The power of coaches' emotions: A case study on how coaches' facial expressions impact performance of young female synchronized ice-skaters

• Published in: Psychology of sport and exercise 2024-07, Vol.73, p.102651, Article 102651
• Main Authors: Decarli, Gisella, Vitali, Francesca, Zasso, Simone, Franchin, Laura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Affect; Affect - physiology; Athlete-coach relationship; Athletes - psychology; Athletic Performance - physiology; Athletic Performance - psychology; Emotions; Facial Expression; Facial expressions; Female; Female elite ice-skating; Humans; Mentoring - methods; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Young athletes
• ISSN: 1469-0292; 1878-5476; 1878-5476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102651

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of coaches’ pleasant and unpleasant facial expressions on affects and team performance of young elite female synchronized ice-skaters. Initially, the coach provided a neutral explanation of the exercise, which was followed by the athletes' execution. The ice-skaters then received either pleasant or unpleasant feedback from the coach, completed two questionnaires, and performed the exercise again. The study involved two familiar and two unfamiliar coaches. Coaches’ pleasant expressions increased athletes' arousal/hedonic tone and positive affect, while coaches’ unpleasant expressions heightened athletes' negative affect. Moreover, participants significantly performed better after receiving an unpleasant facial expression by the coach. Receiving pleasant/unpleasant feedback from a familiar or unfamiliar coach did not have a significant impact on team pre- and post-feedback performance. The findings suggest that coaches’ facial expressions impacted athletes’ positive/negative affect, and that, under specific circumstances, receiving unpleasant feedback from the coach can improve team performance. •The impact of coaches’ facial expressions on elite female ice-skaters was investigated.•Affect and team performance were assessed after the emotional feedbacks.•The impact of familiarity (or not) with the coach was also analyzed.•Coaches’ facial expressions impacted athletes’ affect.•Unpleasant feedbacks from the coach can be improving for team performance.