Hong Kong

    Man-Tak Leung

  2. East Asia Research, Singapore, Singapore

    Lee-Ming Tan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Lam, Y.H.K., Zhou, R.DH. (2018). Self-Talk and Autonomy on Well-Structured Problem-Solving. In: Leung, MT., Tan, LM. (eds) Applied Psychology Readings. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8034-0_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation