Sport Psychology
History of Sport Psych
Chinese and Greek Civilizations-“Healthy mind in a healthy body
1800s
-First sport psychology research
-Effects of audience on cyclist performance Past Three Decades
-Recognition and growth of sport psychology discipline
Growth of Sport Psychology
Sport psychology has only recently developed and grown due to:
1. Expansion of scientific knowledge and emergence of different branches
2. Increased media attention
Outline
In this section you will be introduced to the following sport psychology issues:-Influence of personality on performance- Effect of sport on personality - Relationship between anxiety and performance- Effect of motivation on sport performance- Effects of the audience on athletic accomplishments
PERSONALITY AND THE ATHELETE
Personality:
Pattern of characteristic thoughts, feelings and behaviours that distinguish one person from another and persist over time and situations.
The study of personality in sport psychology can help us answer the following questions:*Do athletes possess different personality characteristics than non-athletes?*Do winners possess different personality profiles than losers?*Does personality determine sport preference, or does a particular sport mould our personality accordingly?*Can personality be changed, or does it remain relatively fixed throughout involvement in sport?
Personalities of Athletes vs. Non- Athletes
Personalities of Athletes vs. Non- Athletes Compared to non-athletes, athletes are more:
Stable Extroverted Competitive Dominant Self-confident Achievement oriented Psychologically well adjusted Conservative with respect to political views Authoritarian Persistant Display higher levels of self esteem
Personalities of Athletes vs. Non- Athletes
Although differences exist, clear pattern of differences has yet to emerge
Personality Profiles of Athletes Differing in Skill Level
Definitions
Personality traits: psychological characteristics of the athlete which remain relatively stable over time
Personality states: “right now kinds of feelings” which are situation-specific
State-trait controversy: disagreement of the relative merits of studying states versus traits
Interactional theory: the best state-trait approach, which considers personality traits and states, as well
It is NOT yet possible to distinguish between successful and unsuccessful athletes using personality traits
However, it is possible to distinguish between the elite athletes and the lesser skilled in terms of mood states
Mood States of Elite vs. Non-Elite Athletes Mood states of elite athletes vs lesser skilled
athletes are below in: Tension Depression Fatigue Anger Confusion
AND ARE MARKEDLY HIGHER IN
VIGOR
Iceberg Profile
This mood state profile resembles an iceberg and is therefore often referred to as the iceberg profile
Developmental Effects of Sport on Personality
Are personality differences due to the athletic experience?ORDo certain personality traits cause the individual to go out for sports( gravitational hypothesis)?
*Evidence tends to support the gravitational hypothesis*HOWEVER, participation in sports can also enhance personality development
Personality and the Athlete:Conclusions Athletes tend to be more extroverted,
independent and self-confident than non-athletes: they also tend to be less anxious
Elite athletes can be distinguished from lesser skilled athlete by means of the iceberg profile: it is not possible, however, to distinguish between winners and losers
Individuals with certain personality traits tend to gravitate toward sports;sport also has the potential to enhance certain personality traits
ANXIETY AND THE ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Arousal
Physiological state of readiness and psychological activation
Involves the autonomic nervous system Body’s way of preparing you for “fight or
flight”
Stress
Non-specific response of the body to any demand made upon it
Unemotional bodily response to some type of stressor
Can be either good or bad, depending upon the individual’s personal interpretation
Eustress ie winning the lottery Distress ie receiving a failing grade on a midterm test
Anxiety
Tension and worry that results from distress A negatively charged emotional state
characterized by discomfort and nervousness Two forms of anxiety:
Trait anxiety: a personality characteristic State anxiety: a “right now” kind of anxiety
Anxiety Cont’d
Two components of state anxiety:1. Cognitive state anxiety (psychological component) Caused by fear of failure Result of worrying “I am afraid I am going to lose”
2. Somatic state anxiety (physical component)
*perception of physiological responses
*’I feel nervous before a major contest”
Anxiety and Athletic Performance Relationship
Pre-Competitive Anxiety
Temporal changes in cognitive and somatic state anxiety as competition approaches
The Effect of Pre-competitive Anxiety on Performance Relationship between somatic anxiety and
performance takes the for of an inverted-U See graph in Text Relationship between cognitive anxiety and
athletic performance has been shown to be linear and negative.
Implications
Increases in somatic anxiety are associated with improved athletic performance up to a certain optimal level; therefore, athletes should attempt to increase their somatic anxiety up to an optimal level by “psyching –up” or “getting pumped up”
The level the of cognitive state anxiety, the better the athlete will perform; therefore, athletes must learn to deal with the symptoms of cognitive anxiety.
What are some symptoms of Cognitive State Anxiety? Use your text. Provide several examples
Relaxation Interventions to lower CS Anxiety Progressive Muscular Relaxation (PMR) Takes time initially, but with practice can be
completed in minutes High Value the night before. Dave Heinbuch
Relax Interventions
Positive Imagery. Needs practice
More Relax Interventions
Positive Self Talk Reassuring one’s self Give some examples.