Thinking again about the use of think aloud and stimulated recall methods in sport coaching

Abstract

Understanding sport coaches’ thought processes in situ is a developing area within both research and applied practice. Research methods such as the Think Aloud protocol (TA) and Stimulated Recall (SR) interviewing have been used to gain qualitative insights into cognitive and behavioural aspects of coaching practice, offering value in moving beyond popular yet somewhat simplistic, traditionally decontextualised uses of standard interview-based methods. However, TA and SR have limitations when used in isolation, and their application has been varied. This article provides an overview of both methods, comparing the practicalities of using each, as well as paradigmatic considerations, applications and considerations for extending their use in sport coaching research. We suggest that with appropriate critical appraisal of some of the methodological issues raised, researchers can use both methods to better understand, integrate and develop collaborative theory-in-action, research and practice in sport coaching.

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