Cooperation enhances tennis performance in children

A recent study demonstrated that instructions involving cooperative contexts can support relatedness and benefit motor learning in adolescents when compared to competitive or individual practice contexts (Kaefer; Chiviacowsky, 2022). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of cooperative and competitive contexts of practice on motor performance and learning in children. Three groups of children individually practiced hitting a tennis ball toward a target. Prior to practice, participants received instructions emphasizing that they would be part of a team and their scores would be combined with those of other children (cooperation group – COOP), whereas participants in the competition group were instructed that they would be competing against each other and their scores would be compared (competition group – COMP). The control group practiced without any instructions regarding cooperation or competition. A retention and a transfer (right side of the line) test were conducted one day after practice. Results revealed that instructions inducing cooperative practice enhanced tennis performance compared to competitive and control conditions. Other differences were not found.