A basketball free throw is a high-pressure moment with everyone’s attention on one player. Researchers from the University of Basel wanted to know if a friendly tap on the shoulder could improve the chances of making a shot. They found that physical touch, like a hug or a pat on the back, can help reduce stress in difficult situations, and they wanted to see if this would affect performance in stressful situations like making a free throw.The University of Basel’s Faculty of Psychology, led by Christiane Büttner, has conducted a study on the impact of life situations on basketball games. The findings were published in the journal Psychology of Sport & Exercise. One of the most stressful moments in a game is the free throw, which occurs when a player is fouled while attempting to score. This can be a crucial moment in deciding the outcome of the game.ndau and Purdue University conducted a study on women’s basketball games by analyzing videos. The study involved 60 games from the NCAA, totaling 835 instances of two free throws. The researchers observed how many times the shooter was touched by her teammates before taking a shot, such as tapping her on the shoulder or squeezing her hand. They then analyzed whether there was a correlation between the number of touches and the success rate of the shot.
The data indicated that the likelihood of scoring increased when teammates expressed their support through physical contact. This effect was only noticeable after a failed initial shot. In summary, Büttner stated, “So support from teammates is most helpful when your stress level is already high because you’ve missed the first of the two shots.”
The psychologist suggested that a pat on the back or a hand squeeze could potentially help in managing stress and enhancing performance in various team scenarios.
During a free throw in basketball, all eyes are fixated on one person, making it an extremely stressful situation. According to research, a parThe University of Basel conducted a study to determine if a friendly tap on the shoulder can improve the chances of making a shot. In high-pressure situations, physical touch such as a hug or a pat on the back has been found to reduce stress. However, it is not clear if this affects performance in stressful real-life situations. Christiane Büttner and her team of researchers at the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Basel explored this question in the context of basketball games. Their findings were published in the journal “Psychology of Sport & Exercise.” One of the most stressful moments in a game is a free throw.A player gets a free throw if they were fouled while trying to score. Usually, the fouled player gets two free throws and can earn one point per successful shot. Free throws often play a significant role in determining the outcome of games.
Büttner and her team from the University of Landau and Purdue University conducted a study on this specific situation using basketball game videos. The study analyzed a total of 60 women’s basketball games from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the US, which included 835 incidents of two free throws.
Team Support
The researchers kept track of how many of these incidents resulted in successful shots and the factors that contributed to the outcomes.four teammates made physical contact with the shooter, such as tapping her shoulder or holding her hand, before she took a shot. They then analyzed whether there was a correlation between the number of touches from teammates and the success rate of the subsequent shot.
The data indicated that the likelihood of scoring increased when teammates expressed their support through physical touch. This effect was only evident after an initial unsuccessful shot. “So support from teammates is most beneficial when your stress level is already high because you’ve missed the first of the two shots,” Büttner explains.
It’s possible that a pat on the back or a reassuring squeeze of the hand can make a difference in such situations.The psychologist also suggests that physical contact can help with stress management and enhance performance in team situations.
