Perspectives on Active and Inhibitive Self-Regulation Relating to the Deliberate Practice Activities of Sport Experts

Abstract

On the long road to expertise, individuals must constantly negotiate motivational and effort constraints to deliberate practice (Ericsson et al., 1993). We draw on two different self-regulation theories to explore how athletes engage in more deliberate practice, and remain resilient during such activities. We discuss how a social-cognitive self-regulated learning model (Zimmerman, 2006) can be complemented by a strength model (Baumeister et al., 2007) to better understand experts’ deliberate practice processes. Whereas the former model accounts for active pursuit of learning activities towards long-term goals, the latter model affords a unique examination of inhibitive self-control processes that enable experts to remain resilient during difficult practice. Finally, we identify research avenues that may advance the strength model as a novel conceptualization of expert self-regulation in sport.