SELF-CONFIDENCE: SELF-CONFIDENCE: THE KEY TO THE KEY TO

SPORT SUCCESSSPORT SUCCESS

Damon BurtonDamon Burton

University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho

What is self-confidence?

SELF- CONFIDENCE SELF- CONFIDENCE DEFINEDDEFINED

True Self-ConfidenceTrue Self-Confidence – is a realistic belief – is a realistic belief or expectation of achieving success.or expectation of achieving success.

Self-Confidence is:Self-Confidence is:not what you hope tonot what you hope to dodo but what you but what you

realistically expect to dorealistically expect to donot what you tell othersnot what you tell others but your innermost but your innermost

thoughts about your realistic capabilities,thoughts about your realistic capabilities,not pride in past deedsnot pride in past deeds but a realistic but a realistic

judgment about what you are able to dojudgment about what you are able to do

SELF CONFIDENCE TERMINOLOGY

SELF-EFFICACY DEFINEDSELF-EFFICACY DEFINED

Self-efficacySelf-efficacy – is a realistic belief or expectation – is a realistic belief or expectation about achieving success on a specific task in a about achieving success on a specific task in a specific situation.specific situation.

For example, For example, “I can pole vault 16’6” in this “I can pole vault 16’6” in this meet.”meet.” or or “I will hit this game-winning shot.”“I will hit this game-winning shot.”

Self-efficacy is least impacted by personality Self-efficacy is least impacted by personality because it is highly specific, unstable and based because it is highly specific, unstable and based on situational factors such as task difficulty, on situational factors such as task difficulty, preparation, recent successes/failures and preparation, recent successes/failures and playing conditions.playing conditions.

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TYPES OF CONFIDENCETYPES OF CONFIDENCE

Confidence is developed “bottom up. Confidence is developed “bottom up. Athletes should attempt Athletes should attempt to enhance self-efficacy by accumulating success to enhance self-efficacy by accumulating success experiences in specific situations.experiences in specific situations.

Next, as self-efficacy experiences increase , state self-Next, as self-efficacy experiences increase , state self-confidence improves. confidence improves.

Finally, an accumulation of state self-confidence experiences Finally, an accumulation of state self-confidence experiences eventually boosts trait self-confidence. eventually boosts trait self-confidence.

For example, For example, an athlete may have high self-efficacy of an athlete may have high self-efficacy of rebounding well in an upcoming game but be worried about rebounding well in an upcoming game but be worried about her ability to play good defense on the opponent’s star her ability to play good defense on the opponent’s star player. player.

Making some good stops increases defensive self-efficacy Making some good stops increases defensive self-efficacy during the game. A strong overall defensive game enhances during the game. A strong overall defensive game enhances state self confidence to play well overall in the next game, state self confidence to play well overall in the next game, while 6 good games in a row boosts trait basketball self while 6 good games in a row boosts trait basketball self confidence. confidence.

HIERARCHICAL MODEL HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF CONFIDENCEOF CONFIDENCE

Self-EsteemGlobal Level

Domain Level Physical Mental Social Artistic

Sport Competence

Context

Level

Attractive

BodyPhysical Strength

PhysicalCondition

Does self-confidence enhance performance?

SELF-CONFIDENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE ENHANCES PERFORMANCEENHANCES PERFORMANCE

Mahoney & Avener (1976) 1976 Olympic qualifiers were more confident than nonqualifiers.

Feltz’ (1988) review found moderate to strong relationships between confidence and performance (i.e., mean r = .54).

Research finds a reciprocal relationship between self-confidence and performance.

HOW SELF-CONFIDENCE HOW SELF-CONFIDENCE IMPACTS PERFORMANCEIMPACTS PERFORMANCE

lowers anxiety by creating positive expectations of success,

increases motivation by raising perceived competence,

enhances concentration by eliminating distraction from negative thoughts and personal putdowns.

What are the three types of self-confidence?

CONFIDENCE-CONFIDENCE-PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPRELATIONSHIP

Diffidence Optimal SC OverconfidenceDiffidence Optimal SC Overconfidence

PERFPERF

SELF-CONFIDENCESELF-CONFIDENCE

OPTIMALOPTIMALSELF-CONFIDENCESELF-CONFIDENCE

CompetenceCompetence -- possess the knowledge, -- possess the knowledge, strategies, skills and abilities necessary strategies, skills and abilities necessary for success,for success,

PreparationPreparation – sufficiently prepared so – sufficiently prepared so you can successfully perform those skills you can successfully perform those skills and strategies in a particular competitive and strategies in a particular competitive situation. situation. Villanova’s 1984 upset of Georgetown in the Villanova’s 1984 upset of Georgetown in the

NCAA Championship Game.NCAA Championship Game.

DIFFIDENT ATHLETES . . .DIFFIDENT ATHLETES . . .

confuse confuse “what is”“what is” with what they with what they “wish would “wish would be”be” or with what or with what “ought to be,”“ought to be,”

see themselves as see themselves as loserslosers and act accordingly, and act accordingly, mistakes devastate their competence, mistakes devastate their competence, self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that

create a vicious negative spiral,create a vicious negative spiral, focus on their shortcomings and overlook their focus on their shortcomings and overlook their

accomplishments, andaccomplishments, and are underachievers whose confidence limits are underachievers whose confidence limits

their developmenttheir development

TYPES OF TYPES OF OVERCONFIDENCEOVERCONFIDENCE

inflated confidence, and false confidence.

INFLATED CONFIDENCEINFLATED CONFIDENCE

People who believe they are better than they People who believe they are better than they really are and have an inflated opinion of really are and have an inflated opinion of themselves and their skills.themselves and their skills.

They overestimate their abilities while They overestimate their abilities while underestimating their opponents’ skills. underestimating their opponents’ skills.

Pampering from parents/coaches, playing weak Pampering from parents/coaches, playing weak competition, and excessive media hype are its competition, and excessive media hype are its primary causes.primary causes.

Often they are competent but don’t prepare Often they are competent but don’t prepare adequately. adequately.

FALSE CONFIDENCEFALSE CONFIDENCE

act confident on the outside but inside act confident on the outside but inside fear failure and are really diffident, fear failure and are really diffident,

pretend to be brash, cocky and arrogant,pretend to be brash, cocky and arrogant, difficulty admitting errors and filled with difficulty admitting errors and filled with

excuses,excuses, difficult to coach because they won’t difficult to coach because they won’t

accept responsibility for mistakes, andaccept responsibility for mistakes, and normally prepare hard but lack the normally prepare hard but lack the

competence to be successful. competence to be successful.

What is the difference between performance

and outcome confidence?

PERFORMANCE- VERSUS PERFORMANCE- VERSUS OUTCOME CONFIDENCEOUTCOME CONFIDENCE

Performance Confidence – performers’ belief that they can execute the skills and strategies necessary to perform well and attain their goals.

Outcome Confidence – performers’ belief that they will socially compare well and win the competition.

WHY IS PERFORMANCE WHY IS PERFORMANCE CONFIDENCE BETTER?CONFIDENCE BETTER?

Performance standards are more flexible so they can be raised or lowered to consistently achieve optimal difficulty necessary to keep motivation high.

Success is also more controllable, enhancing self-determination, and thus prompting performers to take credit for their successes as indicative of increased competence.

What are some specific strategies you use to boost

your self-confidence?

CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESSTRATEGIES

general confidence development strategies,

six confidence development tips for practitioners, and

strategies for developing and maintaining confidence during competition.

ENHANCINGENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE

Performance Accomplishments

VicariousExperiences

VerbalPersuasion

Physiological Arousal Control

Self-Confidence

Thoughts

Behaviors

Performance

ENHANCING SELF-ENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCECONFIDENCE

Performance

Accomplishments

1.

Vicarious Experiences

1.2.

Verbal Persuasion

1.2.

Physiological Arousal

1.2.

Hierarchical Model Interventions

GENERAL CONFIDENCE GENERAL CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

performance accomplishment goal-setting,

vicarious experiences, modeling/demonstrations – Namath’s Jets, imagery – Russell “déjà vu,”

verbal persuasion, reinforcement – enhances feelings of competence, self talk – confidence script,

arousal control.

CONFIDENCE-DEVELOPMENT CONFIDENCE-DEVELOPMENT TIPS FOR PRACTITIONERSTIPS FOR PRACTITIONERS

develop a systematic goal setting program and log and graph progress,

create a personal Hall-of-Fame,design a systematic conditioning program

and maximize preparation, use effective modeling strategies,replay past successes and imagine future

triumphs, andemphasize confidence-building thoughts.

How do you maintain your self-confidence during competition?

DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING COMPETITIVE CONFIDENCECOMPETITIVE CONFIDENCE

appraise situations as challenges rather than threats,

develop readiness, performance and recovery plans to deal with problems,

emphasize problem-focused coping strategies to reduce threat,

use emotion-focused coping techniques to feel less threatened, and

focus on more controllable process and performance goals.

What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECYSELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies – occur when coaches’/teachers’ expectations prompt athletes/students to behave or perform in a way that conforms with those expectancies.

Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) found that a group teachers believed were “academic late bloomers” made greater educational gains than did a control group for whom they had neutral expectancies.

Expectancies of teachers, coaches and parents can significantly raise or lower performers’ self-confidence.

What are the four (4) steps of the Self-Fulfilling

Prophecy Process?

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY MODEL

SELF-FULFILLINGSELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY PROCESS PROPHECY PROCESS

STEP 1 – Coaches Develop Expectations STEP 2 – Coaches’ Expectations Influence their

Treatment of Athletes (i.e., frequency, duration, and quality of interactions)

STEP 3 – Athletes’ Learning and Performance Is Impacted by Differential Treatment

STEP 4 -- Athletes’ Behavior Conforms to Coaches’ Expectations

STEP 1: COACHES FORM STEP 1: COACHES FORM EXPECTATIONSEXPECTATIONS

Person Cues race, gender socioeconomic status, size, body type, and style of dress.

Performance Information conditioning and skills tests, previous performance history, evaluation of others, and tryout information.

STEP 2: DIFFERENTIAL STEP 2: DIFFERENTIAL EXPECTANCIES IMPACT EXPECTANCIES IMPACT COACHING BEHAVIORSCOACHING BEHAVIORS

type, frequency and warmth of interactions,

nature of instructional behaviors (e.g., skills taught, difficulty of skills, and persistence)

nature of feedback behaviors (e.g., valence, specificity, and corrective content)

attributions for success and failure.

STEP 3: COACHES’ BEHAVIOR STEP 3: COACHES’ BEHAVIOR IMPACTS ATHLETES’ IMPACTS ATHLETES’

PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE

quantity and quality of learning,quality of competitive cognitions

and performance, andlong-term development.

STEP 4: ATHLETES’ STEP 4: ATHLETES’ PERFORMANCE CONFORMS PERFORMANCE CONFORMS

WITH COACHES’ EXPECTATIONSWITH COACHES’ EXPECTATIONS

Athletes most susceptible to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy effects are . . .younger, less experienced, lower in self-esteem,more coachable, and value success more.

How do we maximize positive Self-Fulfilling

Prophecy effects?

HOW TO MAXIMIZE HOW TO MAXIMIZE POSITIVE SFP EFFECTSPOSITIVE SFP EFFECTS

1. Determine what sources of information are used to form expectations.

2. Realize initial expectancies may be inaccurate, requiring adjustment as performers skill changes.

3. Equalize skill-development time across athletes.4. Provide all performers sufficient time to fully master

skills.5. Respond to errors with corrective instruction.6. Focus on product as a means to attain product.7. Develop good coach-athlete relationships.8. Create a performance-oriented team climate.