What are the types of feedback, how does each help learning, and which suits a beginner or an expert?
The types of feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent and terminal), how each helps a performer improve, and how to choose the right feedback for a learner's stage.
A focused CCEA GCSE Physical Education answer on feedback, covering the types (intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent and terminal), how each helps a performer improve, and how to choose the right feedback for a learner's stage of development.
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What this dot point is asking
CCEA wants you to know the types of feedback, explain how each helps a performer improve, and choose the right feedback for a learner's stage. CCEA's types are intrinsic, extrinsic, concurrent and terminal. Feedback is the information a performer gets about their performance, and it closes the information-processing loop.
The types of feedback
These overlap: intrinsic and extrinsic describe where the feedback comes from, while concurrent and terminal describe when it arrives.
| Feedback type | Key question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Intrinsic | From within (feel)? | A gymnast feeling a balanced landing |
| Extrinsic | From outside? | A coach's correction or a video |
| Concurrent | During the action? | A coach shouting cues mid-race |
| Terminal | After the action? | A post-match video review |
Choosing feedback for the learner
How feedback helps learning
Feedback closes the information-processing loop: after the output (the movement), feedback tells the performer how it went, which updates their memory and improves the next attempt. Good feedback should be clear, accurate and, especially for beginners, positive so motivation stays high.
Examples in context
Example 1. Video as terminal, extrinsic feedback. A netball coach films a match and reviews it with the team afterwards. This is extrinsic (from an outside source) and terminal (after the performance), letting players see what actually happened rather than what they thought happened. It shows how two feedback labels can describe the same piece of feedback at once.
Example 2. Intrinsic feedback in a skilled performer. A diver knows mid-air whether their position is tight and whether the entry will be clean, feeling it through their own body before they even surface. This intrinsic, concurrent feedback lets experts adjust within a movement, which is why advanced training develops a performer's "feel" for the skill.
Try this
Q1. Define intrinsic feedback and give an example. [2 marks]
- Cue. Information from within the performer, through their own senses and feel, for example a gymnast feeling a balanced landing.
Q2. State which type of feedback a beginner relies on most, and why. [2 marks]
- Cue. Extrinsic feedback (from a coach), because a beginner cannot yet judge their own movement.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA 2023 Paper 24 marksExplain the difference between intrinsic and extrinsic feedback, using an example of each.Show worked answer →
Two marks for intrinsic feedback (description plus example) and two for extrinsic.
Intrinsic feedback: information the performer gets from within themselves, through their own senses and the feel of the movement, for example a gymnast feeling that a landing was balanced.
Extrinsic feedback: information from an outside source, such as a coach, team-mate, crowd or video, for example a coach telling a swimmer their arm action was too low.
Markers reward a clear description of each (intrinsic from within/feel, extrinsic from outside) with a correct example.
CCEA 2022 Paper 24 marksExplain the difference between concurrent and terminal feedback, and state which suits an expert performer.Show worked answer →
Two marks for the difference and two for the application to an expert.
Concurrent feedback: feedback received during the performance, while the action is happening, for example a coach calling out adjustments as a rower rows, or the performer's own feel during the movement.
Terminal feedback: feedback received after the performance has finished, for example a coach reviewing a game with the player afterwards or watching a video.
Expert performers rely more on intrinsic and terminal feedback: they can feel their own movement during the action and benefit from detailed review afterwards, rather than needing constant outside instruction.
Markers reward the during-versus-after difference and the point that experts use intrinsic and terminal feedback more.
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