%0 Journal Article
%T The power of coaches' emotions: A case study on how coaches' facial expressions impact performance of young female synchronized ice-skaters.
%A Decarli G
%A Vitali F
%A Zasso S
%A Franchin L
%J Psychol Sport Exerc
%V 73
%N 0
%D 2024 07 25
%M 38677496
%F 5.118
%R 10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102651
%X 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.<BR>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.<BR>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.<BR>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.