Further Psychological Effects on the Individual 6.2

Question 1

Define ‘anxiety’

Answer 1

A level of nerves and irrational thinking

Question 2

What is competitive trait anxiety?

Answer 2

When a player feel nerves before most games and could simply be part of the players genetic make up

Displayed before all competitions regardless of the importance of the event & possibility of winnning

Question 3

What is competitive state anxiety?

Answer 3

More temporary & is a nervous response to a particular moment in the game or a specific sporting situation

Amount of state anxiety one experiences can vary thoughout the game

Link between trait and state anxiety, if an individual already has high trait anxiety it is likely that

Question 4

What is somatic and cognative anxiety?

Answer 4

Somatic anxiety: A physiological response to a threat e.g. increased heart rate/ sweating etc

Cognitive anxiety: A psychological response such as worrying about losing

Question 5

What methods are there of measuring anxiety?

Answer 5

• Observation
• Physiological/Biological feedback
• Self-report questionnaires

Question 6

What are physiological tests to measure anxiety?

Answer 6

Biological tests such as monitoring HR, or galvanic skin response (sweat levels on the skin)

Question 7

What are the advantages and disadvantages of physiological tests?

Answer 7

Advantages:

Can be done during performance, factual measures.

Disadvantages:

Measuring equipment can be restrictive and the athlete might not be willing to take part in competition, being measured can increase stress.

Question 8

What are observations as a way of measuring anxiety?

Answer 8

Involves watching others as they perform, can be done live or via video for example.

Question 9

What are the advantages and disadvantages of observations?

Answer 9

Advantages:

A realistic, true to life picture can be obtained.

Disadvantages:

The observer may be biased and need training themselves.
Performers’ arousal levels may be increased if the know they are being watched.

Time consuming, need more than one person, subjective, evaluation apprehension.

Question 10

What are the advantages and disadvantages of questionaires?

Answer 10

Advantages:

Quick, easy, cheap, deal with lots of info.

Disadvantages:

People tend to give socially acceptable answers and might misunderstand some questions.

Question 11

What are the three types of questionaires?

Answer 11

State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI)

Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory CSAI-2

Sport Competition Anxiety SCAT

Question 12

What is the state trait anxiety inventory?

Answer 12

• A self-report questionnaire in which people rate how nervous they feel in both general and in specific situations.
• 20 statements for state anxiety
• 20 statements for trait anxiety
• The scoring system for the questions gives an indication of both the state anxiety and the trait anxiety of the performer.

Question 13

What is the competitive sport anxiety inventory?

Answer 13

• To identify the type of anxiety experienced
• Measures state anxiety and responding behaviour.
• Cognitive, somatic anxiety and self confidence
• Given out an hour before competition.
• Enables researchers to discover baseline levels of anxiety and compare it with pre-competition levels to see if they differ.

Question 14

What is the sport competition anxiety?
(SCAT)

Answer 14

• SCAT developed, this aimed to measure competitive trait anxiety of a performer in precompetitive environment.
• 15 statements
• Scoring from a sport specific situation gives an indication of that person’s level of state anxiety in competition-specific situations

Question 15

Define agression?

Answer 15

Intent to harm outside the rules; hostile behaviour

Question 16

Define ‘assertion’

Answer 16

Well-motivated behaviour within the rules

Question 17

What are the four theories of aggression?

Answer 17

Aggressive cue hypothesis
Social learning theory
Instinct theory
Frustration aggression hypothesis

(ASIF)

Question 18

What is the instinct theory?

Answer 18

States that aggressive behaviour is inherited genetically and that a trait of violence is within everyone.

Question 19

What is the problem with instinct theory?

Answer 19

Not all aggression is reactive, some aggression is learned and pre-intended.

Question 20

What is the frustration theory?

Answer 20

As an athlete’s frustration builds up, they will want to release it as a form of aggression.

When an athlete can get out their aggression, they will get a feeling of ‘catharsis’.

Catharsis- Cleansing the emotions using sport as an outlet for aggression.

Question 21

What is the agressive cue hypothesis?

Answer 21

Aggressive cue hypothesis also suggests that increased frustration will lead to increased arousal levels and a drive towards aggressive responses.

However, such aggressive responses will only occur if certain learned ‘cues’ could have come home e.g. from a coach who has allowed a basketball player to push away an opponent who is marking him too closely.

Question 22

What is catharsis?

Answer 22

A term for ‘letting off steam’

• In terms of frustration-aggression hypothesis, catharsis may be experienced once the frusrated player has had a chance to get rid of the aggressive inclination

Question 23

Why might athletes react agressively in a game?

Answer 23

• Losing
• Fouled by someone.
• Poor play by teammate
• Poor play by yourself
• Poor umpire/ Ref decisions
• Gamesmanship by opposition
• Hostile crowd
• Pressure to succeed.
• Win at all costs attitudes.

Question 24

How can coaches, player & referees help prevent aggression?

Answer 24

• Do not reinforce aggressive acts in training (coaches)
• Punish aggression with fines (ref)
• Punish players by sending them off (ref)
• Walk away from situation (player)
• Promote peer group pressure within team (coach)
• Point out non-aggressive role models (coach)
• Channel aggression into assesrtion (player)

Question 25

How can the social learning theory be linked to aggression?

Answer 25

• Aggression is also seen as a learned response
• Aggression can be copied from others, particularly is such behaviour is reinforced

Bandura suggested aggression is learned through following process:
Observe- Identify- Reinforce-Copy

Question 26

What is intrinsic & extrinsic motivation?

Answer 26

Intrinsic- Motivation from within
Extrinsic motivation- Motivation from an outside source