PE- Pyschology > Controlling Anxiety > Flashcards
Controlling Anxiety Flashcards
What is State anxiety?
- performer is anxious only in certain situations often caused by negative past experiences- it is temporary
- a penalty shot
What are the causes of anxiety?
1) task importance
2) fear of failing
3) being fouled
4) injury
5) lack of self confidence
6) audience effect
What is cognitive anxiety?
- worry, confusion and apprehension
What is Somatic Anxiety?
- physiological symptoms- increased HR, blood pressure and sweat levels
Ways anxiety can be measured
1) SCAT- sport competition anxiety test
- involves answering questions on level of anxiety
2) State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI)
- 40 question test between each of state and trait
What stress management techniques are there?
1) Mental rehearsal
2) Imagery
3) Positive Self Talk
4) Thought Stopping
5) Muscle relaxation
6) Biofeedback
7) Deep breathing
8) Centring
Mental Rehearsal
-
Imagery
-
Positive Self Talk
-
Thought Stopping
-
Muscular Relaxation
-
Biofeedback
-
Deep Breathing
-
Centring
-
What strategies can a coach use to control anxiety?
1) Set progressive goals
2) Ensure success by setting easy targets that become harder
3) Ensure skills are over learned
4) Raise self efficacy
5) Positive reinforcement
6) Successful past experiences
What is trait anxiety?
- performer is naturally anxious in all situations- stable and enduring
Using appropriate psychological theories, explain why performers may have different levels of optimal arousal and outline various somatic stress management techniques that can be used to control anxiety levels. (14 marks)
Arousal Theories
A. Drive Theory
B. As arousal increases so does likelihood of dominant response/habit
C. Experienced players perform better with higher levels of arousal/the more experienced players in a team require higher levels of
arousal
D. Novice players perform better with lower levels of arousal
E. Inverted U Theory
F. As arousal increases so does performance but only to certain level
G. Optimal arousal occurs at moderate levels
H. (Personality of performer) – extroverts higher levels of arousal/introverts lower levels of arousal
I. (Nature of the Task) – complex or fine skills lower need lower levels of arousal/simple or gross skills need higher levels of arousal
J. (Skill of performer) – experienced higher levels of arousal/novices lower levels of arousal
K. Zone of Optimal Functioning
L. Some performers have a wider range of optimal arousal
levels/different band widths of optimal arousal
Stress management techniques
M. Biofeedback
N. Measuring physiological responses
O. eg heart rate/breathing rate/sweat production/skin temperature/
muscle tension/blood pressure/galvanic skin response
P. Learn to recognise and control anxiety responses
Q. Centring/Breathing control
R. Deep breathing/diaphragmatic breathing
S. Breath in through nose – expand abdomen fully – breath out through mouth
T. May involve repeating key words/mantra
U. Muscle relaxation/Progressive Muscle Relaxation
V. Often combined with effective breathing control
W. Focus on specific muscle groups/working inwards from the periphery
X. Contract muscles – hold – relax
What are the disadvantages of using observation as a method to assess anxiety?
(3 marks)
A. Subjective/not objective
B. Reliant on skill of the observer
C. Time consuming/expensive/needs to be completed several times
D. Observer needs to know normal behaviour patterns of performer for comparison
E. May need several observers (at the same time)
F. If performer knows observation is occurring they may behave
differently/become more anxious/increased state anxiety/experience evaluation apprehension/social inhibition
Identify and explain the different types of anxiety that may affect a performer.
(3 marks)
A. Trait anxiety/A-Trait – performer generally perceives situations as threatening
B. State anxiety/A-State – level of anxiety at a specific time/particular situation
C. Competitive Trait Anxiety – performer generally perceives competitive situations as threatening
D. Competitive State Anxiety - level of anxiety during competitive situations
E. Cognitive anxiety – psychological responses/thoughts and worries of performer/doubts in their ability to complete the task
F. Somatic anxiety – physiological responses of performer/increased heart rate/sweating o
What are the possible effects on performance when a performer enters a major
competition with a high level of anxiety? Discuss the strategies and techniques the
performer may use to manage anxiety in the build up to the competition. (14 marks)
Possible effects of anxiety on performance, addressing points such as:
- Cognitive anxiety, psychological side, e.g. nerves, worry, apprehension
- Has a negative linear relationship with performance
- Increased levels of cognitive anxiety = decrease in overall performance
- Somatic anxiety in the physiological aspect e.g. sweaty palm, high HR
- Has an inverted U theory relationship, optimal level for best performance
Strategies and techniques to manage anxiety, addressing points such as:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Breathing techniques
- Thought stopping
- Visualisation/imagery
- Mental rehearsal
- Centering
- Attention focussing/Cue utilisation
- Use of goal-setting
- Using SMART/SMARTER principles
- Positive self-talk
- Hypnosis
Golfers have to remain calm when putting but may suffer from anxiety.
Explain the different forms of anxiety that may affect performers in similar demanding situations.
(4 marks)
- Trait anxiety – enduring/innate personality trait/ a pre disposition/all situations perceived as threatening
- State anxiety – temporary emotional response to a situation/situation specific
- Cognitive (state anxiety) – psychological/feelings of nervousness, apprehension, negative thoughts or worry
- Somatic (state anxiety) – physiological/signs of arousal – sweaty palms, high
heart rate, etc
How do cognitive and somatic anxieties vary in the periods leading up to and during competition? (3 marks)
- Cognitive higher in days before competition;
- Somatic rises quickly a few hours before the event;
- Cognitive fluctuates/changes/varies/goes up and down/during the event
due to success or failure; - Somatic decreases during the competition.
Describe how cognitive state anxiety and somatic state anxiety may vary
prior to and during the race. (3 marks)
A. Cognitive state anxiety increases slowly/gradually in the days prior to competition;
B. Changes during competition/fluctuates, as the likelihood of success or failure
changes;
C. Somatic style anxiety tends to be low well before competition, but increases
rapidly as event approaches;
D. Generally decreases during competition.
Explain the term evaluation apprehension and describe a named cognitive stress management technique used to improve performance levels.
A. (evaluation apprehension) performer only influenced by an audience or crowd if they perceive they are judging their performance
B. Thought-stopping
C. Use of cue/action/word
D. Re-directs attention to positive thoughts
E. Example – key word – focus
F. Self-talk/positive self-talk
G. Use when negative thoughts occur
H. Replace with positive statements about performance
I. Example – nerves are good before the race
J. Imagery/visualisation/mental rehearsal
K. Formation of mental pictures of good performance/imagine in a
calm place
L. (Internal) – creating the feeling of the movement/sensations
M. (External) – seeing themselves completing the movement
N. Attentional control
O. Changing the focus of attention to detect only relevant
cues/improve selective attention/alter perceptual field
P. Broad/external – used during games to detect fast changing
situations and identify the best option
Q. External/narrow – used to concentrate on specific objects or tasks,
possibly with limited number of cues
R. Narrow/internal – used to mentally rehearse a skill or task
S. Internal/broad – used to analyse performance and plan future
strategies and tactics
T. Goal Setting
U. Targets must be SMART/SMARTER
V. Specific – to the sport/performer
W. Measurable – quantitative/objective
X. Accepted/agreed – by performer and coach
Y. Realistic/achievable – within performance capability
Z. Time phased – long/short term goals/deadlines
AA. Exciting - challenging
BB. Recorded – written down
In the build up to a major competition performers may get anxious.
What are the possible effects on performance when a performer enters a major
competition with a high level of anxiety? Discuss the strategies and techniques the
performer may use to manage anxiety in the build up to the competition. (14 marks)
Possible effects of anxiety on performance, addressing points such as:
- Cognitive anxiety, psychological side, e.g. nerves, worry, apprehension
- Has a negative linear relationship with performance
- Increased levels of cognitive anxiety = decrease in overall performance
- Somatic anxiety in the physiological aspect e.g. sweaty palm, high HR
- Has an inverted U theory relationship, optimal level for best performance
Strategies and techniques to manage anxiety, addressing points such as:
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Breathing techniques
- Thought stopping
- Visualisation/imagery
- Mental rehearsal
- Centering
- Attention focussing/Cue utilisation
- Use of goal-setting
- Using SMART/SMARTER principles
- Positive self-talk
- Hypnosis
Distinguish between cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety , and how do cognitive and somatic anxieties vary in the periods leading up to and during competition? Name and describe techniques for managing the effects of these anxieties.
(14 marks)
DIFFERENCE
1. Cognitive – psychological thoughts/thinking/worries/fears/nerves;
2. Somatic – physiological responses/increased heart rate/sweating/muscle
tension/nausea.
BUILD UP
1. Cognitive higher in days before competition;
2. Somatic rises quickly a few hours before the event;
3. Cognitive fluctuates/changes/varies/goes up and down/during the event
due to success or failure;
4. Somatic decreases during the competition.
TECHNIQUES
1. Thought-stopping;
2. Cognitive;
3. Use of simple mental or physical action (e.g. clenching fist, counting
slowly);
4. Switches attention into a calm/controlled mental state to reduce anxiety;
5. Depends on prior learning/conditioning of the response of the calm state to
the stimulus of ‘action’;
6. Self-talk;
7. Cognitive;
8. Develop positive thoughts to remove negative ones;
9. Used as a means of breaking ‘bad habits’ e.g. ‘stop’/’no’ or to remind
ourselves of key aspects of technique e.g. jump/drive/focus/concentrate on
appropriate cues/signals;
10. Depends on learning to concentrate on own thoughts;
11. Imagery/visualisation;
12. Cognitive;
13. Lock in on ‘perfect performance’;
14. Reduces anxiety by diverting attention away;
15. Depends on previous learning of visualised sequences of perfect
performance;
16. Mediation;
17. Cognitive;
18. Use of controlled breathing to induce a ‘state’ of mental calmness;
19. Switches attention from anxiety-producing state to reduce anxiety;
20. Depends on prior learning to ‘transcend’ from anxious state to calm state
through ‘mantra’/word/sound;
21. Progressive Muscular Relaxation;
22. Somatic;
23. Use of alternate tension and relaxation of body muscles (coupled with
breathing rhythm);
24. Progressively reduces tension of whole body and associated anxiety;
25. Depends on learned ability to systematically concentrate on tension
reduction in muscles, starting at periphery and working towards the centre;
26. Autogenic training;
27. Cognitive;
28. Involves directing thoughts away from stress-causing situation;
29. To other calming influences;
30. Depends on ability to learn to re-direct thoughts;
31. Biofeedback – somatic;
32. Somatic;
33. Use of measuring device (pulseometer/electrical conductivity) to reduce
level of chosen variable;
34. Reduces anxiety associated with physiological variable;
35. Depends on prior learning of ability to use monitoring device as a means of
diverting attention away from anxiety.
