Chapter 1

Question 1

What is behaviour, generally, and technically?

Answer 1

In general terms, behaviour is anything that a person says or does. Technically, behaviour is any muscular, glandular or electrical activity of an organism.

Question 2

What are three synonyms for behaviour?

Answer 2

Performance, reaction, response, activity.

Question 3

How do many people use general terms such as intelligence, attitude, and personality? Illustrate with an examle.

Answer 3

Many people use these general terms to refer to causes of behaviour. Example: John does great in practices because of his great attitude.

Question 4

What is a behavioural perspective of such traditional terms as intelligence, attitude and personality? Illustrate a behavioural interpretation of one of the terms with reference to an example.

Answer 4

From a behavioural perspective, these terms are viewed as summary labels of behaviour, not as some ‘thing’ within us that causes behaviour. Example: “John is always in last place because he is lazy”. However, John’s behaviour could be caused by many factors such as injury, personal issues, equipment issues, etc.

Question 5

What is behavioural sport psychology?

Answer 5

Behavioural sport psychology involves the use of behvaiour analysis principles and techniques to enhance the performance and satisfaction of athletes and other associated with sports.

Question 6

What are three synonyms for stimulus when a stimulus precedes and influences behaviour.

Answer 6

Cue, signal, prompt.

Question 7

According to many psychologist, what does the word cognition mean?

Answer 7

As used by many psychologists, the word cognition means ‘belief’, ‘thought’, ‘expectancy’ and ‘attitude’.

Question 8

What assumptions does the author make concerning cognitions?

Answer 8

Cognitions are assumed to be covert behaviours and it is assumed that the behavioural principles and techniques that apply to overt behaviours are also applicable to covert behaviours.

Question 9

List three reasons that behavioural sport psychology researchers commonly use single-subject research designs.

Answer 9

1. They require assessment of individual athletic performance across several practices and/or competitions, which is very useful information for such athletes and coaches.
2. Athletes and coaches commonly accept such research designs because few participants are needed, and sooner or later all participants experience the intervention (i.e. no control groups)
3. Rather than use personality questionnaires, they require assessments of athletic behaviours.

Question 10

What three questions does social validity address?

Answer 10

1. What do the athletes (and perhaps the coach and parents) think about the goals of the intervention?
2. What do they think about the procedures suggested by the consultant?
3. What do they think about the results produced by those procedures.