Psychological skills part 2 to part 1

Question 1

study on applied relaxation- Maynard et el 1995

Answer 1

8 week intervention
-31% decrease in somatic anxiety

• 16% decrease in cognitive anxiety
• 56% increase in SA direction
• 24% increase in CA direction

however no clear effect on performance

Question 2

key study- Oudejans and Pipers 2009

Answer 2

elite vs novice athletes

Question 3

self talk- cognitive aspect

Answer 3

self talk is the core component of cognitive anxiety.

Hardy 2006- defines self talk as verbalised statements addressed to one self. It is multidimensional in nature and has interpretive elements.
He says is has at least 2 functions; instructional and motivational.

Gould, Finch and Jackson (1993)- figure skaters used as most common coping strategy

if self talk is negative is can distract and hinder performance. (Ellis 1988) especially destructive when general labels are used e.g. choke and loser.

Question 4

self talk- how it helps

Answer 4

skill acquisition
changing bad habits

attentional control
change affect or mood

increase self efficacy

Question 5

research on self talk

Answer 5

Hanton and Jones- 1999- helped swimmers perceive debilitative anxiety symptoms as facilitative

Question 6

strategies to access peoples self talk

Answer 6

1. retrospection- reflecting on situations and recreating thoughts and feelings (use video before, during, and after)
2. imagery- relaxation and reliving past performance
3. self talk log= accurate awareness of self talk rather than reliance on recall that can be distorted

Question 7

cognitive approach of self talk

Answer 7

• a negative schema can be made in athletes due to beliefs about their self
• what factors do they attribute failure?
• can we identify any negative cycles which cause negative schemas
  can we make this schema positive?
  -how might you challenge these thoughts

Question 8

approach of psychology of excellence

Answer 8

an approach of components to enhance patterns o constructive thinking, optimism and enthusiasm
1- go for your dreams

2- focus on your successes

3. be your own best friend, biggest fan and greatest coach
4. create your own reality

Question 9

strategies for controlling self talk

Answer 9

• thought stoppage
• changing negative to positive
• countering evidence
• reframing the situation
• identifying irrational and distorted thinking
• ABC cognitive restructuring
• affirmation statements
• mastery and coping statements
• use of video technology

Question 10

thought stoppage in self talk

Answer 10

awareness of unwanted thoughts and the use of a trigger to interrupt that thought
this can be self talk or an action

only works if thoughts are recognised and the performer has motivation to stop.

HOWEVER- trying to stop them can actually create more thoughts (Wenzlaff and Wegner 2000)

Question 11

optimistic explanatory style

Answer 11

• The internal response and
explanation of good and
bad events

• The hallmark of whether an
athlete is an optimist or a
pessimist (Seligman, 1991)

• Habitual style of event
interpretation

• Developed in childhood
and related to beliefs of
self worth

Question 12

The 3 dimensions to Optimistic explanatory style

Answer 12

1. Permanence
   - Feelings about whether positive and negative events
   will repeat themselves
2. Pervasiveness
   - Generalisation to other contexts
3. Personalisation
   - Extent to which they see themselves as the primary
   causal agent
   • Caution against over optimism and poor decision
   making (O’Connor and Owens, 1999)