By Thierry Ververs
We say it all the time: when skill levels are equal, the mental game is what makes the difference. A new 2025 study now confirms what many coaches and athletes have observed for years in real competition.
The question behind the research was simple but powerful: under intense pressure, what truly helps a table tennis player stay in control? The promise of monetary rewards, or social recognition?
To find out, researchers studied national-level male players and measured something called proactive cognitive control—the ability to anticipate, stay focused, and remain mentally stable before mistakes happen.
The results are striking.
Monetary rewards do work, but mostly in the short term. Money creates a quick reaction, an immediate boost in attention. It sharpens reflexes, but it doesn’t last.
Social recognition, however—encouragement, approval from a coach, support from teammates—produces something far more powerful: mental stability.
Players who felt socially valued were better able to anticipate what was coming, remain calm under pressure, and sustain focus. In other words, human connection strengthened their mental resilience when it mattered most.
The Message for Coaches
This study is a strong reminder that coaching goes far beyond technique, tactics, or training volume. The relationship between coach and athlete is not a “soft” factor—it is a true performance tool.
In decisive moments, a well-timed compliment, a reassuring look, or a simple nod of approval can genuinely change the quality of a player’s concentration. This is not pop psychology. It is cognitive science.
Of course, the study has limitations. The sample size was small, included only men, and took place in a laboratory setting rather than during a tournament final. Still, the foundation is solid.
Too often, we search for complex solutions or miracle methods, when the key is already there—in the human environment we create around our athletes.
Players perform better when they feel valued. And that is something fully within our control.
Reference:
Enhanced proactive control under stress: divergent neural dynamics of social vs. monetary rewards in table tennis athletes https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sports-and-active-living/articles/10.3389/fspor.2025.1591411/full
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