6.4, 6.5, 6.6 Flashcards
What is anxiety a state of (3 things)
Nervousness, worry + irrational thinking
What is anxiety a negative response to
A threatening sporting situation
Why do certain situations cause anxiety in some people and not others
A player’s perception of a situation causes anxiety
Can anxiety hinder performance
Yes
How often will someone feel nervous if they have competitive trait anxiety
Before most games (they feel nervous most of the time)
What causes competitive trait anxiety
Someone’s genetic make-up
What causes competitive state anxiety
Someone’s temporary response to a specific sporting situation
What does competitive state anxiety often depend on
The player’s mood
The link between trait + state anxiety
Someone with high trait anxiety = more likely to suffer from high state anxiety in a stressful situation e.g. when there’s an audience
Who established the link between state + trait anxiety + what else was he doing at the time
Rainer Martens - whilst establishing the SCAT
2 types of anxiety
Cognitive + somatic
Cognitive anxiety
A psychological response to a threat
The symptoms of cognitive anxiety
Irrational thinking
An example of irrational thinking
Worrying about losing/lack of belief in your own ability
A possible result of irrational thinking
A loss of concentration
Somatic anxiety
A physiological response of the body
What somatic anxiety results from
Cognitive anxiety
3 examples of somatic anxiety
Increased HR, sweating + (muscular) tension
When do performers often feel the symptoms of somatic anxiety worst
At the start of a performance
What often happens (with regards to levels of somatic anxiety) as a performance gets underway
It reduces
The effect of increasing cognitive anxiety on performance
It decreases levels of performance
The type of relationship between performance levels + levels of cognitive anxiety
Negative + linear
The effect of increasing levels of somatic anxiety on performance
It improves performance up to medium levels of anxiety but further increases in anxiety hinder performance
What shows itself earlier before a performance, somatic or cognitive anxiety
Cognitive
What are anxiety measures
Methods of measuring anxiety (in sport)
3 anxiety measures in sport
(self-report) Questionnaires, observation + physiological testing
2 main ways in which anxiety measures benefit coaches
It provides them with knowledge of their performers so they can make informed decisions about who can remain calm in certain situations e.g. who can take penalties, They can use techniques to reduce anxiety (improves results)
What is a questionnaire
A set of questions to measure/assess something (in this case, it’s asking the performer about their emotions in different competitive sporting situations)
4 advantages of questionnaires
Quick, Cheap, Efficient/lots of performers can be assessed at once, Easy to compare
5 disadvantages of questionnaires (which can make them invalid)
Performers may not understand the question,Performers may just give socially desirable answers (instead of the truth) ,Answers may depend on the performer’s mood (e.g. after a win/loss) ,Questions may be biased/leading to certain answers , Performers may rush answering (e.g. if there’s lots of questions - may give incorrect answers),
An example of a questionnaire used by sports psychologists
the Sports Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT)
The extended version of the SCAT test
the Competitive Spo9rt Anxiety Inventory/CSAI 2
What 3 things the SCAT test can measure
Cognitive + somatic anxieties + confidence
What is observation (as an anxiety measure)
Gaining a measure of (in this case) anxiety by watching performers whilst training or competing
The main advantage of observation as an anxiety measure
It’s realistic/true to life
5 disadvantages of observation as an anxiety measure
Results = down to opinion (of the observer), If more than 1 observer, opinions may vary (makes subjective results), Performers may act differently when being observed (e.g. better/worse due to anxiety), Time consuming, May require more than 1 observer
What’s measured in physiological measures of anxiety
Somatic anxiety
3 advantages of physiological measures of anxiety
They’re factual, Easy to compare, Can be done during training + during performances (e.g. coaches seeing live data on players during matches)
3 disadvantages of physiological measures of anxiety
Training = often required for coaches to be able to use devices, Devices may restrict movement,Performers = aware they’re being measured (may cause stress - could give false reading e.g. increased HR)
What is aggression/aggressive behaviour often confused with
Assertion/assertive behaviour
Define aggression
Intent to harm outside the rules
3 negative impacts of aggression on performance
Injury, over-arousal/anxiety + loss of concentration
Define assertion
Well-motivated behaviour which is generally within the rules
4 characteristics of aggression
Reactive, hostile behaviour, out of control + deliberate
3 characteristics of assertion
Controlled, goal-directed + not intended to harm (but injury may occur)
An example of assertion
A hard + fair tackle
An example of a sporting situation which is in the grey area between aggression + assertion
Punching in boxing
2 characteristics which put a certain behaviour in the grey area between assertion + aggression
Intent to harm+ within the rules
The 4 theories to the cause of aggression
Instinct theory, the Frustration-aggression hypothesis, Aggressive cue hypothesis + Social learning theory
What instinct theory says causes aggression
An aggressive instinct which all performers are born with
What instinct theory says causes an aggressive instinct to surface + 2 sporting examples
Enough provocation/threat (e.g. your territory being invaded in sports like football or responding to a bad foul which threatens injury to defend yourself e.g. responding with an aggressive act)
What type of theory is instinct theory
Evolutionary
What instinct theory says our aggressive instinct comes from
The ritualistic, aggressive, animalistic behaviour of our ancestors
Define catharsis
Cleansing the emotions by using sport as an outlet for aggression
What can lead to catharsis
Committing an aggressive act (e.g. kicking out after a bad foul when you were through on goal)
What catharsis results in
The performer calming down
The 2 theories of aggression which mention catharsis
Instinct theory + the frustration-aggression hypothesis
How is catharsis seen as a benefit of sport
It provides an outlet for channelling aggression which could otherwise surface in a different situation
The 3 problems with instinct theory
Not all aggression = reactive/spontaneous (some is learned/pre-intended), Some performers increase their aggression during sport + can display it outside of sport, Not all our ancestors were aggressive (e.g. some just gathered food)
What does the frustration-aggression hypothesis state about the cause of aggression
Inevitable aggression occurs when goals are blocked + the performer becomes frustrated which leads to aggressive tendencies
What the frustration-aggression hypothesis says happens if a performer is unable to release their aggressive drive (catharsis) e.g. if a ref prevents retaliation
A form of self-punishment occurs + more frustration leads to an increased aggressive drive
A negative to the frustration-aggression hypothesis
Not all frustration leads to aggression (some players can control themselves)
Whose theory is the aggressive cue hypothesis
Berkowitz
What does the aggressive cue hypothesis say causes aggression
A trigger/cue (learned from significant others) which acts as a stimulus for aggressive behaviour (which can then be caused by increased frustration, which increases arousal)
2 examples of significant others
Coaches + other players
An example of an aggressive cue in sport
Pushing away the person marking you when a corner = taken in football (might have been learnt from coach)
The 2 theories about aggression being inherited
Instinct theory + the frustration-aggression hypothesis
The 2 theories about aggression being nurtured
Aggressive cue hypothesis + social learning theory
The theory about personality, which states how behaviour can be learned from others
Social learning theory
How social learning theory sees aggression
As a learned response (from significant others/those we hold in high regard e.g. role models) which can be copied from others, especially if it’s reinforced
4 stages by which aggression is learned (as seen in Bandura’s observational theory of learning)
observing, identifying, reinforcing + copying
An example of aggression being a learned response
A young player copying an experienced player by fouling an opponent when the ref isn’t looking
2 ways that social learning theory states about how behaviour is learned
by associating with others + copying behaviour
3 things which social learning theory states makes (aggressive) behaviour more likely to be copied
If it’s seen live (I.e. not recorded), if it’s consistent + if it’s bright
The problem with both the aggressive cue hypothesis + social learning theory
Aggression can be instinctive + reactive instead of being learned
3 categories of people who can play a part in reducing aggression in sport
Coaches, players + officials
4 methods coaches could use to prevent aggression
Don’t reinforce aggressive acts in training, Sub off aggressive players (to remove them from the situation), Talk to players to calm them down, Promote peer-group pressure within the team
4 methods players could use to prevent aggression
Talk to players to calm them down, Don’t reinforce aggressive acts in training, Promote peer-group pressure within the team, Walk away from the situation
4 methods officials could use to prevent aggression
Talk to players to calm them down, Walk away from the situation, Apply rules consistently + fairly, Punish players (e.g. send them off)
Define motivation
The external stimuli and internal mechanisms that drive and direct behaviour,(A drive to succeed)
3 benefits of motivation on performance
Keeps the performer on track + ensures they’re persistent + consistent in giving their best
The 2 types of motivation
Intrinsic + extrinsic
Define intrinsic motivation
Motivation which comes from within a performer as an inner drive
How intrinsic motivation shows itself through feelings at having completed a task/goal (2 feelings)
Pride + satisfaction
Define extrinsic motivation
Motivation from an outside source
3 examples of outside sources of motivation
Coaches, other players + spectators
The 2 forms in which extrinsic motivation can be presented
Tangible + intangible rewards
What are tangible rewards
Those which are physical (can be touched/held)
3 examples of tangible rewards
Certificates, cups + trophies
What are intangible rewards
Those which are non-physical
4 examples of intangible rewards
Praise/encouragement from coaches, applause from crowds, +ve comments from the press + breaking a PB
Why coaches/players must be careful not to over-use extrinsic rewards (2 main reasons)
As it can reduce their value + incentive (e.g. receiving cups might become the norm) or make players play just for the reward (not for enjoyment or physical benefits of sport)
What it can lead to if performers only play for rewards
It can put pressure on performers to get the reward - can lead to cheating/bending of rules to get the reward
Which type of motivation is better + 2 reasons why
Intrinsic as it’s stronger + longer lasting
6 ways in which coaches can maintain motivation of their performers
Offer tangible rewards early on,Make activities fun (e.g. include easier tasks to ensure success e.g. breaking complex skills down), Point out the health benefits of the activity, Point out aspirational role models, Attribute success internally (make the performers feel for their successes e.g. give praise + tell them it was down to them), Set achievable goals/target
