Chapter 15

Question 1

In general, what is a peak performance?

Answer 1

when an athlete is outstanding, or when they put it all together

Question 2

From a behavioral perspective, what is confidence and what is it not?

Answer 2

1. NOT some internal cause of successful athletic performance
2. it is a summary label that we use to describe athletes who have performed well in recent practices and/or competitions, and who show certain behavior patterns that would be described collectively as illustrating the belief they will perform well in an upcoming competition

Question 3

Describe how concentration appears to involve two distinct behavioral processes.

Answer 3

1. Concentration includes behavior that might be refferred to as observational, orienting (orienting behavior)
   
   1. feeling the limit of your brakes, looking to see the texture of the ground (mud or dry)
2. Second aspect refers to the extent to which particular cues exert stimulus control over skilled performance
   
   1. does the starting gun exert stimulus control of starting the race

Question 4

List four steps for developing confidence and concentration at practices

Answer 4

1. Develop skills to a high level with practice drills
2. teach orientation to proper cues
3. transfer the control of sport skills from rules to natural cues (key words - left shoulder back → shoulder → subtle cues in environment)
4. athletes should perform well in simulations

Question 5

Briefly describe three strategies for helping athletes to orient to proper cues.

Answer 5

1. analyze the cues that should be controlling the athlete, and to teach orientation to those cues
2. teach the athlete to rapidly shift from one type of stimulus control to another
3. enhance particular aspects of cues it practice (highlight the race line) and then to fade those cues over time

Question 6

What are simulations

Answer 6

1. attempts at; make many stimuli in the environment as similar as possible to the stimuli that will be encountered in the competition
   
   1. Jason practiced in the scenario he would play in a competition (bad shot prior)

Question 7

List seven steps for maintaining confidence on the day of a competition

Answer 7

1. Restful and stress free day prior to competition
2. should relive best performances
3. Should focus on what they can control, not on uncontrolables
4. should focus on realistic goals for execution and/or performance standards rather than worrying about outcome
5. Should focus on their strengths, not on their limitations or their mistakes
6. athletes should use “countering” and “reframing” to counteract negative thoughts
7. athletes should prepare and follow a competition plan

Question 8

What are outcome goals in the context of athletic competitions?

Answer 8

1. goals for results against competitors
   
   1. qualifying
   2. getting a certain position
   3. winning

Question 9

What are performance-standard goals in the context of athletic competitions?

Answer 9

1. meet a performance goal
   
   1. sub 1 hour marathon,
   2. 15 min 5K
   3. master certain skill

Question 10

What are execution or process goals in the context of athletic competitions?

Answer 10

1. for performing skills a certain way
   
   1. weight the outside foot in the corner
   2. push 100%

Question 11

What is countering?

Answer 11

1. using facts and reason to build a case against negative thinking
   
   1. im not as fast as player Y but i am as fast as player D
   2. using examples of players that have made it big while being “slower” or “weaker”

Question 12

What is reframing?

Answer 12

1. examining a situation from a different perspective in order to view that situation more positively
   
   1. having the first block to perform is great to put pressure on the others, having the last is great because you can see how much you need to do
   2. everybody is gonna be performing in the same conditions, cold, rain, whatever.

Question 13

Describe the inverted-U relationship between arousal and performance

Answer 13

there is a range where the performance is greatest when the arousal is not too low and not too high

Question 14

o what does an optimal level of arousal refer?

Answer 14

the level of physiological arousal associated with peak performance

Question 15

Suppose that an athlete’s level of arousal is too high for a peak performance to occur. List four things that an athlete can do to decrease his/her level of arousal

Answer 15

1. deep-centre breathing
2. muscle tensing and relaxing
3. relaxing mood words
4. humor
5. “tuning out”

Question 16

Suppose that an athlete’s level of arousal is far too low for a peak performance to occur. List four things that an athlete can do to increase his/her level of arousal?

Answer 16

1. energizing imagery
2. energizing mood words
3. energizing music
4. physical actions (high-five)

Question 17

List three strategies for maintaining confidence and concentration during a competition.

Answer 17

1. athletes should be energized but remain calm
2. athletes should focus on what they want to do not what they don’t want to do
3. athletes should focus on processes not outcome

Question 18

summarize the kinds of behaviors typically displayed by athletes who are described as being “mentally tough.”

Answer 18

1. good at setting and pursuing long and short term goals
2. highly motivated to practice and push through setbacks
3. skilled at using imagery and positive self talk (noticing and putting stop to negative)
4. skillful at designing practices that promote confidence and concentration
5. know how to manage their environment to manage their emotions
6. using competition planning to maintain confidence and concentration
7. perform well in simulations to transfer to competitions
8. overcoming factors that can interfere with confidence and concentration