Anxiety

Question 1

Anxiety definition

Answer 1

Anxiety is the negative aspect of experiencing stress and can be caused by worry, apprehension or fear of failure

Question 2

Describe anxiety + example

Answer 2

• Overall levels of anxiety will be determined by state (environment) and trait (characteristics - personality) anxiety
• E.g. for athletes this can occur if playing in front of a large crowd, or during the build-up to a major competition when there is lots of pressure on them to win
• Anxiety should not always be thought of as a negative thing though, as many athletes will recognise that some symptoms, such as butterflies, which are an indication that more blood is flowing to the heart and muscles

Question 3

State anxiety

Answer 3

• State anxiety is the apprehension experienced by an athlete when they are in a particular situation
• E.g. the diver is perfectly comfortable to dive when nobody is watching
• However, when he has to perform during a competition, the presence of a crowd results in a loss of focus, muscle tension and feelings of nausea

Question 4

Trait anxiety

Answer 4

• Trait anxiety is an individual’s inherited (innate) predisposition to behave in a certain way when stressed - e.g. one person may behave angry or erratic while others may be more quiet and reserved
• Some ppl have high levels of fewer anxiety (a trait) and are therefore predisposed to respond to stressful situations by displaying symptoms of apprehension

Question 5

Competitive trait

Answer 5

Competitive trait anxiety is a tendency to perceive competitive situations as threatening and respond to these situations with feelings of apprehension or tension

Question 6

Anxiety impacting performance - examples

Answer 6

• lack of concentration/ miss important cues e.g. missing the ball in hockey
• become de-motivated/ avoidance behaviour e.g. give up when playing tennis
• habe poor control or become overly aggressive e.g. losing your temper in a game of football
• have poor technique + mistake e.g. proper technique fails when anxious

Question 7

Somatic anxiety

Answer 7

Physical anxiety:

Headache
Muscular tension
Raised HR
Increased sweating
Feeling of nausea
Feeling of ‘butterflies’ in the stomach

Question 8

Cognitive anxiety

Answer 8

Mental anxiety:

Feeling of uneasiness
Negative thoughts
Loss of concentration or focus
Confusion
Feeling of weakness

Question 9

Zone of optimal functioning

Answer 9

• This zone is an emotional response that facilitates top/ optimal performance + is often referred to as the ‘peak flow’ experience = athletes will experience ‘peak flow’ at different levels of anxiety
• Top performers ‘in the zone’ are:
• Relaxed
• Confident
• Completely focused
• Activity is effortless
• Movements are automatic
• Having fun
• In control