Sport and performance psychology

Question 1

What are some common and not so common issues that sport and exercise psychologists face? (4)

Answer 1

Eating disorders
Psychological impact of performance enhancing drugs
Career transitions – athletic identity
Dealing with athletic injury

Question 2

What are some areas of specialization in sport psychology?

Answer 2

performance enhancement
mental skill development
anxiety and stress management
concentration and mental preparation
over-training
conflict resolution
health and wellness coaching
balancing life
weight management
rehab
psych assessment 
career transitions

Question 3

What does the bidirectional model of sports psychology knowledge indicate?

Answer 3

An interplay between theory and practice: facts and needs = research and in the field

Question 4

What is he definition of a team?

Answer 4

Any group of people who must interact with each other to accomplish shared objectives

Question 5

What are the 4 characteristics of a team?

Answer 5

 Collective sense of identity
 Distinctive roles
 Structured modes of communication
 Norms

Question 6

What are 3 group development theories?

Answer 6

Linear: develop in stages with crisis at each stage
Cyclical: birth, growth and death
Pendular: shifts in relationships

Question 7

What is involved in Group cohesion?

Answer 7

forces that act on members to remain in the group

Question 8

What are the two forces that keep group cohesion?

Answer 8

Group attractiveness: desire for interactions
Means control: benefits
Task cohesion: common goals
Social cohesion: enjoy the company

Question 9

What is Leadership defined as?

Answer 9

the behavioral process of influencing individuals and groups towards set goals

Question 10

What makes an effective leader in sport?

Answer 10

 Leader qualities – integrity, flexibility
 Leadership styles – autocratic,
consultative
 Situational factors – team vs individual
sport
 Follower’s qualities – mesh between
leader and follower

Question 11

What does performance enhancement involve?

Answer 11

Arousal control
Goal setting
Attention/ focus

Question 12

What does arousal regulation involve?

Answer 12

Cognitive anxiety reduction techniques
 Relaxation strategies
 Autogenic training
 Stress inoculation training

Imagery (internal and External)
 Re-creating exceptional performances
 Learning new techniques
 Preparing for difficult opponents

Question 13

What could be some adverse outcomes of imagery?

Answer 13

 Imagery that creates too much anxiety
 Imagery that directs attention to
irrelevant factors
 Imagery that is not controllable
 Imagery that makes athletes
overconfident

Question 14

What are the Factors that affect imagery?

Answer 14

 Nature of the task: cognitive components = greatest benefits from imagery
 Skill level of performer: for both novice and expert
 Imaging ability: better imaginations
 Using imagery with physical practice: physical practice = best

Question 15

What is the psycho-neuro-muscular theory?

Answer 15

neuromuscular activity patterns activated

during imaging = similar to physical practice

Question 16

What is the bio-informational theory?

Answer 16

An image is functionally organised propositions in the brain… either as
Response: describe response to scenario
Stimulus: describe stimulus features

Question 17

Why use imagery? (8)

Answer 17

 Improves concentration
 Enhances motivation
 Builds confidence
 Helps to control emotional responses
 Acquire and practice new skills
 Acquire and practice strategy
 Prepare for competition
 Cope with pain & imagery

Question 18

Benefits of self-confidence include? (5)

Answer 18

 Confidence arouses positive emotions
 Confidence facilitates concentration
 Confidence affects goals
 Confidence increases effort
 Confidence affects game strategy

Question 19

What is the Self-efficacy theory?

Answer 19

Perception of one’s ability to perform a

task successfully

Question 20

Sources of self-efficacy: (4)

Answer 20

 Performance accomplishments
 Vicarious experiences
 Verbal persuasion
 Imaginal experiences

Question 21

Types of goals: (3)

Answer 21

Outcome
Performance
Process

Question 22

Goal setting works because: (4)

Answer 22

 Direct attention to important
elements of the skill being performed
 Mobilize performer efforts
 Prolong performer persistence
 Foster the development of new
learning strategies

Question 23

What is the principle around goal setting?

Answer 23

SMARTER:
Specific 
Meaningful
Attainable 
Relevant 
Timely 
Evaluative 
Re-evaluate

Question 24

Concentration typically consists of 4 elements:

Answer 24

 Focusing on the relevant cues
 Maintaining that attentional focus over
time
 Having awareness of the situation
 Shifting attentional focus when necessary

Question 25

Attentional differences: experts & novices

Answer 25

 Experts attend to more advanced
information (e.g., arm/racket cues)
 Experts attend more to movement
patterns
 Expert players search more systematically
for cues
 Expert players are more successful in
predicting the flight pattern of the ball

Question 26

Types of attentional focus: (4)

Answer 26

Broad
Narrow
External
Internal

Question 27

How do you improve concentration?

Answer 27

 Develop cue/trigger words
 Develop competition plans
 Improve positive self-talk

Question 28

What does PST stand for?

Answer 28

Psychology skills training

Question 29

Additional social demands and stressors within the sporting environment: (4)

Answer 29

Coach expectations
Coach beliefs
Competition demands
Peer pressure

Question 30

What are 3 types clinical eating disorders?

Answer 30

Anorexia Nervosa
Bulimia Nervosa
Eating Disorder N.O.S

Question 31

What is involved in treating eating disorders?

Answer 31

Behavioural: evaluations to find bad reinforcers and extinguishing maladaptive behaviours

Psychodynamic: to find emotional conflict reinforcers and changing understanding

Cognitive-behavioural: evaluation of environment and pathogenic (bad) aspects of sport, dysfunctional values and functional cognitions

Question 32

How are men affected in sport, to do with their weight?

Answer 32

Physical training can lead to increased expectations
Satisfaction from an ideal
Critical of appearance
Social comparison

Question 33

What are some Likely causes of drug abuse?

Answer 33

Need for physical control over performance, pain and weight
Psychological stress, boredom or low-confidence
Social pressures & role models

Question 34

What are some reasons for using performance enhancing drugs even when knowing they could kill you/ are illegal? (4)

Answer 34

 Performance enhancement
 Recover from injury
 Prevent injury
 Pressure from support staff

Question 35

What is a possible treatment for drug-related problems?

Answer 35

Motivational interviewing: trans-theoretical model of change

Question 36

What is involved in the trans-theoretical model of change?

Answer 36

 Pre-contemplation
 Contemplation
 Preparation
 Action
 Maintenance

Question 37

What are the 4 Developmental transitions involved in an athletes life?

Answer 37

Athletic level: initiation, development, mastery, discontinuation
Psychological Level: childhood, adolescence and adulthood
Psycho-social Level: parents/ peers, parents/coach/peers, partner/coach and family/coach
Academic Vocational Level: primary, secondary, higher ed, vocational training/ profession

Question 38

What causes the most stress and difficulty during career transitions?

Answer 38

involuntary termination/ retirement

Question 39

What are the 4 main causes for career termination?

Answer 39

Age
Deselection
Injury
Free choice

Question 40

How does high/ low athletic identity affect termination?

Answer 40

High = pursue sport strongly = difficult to transition 
Low = may terminate early but less difficult to transition (less invested)

Question 41

What does the stress and athletic injury model involve?

Answer 41

personality
stress history 
coping resources 
interventions 
injury type

Question 42

What does the bio-psycho-social model of injury involve?

Answer 42

Injury & severity & Socio-demographic: age, gender etc.
Psychological: personal characteristics (stable)
Biological: nutrition, sleep, immune etc.
Social: life stress, support, environment

Question 43

What does QOL stand for?

Answer 43

Quality of life

Question 44

What does flow refer to in sport psychology?

Answer 44

a psychological state of intrinsic enjoyment, matching of personal ability and task difficulty (the actual act of doing the activity itself)