Individual propensity for reinvestment: field-based evidence for the predictive validity of three scales

Two field-based studies were conducted to test the predictive validity of the Reinvestment Scale, the Movement Specific Reinvestment Scale and the Decision- Specific Reinvestment Scale. In Study 1, performance ratings were gathered for female university field hockey and netball players (N = 44) competing in low-pressure group games and high-pressure play-off games over the second half of a season. In Study 2, passing accuracy was assessed in a group of female university netball players (N = 15) over the course of a season. Analyses of variance using group data coupled with correlation and regression analyses revealed good support for the predictive validity of the Reinvestment Scale and Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale, with high reinvesters being more prone to skill failure under pressure. The results are discussed in terms of task demands, the processes underlying skill failure, and the definition of choking.