Core 2 - Focus Question 2

Question 1

Define motivation.

Answer 1

Motivation is an internal state that activates, directs and sustains behaviour towards achieving a particular goal.

Question 2

Outline positive motivation

Answer 2

When an athletes desire to succeed is derived from them wanting to achieve a good outcome. Known to be easier to maintain over a long period of time, easier to sustain for athlete.

Question 3

Provide examples of positive motivation.

Answer 3

• Financial rewards
• Representative team selection
• The desire to win gold medal/grand final
• Adoration of fans
• A renewed and improved contract
• Competitive desire to beat all others and win for personal satisfaction
• A drive to achieve a personal best and fulfil their potential

Question 4

Outline negative motivation.

Answer 4

Characterised by an improvement in performance out of fear of the negative consequences of not meeting expectations

Question 5

Provide examples of negative motivation.

Answer 5

• Being dropped from the team or losing a contract
• Losing and suffering the perceived humiliation or embarrassment of defeat
• Not achieving what they believe to be their full potential
• Threats by the coach to do extra or more intense training sessions

Question 6

Compare positive and negative motivation.

Answer 6

Positive motivation is more sustainable and healthy for the athlete. Both positive and negative motivation will initially result in athletes putting in effort and striving for success and improvement, however positive motivation is known to be easier to maintain over a longer period of time, and therefore, more sustainable to motivate the athlete to train and work hard.

Question 7

Provide an example of the difference between positive and negative motivation in an athlete.

Answer 7

Positive: A cricket batsman who wants to improve their average would be focused on improving his performance by understanding why he was achieving a low score and addressing any technical flaws.
Negative: has serious shortfalls including indecision, lack of creativity, fear of risk taking and susceptibility to ‘choking’. The batsman may only try to avoid the low score rather than trying to improve, hence being preoccupied with the end result. The general long term effect of negative motivation can be the destruction of confidence, initiative and self belief.

Question 8

Outline intrinsic motivation

Answer 8

Intrinsic motivation comes from within the athlete. Intrinsically motivated athletes are self propelled towards success and hard work. They have personal goals, expectations and fears that drive their efforts and commitment, they also display high levels of mastery of task orientation.

Question 9

Describe the flow experience

Answer 9

The ‘flow experience’ represents the highest level of intrinsic motivation. It is characterised by a very high level of concentration (absorbed in the task) and performance is maintained without conscious effort

Question 10

Outline extrinsic motivation

Answer 10

• Comes from external forces outside of the athlete.
• It tends to have an outcome or ego orientation. Extrinsic motivation is seen in many forms such as praise, material rewards and financial remuneration e.g. a rugby player may be motivated by higher pay or fans
• Athletes should focus more on extrinsic goals from a reliable and controlled source such as a coach.

Question 11

Provide examples of the different classifications of motivation.

Answer 11

• Positive intrinsic: A boxer wants to beat a slightly harder opponent to see if they have improved in their skills
• Negative intrinsic: A sprinter wants to improve their personal best, otherwise they will feel like all their hard work was for nothing
• Positive extrinsic: A gymnast wants to make their coach proud in respect to all their hard work and dedication training them
• Negative extrinsic: A volleyballer doesn’t want to get benched (me)

Question 12

Outline anxiety and its effects

Answer 12

Anxiety is a negative mental state of worry and nervousness in anticipation of confronting a situation perceived to be potentially threatening. Anxiety can negatively impact upon performance by lowering an athlete’s concentration and affect their muscular control.

Question 13

Provide examples of symptoms of anxiety in athletes

Answer 13

• Feelings of stomach butterflies even to the point of vomiting prior to the competition
• Constant feelings of tension and being unable to relax, which can lead to increases feelings of fatigue
• Twitchy or shaky legs or may pace around the room
• Muscles becoming tense, leading to increased errors
• Having more negative thoughts and doubts about their own ability, leading to decreased confidence and performance
• Increased heart rate

Question 14

Outline the two types of anxiety

Answer 14

• trait anxiety: refers to a general level of stress that is an inherent characteristic of an individual
• state anxiety: characterised by state of heightened emotions that develop in response to fear or danger. It is more specific and arises in high pressure situations e.g taking penalty shot

Question 15

Describe the effects of trait anxiety

Answer 15

If an athlete has high levels of trait anxiety, they will tend to be anxious before and during competition or games. This leads to increased heart rate and nerve activity → performance suffers

Question 16

Describe the effects of state anxiety

Answer 16

High levels of state anxiety lead to increased heart rate and reduced focus. At the extreme, it can contribute to a degree of physical and mental paralysis, preventing performance of a task that may be otherwise routine e.g missing relatively easy shots in basketball, failed goal attempts in soccer and breaking at the start of important swimming and track races

Question 17

Outline stress and describe how is it produced

Answer 17

Stress is a physiological or psychological influence that produces a state of tension in a person. It builds within us, produced by adrenaline (a stimulant hormone), which readies the body for action.

Question 18

Outline characteristics of stress in the body

Answer 18

• Increased blood supply to skeletal muscles
• More oxygen to the lungs
• Increased glucose production to provide extra fuel
• Increased sweat production to cool the body
• Tightened muscles to prepare the body for action

Question 19

What do stressors develop from?

Answer 19

• Personal pressure: imposed by the desire to win, achieve or fulfil goals
• Competition pressure: exerted by opponents on the field of play
• Social pressure: from coaches, parents, peers and others who are held in esteem by the athlete
• Physical pressure: having to perform learned skills under the demands of competition

Question 20

Define internal stressors and provide examples

Answer 20

Comes from within the athlete including expectations, past experience and poor self perception, fear of being dropped from the team

Question 21

Define external stressors and provide examples

Answer 21

Comes from sources out of the athlete’s control including coaches e.g. threats about the negative consequences of a poor performance, competition e.g fear of losing, weather and crowd e.g. performing in front of large crowds

Question 22

Outline arousal and its effects

Answer 22

• Refers to the physical and mental state of readiness of the athlete.
• Arousal is a necessary ingredient in sports performance, although its level can either facilitate or hinder the execution of specific skills or task components
• Arousal affects motivation, focus, heart rate and muscle activation

Question 23

Outline the inverted U hypothesis

Answer 23

The inverted U hypothesis illustrates the connection between arousal and performance. It suggests there is an optimal level of arousal for any performance. The optimum level of arousal is displayed at the peak of the curve. They will feel alert, attentive, happy, optimal heart rate and ready to perform. Optimum arousal = optimum performance

Question 24

Describe the effects of over arousal

Answer 24

If athletes are at a level of over arousal they are experiencing excessive arousal and may experience feelings of exhilaration, anxiousness, panic, anger and high heart rates. This leads to increased muscular tension and possible mental confusion as the athlete tries to process messages during skill execution, resulting in poor performance

Question 25

Describe the effects of under arousal

Answer 25

At a low level of arousal, or under arousal, athlete’s performance may suffer from factors such as a lack of motivation, disinterest, poor concentration, inability to cope with distractions, they may be too relaxed, drowsy and have a low heart rate.

Question 26

Provide examples of sports that require different optimum levels of arousal

Answer 26

- Different sports and tasks require different levels of arousal for optimal performance. - Difficult or intellectual demanding tasks involving few muscle groups e.g. archery and putting in golf may require a lower level of arousal to facilitate concentration, whereas tasks that may be easier to execute or involve large body movements e.g. running and weightlifting require an increase in the level of arousal for performance to be optimal

Question 27

Describe optimum levels of arousal according to the Law of Arousal graph and provide examples of sports on the graph

Answer 27

If the curve is closer to the y axis (performance) then it requires higher concentration and less/more specific muscle groups. If it is further away from the y axis, then it is a more simple task which requires higher intensity. E.g. from lower to higher arousal: archery, tennis, hockey, rugby

Question 28

Explain the importance of psychological strategies to enhance motivation and manage anxiety and identify 4 key strategies

Answer 28

Very important to have a strong and focused mind in sport, with uncontrolled anxiety and low motivation negatively impacting performance. - Focusing skills - Mental rehearsal - Relaxation techniques - Goal setting

Question 29

Outline concentration/ attention skills

Answer 29

Concentration is the ability to focus on the task at hand and link movement and awareness to execute the skill. Using focusing skills is important to allow the athlete to focus on correct technique, skill execution, reduce anxiety by blocking out negative thoughts and increasing motivation by focusing our attention on positive things

Question 30

Provide examples of external/internal factors that can disrupt athlete's concentration

Answer 30

- referee/umpire, inclement weather, score, crowd, anxious thoughts etc

Question 31

Provide examples of sports with varying concentration

Answer 31

- Intense concentration is common in activities concerned with a small number or just one foci e.g. gymnastics, diving, golf, batting in cricket - Sustained concentration (continuous) required in triathlons, marathons - Intervals of high concentration and less concentration occurs in team games e.g. touch football, netball and soccer

Question 32

Provide examples of internal, external, narrow and broad types of concentration in sports

Answer 32

- Internal narrow: Basketball free throw - Internal broad: Basketball point guard deciding what play to run to avoid an opponent - External narrow: Shooting a moving target in archery - External broad: A basketball player deciding whether to take a three point shot or run in for a 2 point layup

Question 33

Outline the importance of concentration/ attention skills strategies and identify 3 strategies

Answer 33

- Aims to block out distractions and anxious thoughts, and improve performance by remaining calm and focused - selective attention - trigger words - performance segmenting

Question 34

Outline selective attention

Answer 34

An intentional narrow focus where an individual selects relevant information. Allows individuals to focus on specific aspects despite potential distraction E.g. Nathan Cleary being able to score a goal in rugby despite a fan throwing trash in front of him right as he was about to kick

Question 35

Outline the use of trigger words

Answer 35

Trigger words are words or phrases that bring focus back to the task at hand, helps athletes remain focused and get rid of negative, anxious thoughts. Words are used to prepare the athlete for action e.g. “let’s go” or settle the nerves and calm the athlete E.g. Lynsey Sharp writing on her hand the words “get out, strong, commit” before her race

Question 36

Outline performance segmenting

Answer 36

- Using concentration and attention skills during breaks in the competition - At times when athletes are not required to perform, it is easy to let concentration and attention slip - Ensures the mind does not drift during segments, ensures they are concentrated on their next move, prevents a focus on self doubt and maintains motivation

Question 37

Define mental rehearsal

Answer 37

- Technique of picturing the performance or skill before executing it - It requires vivid, realistic pictures at performance speed in the mind, narrowing of thoughts to exclude distractions and seeing a successful performance, from the athlete’s perspective - Effective mental rehearsal stimulates this precise motor pattern, without physically rehearsing

Question 38

How is mental rehearsal used by athletes pre performance, during performance and after performance?

Answer 38

- Pre-performance: mentally practice complex skills and improve concentration - During performance: mentally practice skill and manage stress e.g. basketball players mentally rehearse their free throw before taking it - Post performance: review performance and emphasise positive aspects

Question 39

Outline benefits of mental rehearsal for athletes

Answer 39

- Enhances competition performance, acquisition and building of motor skills - Increases the mind’s familiarity with the desired motion, provides additional practice (commonly used when athletes are unable to train e.g. inclement weather, illness or injury) - Improves concentration (ignore distractions such as negative thoughts and heckling from crowd), confidence, reduces anxiety and stress - Elevates the body to the desired level of arousal E.g. a putter in golf

Question 40

Define visualisation

Answer 40

Visualisation is creating and focusing on a range of positive mental images to achieve psychological benefits E.g. imagining performing incredible feats such as winning gold

Question 41

Outline the benefits of visualisation for athletes

Answer 41

- Increase confidence and arousal levels - Can be used while performing or training to increase intensity e.g an athlete running on a treadmill could imagine that they are running in front of their home spectators in an olympic games final - By creating a scenario and roleplaying to ensure success, the athlete can push their body to great heights - E.g. Michael Phelps visualising his perfect winning swim every night and as he wakes up

Question 42

What are the benefits of relaxation techniques?

Answer 42

Assist athletes to regulate arousal, regain confidence, lower anxiety and reduce tension

Question 43

Define progressive muscle relaxation

Answer 43

- The process of progressively contracting then relaxing the muscles - begin at toes to head - Tighten muscles for 8-10 seconds, then slowly and completely relax

Question 44

Outline the benefits of progressive muscle relaxation

Answer 44

- Muscles will relax even further than pretense state = calms the body, teaches athletes to identify tension so they can relax when they are in competition - Decreases anxiety, arousal levels, heart and ventilation rate

Question 45

Outline deep breathing

Answer 45

- Controlling breathing to release tension before a performance - A form of breathing where a phase of breath is extended - The ratio is 1 inhale and 2 exhale

Question 46

Outline the benefits of deep breathing for an athlete

Answer 46

- The conscious use of controlled and rhythmic breathing is an effective way of calming an anxious athlete by providing a single point of focus and concentration - Releases anxiety and decrease arousal levels

Question 47

Outline the method of centring and describe its benefits.

Answer 47

- Aim to redirect energy to the centre of the body to give a sense of inner calm 1. Find your centre of gravity 2. Focus all your energy to this points - Makes the rest of the body feel calm and regains composure + reduces tension

Question 48

Outline the relaxation techniques of music, meditation and visualisation

Answer 48

- Music: listening to calming slow music allows athletes to dissociate from distraction and improve their mood. Helpful in sports with low arousal e.g. golf - Meditation: narrowing of one’s thoughts using simple repetitive images and sounds - Visualisation: used to stay calm. Athletes can visualise the perfect performance and control arousal

Question 49

Describe goal setting

Answer 49

- Targets that athletes direct their efforts towards - Provides athletes with a reason to persevere with training over extended periods, provide focus, give direction, increase motivation in training sessions - It also increases self confidence when goals are achieved - sense of accomplishment

Question 50

Describe short and long term goals

Answer 50

- Short term goals are the most important because they serve as check marks/benchmarks as the athlete progresses towards the long term goals. - Long term goals give the major purpose to training

Question 51

Define behavioural goals

Answer 51

Behavioural goals relate to an athlete's improved behavioural expectations in training and/or competition e.g. being more punctual, controlling temper on field etc.. Behaviours can impact motivation, training output and performance

Question 52

Describe performance and behavioural oriented goals

Answer 52

- Performance relates to an athlete's desired level of success. Focus on the process necessary to execute goals. Helps athletes remain focused and engaged they are measured e.g time or distance - Behavioural goals are arrived at by players and relate to improved behavioural expectations in training and/or competition. Behaviours can impact motivation, training output and performance

Question 53

Outline the SMARTER framework for setting and reviewing goals

Answer 53

- specific: identify clear and explicit goals - measurable: goals must have a measurable target to allow athletes to monitor progress - action oriented: goals should centre around behavioural factors - realistic: goals must be at an appropriate level of difficulty - time bound: goals must have a deadline or there is no incentive - evaluate: continually tracking goals to assess constraints - re-establish: set new goals if current ones need changing or if they’ve been met