Sport Psychology Flashcards
what are the three personality theories?
–trait theory
–social learning theory
–interactionist theory
define personality.
–the sum total of an individuals characteristics which. makes them unique
–stable, enduring + unique to each individual
what is a trait?
–a characteristic of personality which is inherited at birth
–stable, enduring + consistent in all situations
trait theory
–personality is innate/inherited
–behaviour = function of personality / B = F (p)
what are the four personality types + who identified these?
–Eysenck
–introvert= tend to be shy + reserved, preferring isolation
–extrovert= affiliate well with others, outgoing + sociable
–stable= display predictable emotions in appropriate situations + don’t experience intense stress
–neurotic= display extreme + unpredictable emotions in the form of mood swings + high degrees of stress
what are the drawbacks to the trait theory?
–see traits as more fixed + long lasting than they really are
–haven’t been useful in consistently predicting behaviour - unreliable
–fail to take into account the effect of a situation on an individuals behaviour/attitudes
–ignores that fact that people adapt to specific environmental situations
–influence of environment + other people on shaping personality is ignored
social learning theory
–all behaviour/personality is learned
–learning occurs via environmental experiences + through the influence of other people (significant others)
– behaviour = Function of Environment / B = F (e)
–behaviour is learned when its reinforced
interactionist theory
– combines the trait and state theory
–personality is modified and behaviour is formed when genetically inherited traits are triggered by environmental circumstances
– behaviour = Function of Personality X Environment / B = F (PxE)
what is Hollanders Concentric Ring Theory?
–he proposed that personality has three levels
–role-related behaviour= surface of personality
–typical response= usual response in most situations
–psychological core= the ‘real’ you
psychological core
–the ‘real’ you
–beliefs and values that remain fairly permanent
typical response
–usual response in most situations
–usually indicates your psychological core
role-related behaviour
–surface of personality
–in certain situations we may behave differently
How can knowledge of the interactionist perspective improve performance?
–coach could predict any potential unacceptable or aggressive behaviour before it happens + remove the played from the situation
–coach could identify situations that cause inappropriate actions or a dropping of performance + create similar situations in training so the played can learn to cope
–coach could use it to change the players behaviour by encouraging them to adapt to specific circumstances
what is an attitude?
–a mode of behaviour that is thought to be a typical response of an individual
–linked to personality
–can be positive or negative
–directed towards an object, person, place, thing or event
how are attitudes formed?
–from experiences
–socialisation= when someone associates with others + picks up their opinions and values
–we learn from friends, parents, role models
–through repeated or reinforced behaviour
–could stem from culture, social class, stereotyping
explain the Triadic Model of Attitudes.
–cognitive component= what you think
–affective component= your feelings or emotions
–behavioural component= what you do- actions of the performer
What is the Cognitive Dissonance Theory?
–if a person holds 2 opposing ideas, emotional conflict or dissonance arises
–if someone has a negative attitude towards exercise, a coach can apply pressure by changing one of the attitude components to create an uneasy feeling
What is the Persuasive Communication Theory?
–the use of persuasion to change an individuals attitude
–must consider:
>persuader= needs to be perceived as significant + of high status
>message= needs to be presented in a way that makes the recipient want to change an attitude
>recipient= they must really wish to change their attitude
>situation= timing persuasion + having support for encouragement
what are the strategies to improve an attitude?
–rewards successful elements of performance
–use positive role models
–give positive reinforcement for correct behaviour
–give negative reinforcement for unacceptable behaviour
–ensure training is enjoyable to maintain motivation
Define arousal
the state of general preparedness of the body for action, involving physiological and psychological factors
What are the physiological signs of arousal?
–increased HR
–increased breathing rate
–nausea
–increase muscle tension
–sweating
–need to urinate
–dry mouth
–increased blood pressure
–increased adrenaline
–dazed look in eyes
What are the psychological signs of arousal?
–increased focus
–increased concentration
–heightened awareness of. cues
–narrowing of attention
–decreased reaction time
–anxiety
–tension
–negative self-talk
–difficulties sleeping
–fear + anger
Drive Theory of Arousal
–as arousal increased so does performance
– Performance = a function of Drive X Habit / P = f (D x H)
–expert is more likely to see improved performance as arousal increases, but a novice is likely to make more errors
Improved performance due to increased drive is dependent on…?
–the stage of learning/ experiences of a player
Explain the Inverted U Theory.
– as arousal increases, so does performance but only up to an optimal point
–any further increase can cause performance to deteriorate
what is the optimal level of arousal dependent on in the Inverted U Theory?
– experience
–personality
–task
Explain the Zone of Optimal Functioning (Hanin)
–people respond differently to arousal
–each athlete has their own preferred level of arousal
–an athlete is either ‘in the zone’ or not
what are the features of being ‘in the zone’ ?
–performer is confident and calm
– they feel in control of their actions
–they are fully focussed
–performance is smooth and effortless
–peak flow experience occurs
what are the four types of anxiety?
–trait
–state
–cognitive
–somatic
what is anxiety?
–a state of nervousness or worry
trait anxiety
–a personality trait
–when a player feels nervous in most sporting situations
–genetic
–stable
state anxiety
–a response to a particular sporting situation
–a temporary rush of anxiety
–caused by a threatening circumstance
e.g: penalty
cognitive anxiety
–psychological
–irrational thinking or worries about performance
–don’t believe in ability to perform + can lead to loss of concentration
=negative impact on performance
somatic anxiety
–physiological= response of the body
e.g: increased HR, sweating, muscular tension
–increase in somatic anxiety can improve performance up to a certain point, then it decreases after that
what are the methods to measure anxiety?
–self-report questionnaires
–observations
–physiological testing
what are the benefits of self-report questionnaires?
–quick
–easy
–cheap
–efficient- large groups can be assessed quickly
what are the drawbacks of self-report questionnaires?
–players might not answer truthfully
–dependent on the mood of individual
–time pressure could cause some answers to be rushed = incorrect responses
what are the benefits of observations?
–true to life = valid
what are the drawbacks of observations?
–subjective
–time consuming
–performers can change behaviour if they know they’re being watched
what are the benefits of physiological measures?
–results are factual and true to life = valid
–can be measured in training + competition
–advances in tech can measure the HR which relays back to the coach immediately
what are the drawbacks of physiological measures?
–training is required to use the devices
–cost may deter amateur performers
–wearing a device can restrict movement
–if performer knows they are being measured, they may experience more stress = false readings
validity
–whether the data collected actually measures what it sets out to measure
reliability
–the degree to which data collection is consistent + stable over time
aggression
–forceful behaviour in sport
–intent to harm
–outside of the rules
–reactive
–out of control
–deliberate + hostile
assertion
–channelled aggression
–controlled
–well-motivated
–generally within the rules of the game
–goal-directed
–not intended to harm others
e.g: to drive forcefully through a group of players to score in basketball
what is the instinct theory of aggression?
–a trait perspective
–claims that all performers are born with an aggressive instinct that will surface if provoked
e.g: a player may react to a bad foul by retaliating aggressively
what are the evaluations against the instinct aggression theory?
–not all aggression is reactive + spontaneous
–some aggression is learned or pre-intended
what is the social learning theory of aggression?
–a learned response
–can be copied from others, particularly if behaviour is reinforced
–learned from significant others
e.g: you see an experienced player foul an opponent off the ball without the ref noticing, this distracts the player and they don’t score. You then copy this in a later game
what is an evaluation against the social learning theory of aggression?
–aggression can be instinctive + reactive rather than being learned
frustration-aggression hypothesis
–aggression occurs when goals are blocked + the performer becomes frustrated —> aggression
–the aggressive act will then reduce the aggressive drive = catharsis
–but if player is unable to release the aggressive drive, then self-punishment will occur = more frustration + increased aggressive drive
catharsis
–letting off steam
–sport is used as a release for channelling aggression
–experienced once the frustrated player has had a chance to release their aggression
what is an evaluation of the frustration-aggression hypothesis?
–not all frustration leads to aggression + not all aggression is the result of frustration
what are the reasons for resulting to aggression?
–losing
–poor play by you
–poor play by a team mate
–disagreement with the ref
–a hostile crowd
–pressure to succeed
–a high pressure game
–being fouled
aggressive-cue hypothesis
–increased frustration will lead to an increased arousal level + a drive towards aggressive responses
–aggressive responses will only occur if learned ‘cues’ are present to act as a stimulus
examples of cues: away pitch at your rivals, an opponent you have previously clashed with
how can a coach prevent aggression?
–substitute an aggressive behaviour
–reinforce non-aggressive behaviour
–point out non-aggressive role models
–set out non-aggressive goals
–don’t reinforce aggressive acts in training
–talk to players to calm them down
how can a player prevent aggression?
–walk away from the situation
–use mental rehearsal or relaxation to lower arousal
–channel aggression into assertion
how can officials prevent aggression?
–punish aggression with fines
–talk to players to calm them down
–apply the rules fairly + consistently
–apply sanctions immediately
achievement motivation
–the tendency to approach or avoid competitive situations
–looks at how much desire a player has
= desire to succeed- fear of failure
what is the level of achievement motivation dependent on?
–personality
–situation
NAF
= need to avoid failure
–more drawn to easy tasks that can be completed successfully completed
–seek secure + safe options rather than risky ones
–demonstrate avoidance behaviour
–lack confidence
–will avoid 50/50 challenges
–give up easily - won’t give it a 2nd try
–don’t like feedback or evaluation - impacts their self-esteem
NACH
= need to achieve
–will try hard in most situations to be successful
–more drawn to more difficult tasks as they will gain a lot of satisfaction if successful
–approach situations with enthusiasm
–take risks
–seek pride + satisfaction
–welcome feedback + evaluation
–confident
–task persistent
–attribute success internally
what are strategies for developing NACH performers?
–attribute success internally= tell the player they are the cause of the success
–improving confidence
–reinforcement= offer praise + rewards to those who achieve
–goal setting= achievable + new challenges should be set
–allowing success= set tasks that can be accomplished in early development
achievement goal theory
–motivation + task persistence depend on the type of goals set by the performer + how they measure success
–if an outcome goal is set + they succeed, then pride + satisfaction are maintained
–if they fail, then confidence will decrease
–if outcome goals are set too hard they could be discouraged
what are the 4 types of others that can be present when playing sport, according to Zajonc?
–audience = the people who are watching (spectators or Tv audience)
–co-actors = those who are doing the same thing at the same time but might not be in competition
–competition = those who are in direct competition
–social reinforcers = people who have a direct influence on the performance + their presence is a part of the event (coach)
