Attenuation of the Köhler Effect in Racially Dissimilar Partnered Exercise Reversed Using Team Identity Strategy
Document Type
Article
Journal/Book Title/Conference
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Volume
43
Issue
2
Publisher
Human Kinetics, Inc.
Publication Date
2-10-2021
First Page
105
Last Page
114
Abstract
The authors describe two research experiments exploring the influence of race on the Köhler motivation gain effect with exercise tasks. Experiment 1 tested whether partner racial dissimilarity affects individual performance. Experiment 2 created a team identity recategorization intervention to potentially counter the influence on performance observed in Experiment 1. White male participants were partnered with either a Black or Asian partner (Experiment 1) or with a Black partner utilizing team names and shirt colors as a team identity recategorization strategy (Experiment 2). Racially dissimilar dyads completed two sets of abdominal plank exercises with a Köhler conjunctive task paradigm (stronger partner; team performance outcome dependent upon the weaker-ability participant’s performance). The results of Experiment 1 suggest attenuation of the previously successful group motivation gain effect in the racially dissimilar condition. The simple recategorization strategy utilized in Experiment 2 appeared to reverse motivation losses under conjunctive-task conditions in racially dissimilar exercise dyads.
Recommended Citation
Moss, T.*, Samendinger, S.*, Kerr, N.L., Cesario, J., Smith, A.L., Johnson, D.J., & Feltz, D.L. (2021). Attenuation of the Köhler effect in racially dissimilar partnered exercise reversed using team identity strategy. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 43, 105-114.
