sport psychology

Question 1

Mental skills (SCAMS)

Answer 1

stress management
Concentration
arousal
motivation
Self confidence
Can be used: before, during, after performance

Question 2

stress management

Answer 2

Ability level of the performer to respond in a situation where failure has consequences

Question 3

concentration

Answer 3

The ability to focus on a task at hand whilst ignoring irrelevant cues or distractions

Question 4

Arousal

Answer 4

the degree of stimulation or alertness present in a performer about to perform a skilled task

Question 5

Motivation

Answer 5

direction and intensity of effort by a performer towards a given task

Question 6

Self confidence

Answer 6

the belief that a performer has their own ability to successfully perform a desired skill or behaviour

Question 7

Mental skills strategies (GRIPS)

Answer 7

goal setting
Relaxation
imagery
Performance routines
self-talk

Question 8

Goal setting

Answer 8

process of deciding on something you want to achieve, planning the steps to follow that will help reach that goal, then working towards achieving that goal.

Question 9

Relaxation

Answer 9

an activity undertaken to reduce tension and the effects of physical and mental stress

Question 10

Imagery

Answer 10

the mental recreation, using as many senses as possible, of a successful past performance or skill.

Question 11

Performance routines

Answer 11

a ritual a performer follows in the preparation, during or after the execution of a task.
Key function of a performance routine is to get the athlete into optimal performance state or into “the zone”.
Decreases the chances of the performer being affected by internal or external distractors, and narrows their focus onto factors they can control.

Question 12

Self-talk

Answer 12

talking to/thinking to yourself positively before, during or after performance
2 forms: positive - can be motivational or instructional, aim is to enhance self-esteem, increase motivation, focus attention and improve performance. Negative - self-critical or demeaing, creates anxiety and self-doubt and has a negative impact on performance. A player must stop negative self-talk through a process called “thought stopping” otherwise performance levels will drop.

Question 13

goal setting processes

Answer 13

SMARTER: specific - clear, unambiguous goals to focus on. Measurable - need to be able to be assessable to see if progress is happening. Action-orientated - actions required to achieve desired goal are clear. Realistic - goals need to be achievable and within the athlete’s capacity. Time-phased - specific date for completion needs to be set. Effective - capable of attaining desired results. Reviewed - goals are monitored and adjustments made is necessary.
SCCAMP: Specific (like SMARTER). Challenging - the goal should be challenging to the individual. Attainable (realistic). Measurable (like SMARTER). Personal - goals are set based on the ability, confidence and motivation of the individual.

Question 14

Methods of self-relaxation

Answer 14

1. Meditation
2. Progressive muscle relaxation
3. Floatation tanks
4. Music
5. Breathing techniques/ controlled breathing
6. Autogenic training
7. Though stopping/ self-talk
8. Massage
9. Performance routines
10. Imagery

Question 15

Matching hypothesis

Answer 15

an athlete should use a relaxation technique which is relevant to type of stress symptoms/signs he is displaying - physical or mental stress.
Physical signs - physical relaxation methods

Question 16

Group cohesion

Answer 16

term used to describe the extent to which a group tays together and united in the pursuit of common goals and objectives .
Two components: social cohesion and task cohesion
teams lacking cohesion fail to perform to their potential and become divisive.
Task and social cohesion can be independent of each other.

Question 17

task cohesion

Answer 17

How committed are the team members to achieving their predetermined common performance goals

Question 18

social cohesion

Answer 18

The degree to which team members like each other and enjoy being together.

Question 19

measuring group cohesion

Answer 19

1. Questionnaire/ self reports
2. Sociograms
3. Observation

Question 20

Questionnaires/ self report

Answer 20

Group environment questionnaire (GEQ)
4 dimensions of cohesion:
1. Group integration (task) - perception of group regarding degree of task cohesion
2. Group integration (social) - perceptions of group on social cohesion
3. Individual attractions in the group (task) - individual perception of group task cohesion
4. Individual attractions in the group (social) - individual perception of the group in terms of social cohesion.

Question 21

Sociograms

Answer 21

diagram which shows the inter-relationship between individuals in a team.
Often used to represent the answers to a questionnaire presented to a playing group.
used to determine: potential leaders within the group, players cliques which can be divisive, attraction/ rejection between players, isolated players who may need extra support.

Question 22

Cliques

Answer 22

in sociograms, formed between 3 or more players who vote for each other forming a loop.

Question 23

Observation

Answer 23

a coach can use a checklist to observe how players in the group relate to each other, who they mix with, who they avoid, who they interact with.
Not very valid method of assessment of group cohesiveness as it is dependant on players displaying their normal behaviour rather than what they consider the coach wants to see.

Question 24

carron’s model of group cohesion

Answer 24

Describes the 4 key factors to group cohesion:
1. Personal factors
2. Environmental factors
3. Leadership factors
4. Team factors

Question 25

Personal factors

Answer 25

refers to the individual characteristics of group members, such as their motives for participating
Players participate for 3 main reasons:
1. Task motivation - associated wt task cohesion and being involved in a successful team. A player with high task motivation will increase task cohesion.
2. Affiliation motivation - associated wt social cohesion and desire to be part of the group. A player with high affiliation motivation will increase social cohesion.
3. Self-motivation - associated with a desire to obtain personal satisfaction through improving personal performance.
Cohesion higher in teams where everyone has similar: attitudes, goals, levels of commitment, expectations.

Question 26

environmental factors

Answer 26

Refers to the normative forces which bring and hold a group together
eg. Family members, contracts….

Question 27

Leadership factors

Answer 27

refers to the leadership style and how this affects the dynamic of the group.
Leaders must display appropriate behaviour.
ensure most appropriate style of leadership is used for the environment they are working in.
Good leaders set: team goals, individual roles, team rules, standards of behaviour.

Question 28

team factors

Answer 28

Relates to the characteristics of the team including team stability, prior successes and failures.
Eg of factors, team stability, relationship between stability and cohesiveness.

Question 29

3 levels of communication/ interactions (team factors)

Answer 29

1. Co-acting activities - team members work independently of each other in the final result. Good results can be achieved even with little communication or cohesiveness between players.
2. Mixed activities - have a combination of co-acting and interacting activities
3. Interacting activities - require a high level of interaction between members if the team is to achieve its goal. Task cohesiveness is very important for optimal performance.

Question 30

Developing task cohesion

Answer 30

communicating clearly and regularly so all members understand their roles and responsibilities.
Having clear and understood expectations/ norms.
making clear what each individual must do in order for the team to achieve its goals.
Developing pride within subunits - defence, midfield attack.
setting goals for the team as a whole to achieve.

Question 31

Developing social cohesion

Answer 31

encouraging social interactions away from the sport.
Maintain open and honest communication.
resolve conflicts quickly
Do team building activities
establish team standards of presentation

Question 32

Benefits of cohesion

Answer 32

communication and motivation within the group is extensive
There is an increased feeling of the group as a whole rather than as individuals
Players enjoy each other’s success.

Question 33

Barriers to group cohesion

Answer 33

personality clashes between members
Unclear/ conflicting roles among group members
frequent changes to the group
Disagreement on group objectives
lack of communication
Lack of power struggle between players

Question 34

group dynamics

Answer 34

Group roles and group norms which influence the behaviour of it’s members as individuals and collectively

Question 35

group roles

Answer 35

Are the shared expectations of how an individual should behave in a certain position.
groups have formal and informal roles

Question 36

Group norms

Answer 36

shared expectations of how group members should behave.
Can be formal and informal

Question 37

social loafing

Answer 37

(Ringelman effect)
The tendency of individuals to lessen their effort when they are part of a group.
the larger the group, the greater the likelihood of social loafing

Question 38

Reasons for social loafing

Answer 38

an individual athlete perceives other players to be working at a lower intensity which in turn gives them an excuse to put in less effort themselves.
A belief that their efforts won’t make a difference to the team and the desired outcome will still be reached
when individual effort cannot be determined.
The task is perceived to be meaningless.
individuals feeling like their input is not essential to achieving the goal.

Question 39

Social loafers display:

Answer 39

decreased effort at training
Arrives late/ leaves early to/ from training
misses training
Players do not fulfil their designated role in the team.
decreased form
Expects team mates to cover their mistakes.