Psychological Strategies to Enhance Performance Flashcards
What is Psychological Skills Training (PST)?
Psychological skills are like physical skills in that they can be taught, learned and practised. Performance can be radically improved by employing psychological skills training (PST).
Psychological skills need to be practised during training, competition and recovery.
Every PST program tends to be different, in order to best match a participant’s individual needs. PST programs can focus on one or more principles, depending on which areas need improvement, and these principles might include goal-setting, arousal, mental rehearsal, confidence building and concentration.
What is the “Education Phase”?
This phase is short (one to two hours). It involves gauging the level of mental skills practice currently being used by an athlete, and explaining the importance of developing psychological skills.
It typically involves discussion on how skills such as
arousal regulation and imagery are currently being used by elite athletes to maximise their performance levels, and getting the message across that these do work and
are effective.
What is the “Acquisition Phase”?
This phase involves more sessions than the education phase, and focuses on how the psychological skills are to be learned by the individual. For example, if an athlete ‘freezes’ and suffers from increased muscle tension during competition, physically based relaxation
techniques such as progressive relaxation would be taught.
What is the “Practice Phase”?
Athletes could be taken through an imagined competitive situation requiring relaxation and coping skills. Their trainer would guide them through a series of progressive relaxation techniques, which should then become self-guided and simulate real game settings
What is Motivation?
Motivating factors can be extrinsic motivating factors, such as prize money, certificates, chocolate frogs, progress charts and trophies, or intrinsic motivating factors, such as being satisfied with one’s performance or simply enjoying the competition.
What is Positive Motivation?
Positive motivation provides positive reinforcement after the individual has displayed the desired behaviour. Examples include positive acknowledgement of good play, incentives and positive feedback
What is Negative Motivation?
Negative motivation is imposed after undesirable
behaviour. Examples include making the athlete
perform sit-ups or star jumps as punishment for an
incorrect move during training, disapproving
comments or rebukes, and demotion in grade.
What is Goal Setting?
Goal setting is another example of a motivational technique. Goal setting occurs when athletes set down clear targets, priorities and expectations. Athletes are more committed when they have a goal.
What are the benefits of Goal Setting?
Goal setting improves performance by:
• focusing attention on important elements of the skill(s) being performed
• activating and organising an athlete’s efforts
• encouraging perseverance
• promoting the development of new learning strategies
• refining movements and set plays
• contributing towards a positive psychological state
What are Outcome Goals?
The overall end result
What are Performance Goals?
Comparison of past, and present performance, independent of other competitors.
What are Process Goals?
Actions such as (physical movement and game strategies) that athletes must perform during a competition to reach peak performance.
What does SMARTER stand for?
Specific Measurable Accepted Realistic Time-Phased Exciting Recorded
What is Arousal?
Arousal is the amount of readiness or activation a person experiences when faced with a task. Athletes need an optimal level of arousal to experience success.
Where is the Optimum Arousal Zone?
A zone of best performance exists at a moderate level of arousal. Keeping within this zone ensures the performer has sufficient arousal to give a high-quality performance, while not being overstressed and off-task.
How can Low Arousal Levels detriment performance?
People show low levels of arousal when they lack motivation or they are bored, tired or not directly involved in the action of a team game. Muscles feel heavy and lethargic, concentration drops, enthusiasm decreases and apathy rises.
How can High Arousal Levels detriment performance?
Conversely, if high levels of arousal are experienced, performance will also suffer and is unlikely to be optimal. This often happens to people who are tense, highly excited or anxious. Muscles become tense, movements jerky, coordination drops and mistakes increase.
What are some Arousal Reduction Techniques?
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
- Meditation
- Breathing Control
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