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.