SELF-CONFIDENCE: SELF-CONFIDENCE: The Key to Sport SuccessThe Key to Sport Success

Matt VaartstraMatt Vaartstra

University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho

Edited from: Damon BurtonEdited from: Damon Burton

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 capabilitiesthoughts about your realistic capabilitiesnot 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-ESTEEM AND SELF-SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-EFFICACYEFFICACYSelf-esteem

Overall emotional evaluation of self-worth

Positive or negative evaluations of the self

Self-efficacy The perception of one’s

ability to perform a task successfully.

Essentially, situation-specific self-confidence

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 you – sufficiently prepared so you can successfully perform those skills and can successfully perform those skills and strategies in a particular competitive strategies in a particular competitive situation.situation.

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 competenceMistakes devastate their competence

Self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that Self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that create a vicious negative spiralcreate a vicious negative spiral

Focus on their shortcomings and overlook their Focus on their shortcomings and overlook their accomplishmentsaccomplishments

Are underachievers whose confidence limits their Are underachievers whose confidence limits their developmentdevelopment

TYPES OF TYPES OF OVERCONFIDENCEOVERCONFIDENCE

Inflated confidence

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 fear Act confident on the outside but inside fear failure and are really diffident.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.accept responsibility for mistakes.

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.

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.

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

GENERAL CONFIDENCE GENERAL CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

Performance accomplishment goal-setting – builds competence and preparation

Vicarious experiences modeling/demonstrations imagery

Verbal persuasion reinforcement – enhances feelings of competence self talk – confidence script

Arousal control relaxation/energization

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

Emphasize 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

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 of students 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.

Who creates self-fulfilling prophecies for you?

Are these self-fulfilling prophecies positive or

negative?

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 style of dress

Performance Information conditioning and skills tests previous performance history evaluation of others 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

Long-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-esteemmore coachablevalue success more

SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES: SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?

Fostering Learning Beliefs “You really gave all your effort today, and it

looked like you had fun playing!”

Fostering Capacity Beliefs “You were the best player out there. Great job

on the win!”

Can we use self-fulfilling prophecies as a positive developmental tool?

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 process as a means to attain product.7. Develop good coach-athlete relationships.8. Create a performance-oriented team climate.