Sport Psychology: E-Mails Can Be More Powerful Motivators than Phone Calls

Jim Ratcliffe

Good news for busy coaches and teachers: As a means of motivating your students and players, e-mail messages are more effective than telephone calls.

According to a study published in Health Psychology (July 2007), in the short term, e-mail messages increase motivation as effectively as phone calls ; over the long run, e-mail messages are more effective than feedback delivered over the phone.

Why Emails are So Effective
One explanation for the effectiveness of e-mail is that recipients of motivational messages can read--and reread--feedback from coaches and teachers throughout the year. Having a copy of the message as a reference keeps students more closely connected to their mentors.

The study concluded that participants in a fitness program who only received feedback delivered over the telephone had to develop stronger inner motivation in the absence of the ongoing direct contact with a coach that e-mail allows.

If you're looking for a new way to improve the motivation of your class or team members, add their names to a mailing list. You'll save time and see concrete results as your students and players stay motivated all year long.

Reference: "E-Mail Feedback Provides Effective Motivation," IDEA Fitness Journal, October 2007.

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