Anxiety - Mr Manley

Question 1

Define anxiety.

Answer 1

A negative aspect of stress characterised by irrational thinking, loss of concentration and fear of failure.

Question 2

What is a competitive trait?

Answer 2

• A disposition to suffer nerves in most
sporting situations Personality trait
• Consistent
• Stable
• A player worrying before all games
• Anxious behaviour all the time

Question 3

What is a competitive state?

Answer 3

• Anxiety experienced at a specific time
during a competitive situation • Situation dependent
• Temporary rush of anxiety
• Caused by threatening circumstances, e.g. taking a penalty
• May be cognitive and/or somatic

Question 4

What is somatic anxiety?

Answer 4

■ Physiological responses
■ Muscular tension
■ Shaking
■ Pacing
■ Poor co-ordination
■ Sweating
■ Increased heart rate

Question 5

What is cognitive anxiety?

Answer 5

• Psychological responses
• Irrational thinking- nerves
• Worrying
• Confusion
• Loss of concentration

Question 6

Causes of anxiety:

Answer 6

• being watched
• letting the team down
• playing badly
• injury
• increased competition
• running out of time when loosing.

Question 7

What are the 3 ways of measuring anxiety?

Answer 7

1- Questionnaires
2- observation
3- physiological measures.

Question 8

What is a SCAT:

Answer 8

Sports competitive Anxiety Test.

A questionnaire used by sports psychologists to measure anxiety (Martens 1977)

Question 9

Advantages of questionnaires:

Answer 9

They are quick, cheap and easy.

Question 10

Disadvantages of questionnaires:

Answer 10

Inaccurate answers, untruthful answers people give socially acceptable answers.
Misinterpretation of questions, lack of understanding.
Answers may depend on mood.
Questions may be inappropriate and lead to biased answers being given.
May put socially acceptable answers.
Responses can be influenced by the time taken to complete the questions (rushing).