Talent development: so you've found it, what do you do with it? - the importance of psychology - 11.1 - research Flashcards
MacNamara et al. (2010)
Given the complexity of the talent development process, it seems likely that a range of psychological factors underpin an athlete’s ability to translate potential into top-class performance. Therefore, the purpose of part one of this two-part investigation was to explore the attributes that facilitate the successful development of athletes from initial involvement to achieving and maintaining world-class status. Seven elite athletes and a parent of each of these athletes were interviewed regarding their own (their son’s/ daughter’s) development in sport. Data were content analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Although sporting achievement was conceptualized as being multidimensional, psychological factors were highlighted as the key determinants of those who emerged as talented and maintained excellence. Accordingly, we suggest that talent identification and development programs should place greater emphasis on the advancement and application of psychological behaviors at an early stage to optimize both the development and performance of athletes.
Fletcher and Sarkar (2011)
The purpose of this paper is to review and critique the variety of definitions, concepts and theories of psychological resilience. To this end, the narrative is divided into three main sections. The first considers how resilience has been defined in the psychology research literature. Despite the construct being operationalized in a variety of ways, most definitions are based around two core concepts: adversity and positive adaptation. A substantial body of evidence suggests that resilience is required in response to different adversities, ranging from ongoing daily hassles to major life events, and that positive adaptation must be conceptually appropriate to the adversity examined in terms of the domains assessed and the stringency of criteria used. The second section examines the conceptualization of resilience as either a trait or process, and explores how it is distinct from a number of related terms. Resilience is conceptualized as the interactive influence of psychological characteristics within the context of the stress process. The final section reviews the theories of resilience and critically examines one theory in particular that is commonly cited in the resilience literature. Future theories in this area should take into account the multiple demands individuals encounter, the meta-cognitive and -emotive processes that affect the resilience-stress relationship, and the conceptual distinction between resilience and coping. The review concludes with implications for policy, practice, and research including the need to carefully manage
individuals’ immediate environment, and to develop the protective and promotive factors that individuals can proactively utilize to build resilience.
Abbott and Collins (2004)
It is acknowledged that appropriate support and training are essential if talented individuals are to fulfil their
potential. The early identification of talented athletes is an increasingly important consideration for researchers
and practitioners alike. Once talented individuals have been detected, crucial but limited support resources can
be optimally deployed to ensure that their needs are met and that their gifts are developed. However, there is
considerable disagreement among experts on what talent is, and which factors can reliably be used within talent
identification processes. This paper explores prerequisites to success in sport, and the comparative efficacy of
employing these prerequisites within talent identification schemes. It is proposed that talent needs to be
reconceptualized so that talent identification and talent development processes are perceived to be dynamic and
interrelated. Additionally, the need to place greater emphasis on the capacity of a child to develop in sport and
the psychological factors that underpin this process is highlighted. To this end, it is advocated that talent
identification and development schemes, while emphasizing the multidimensional nature of talent, need to
recognize the essential role of psychology in the ability of individuals to fulfil their sporting potential.
Collins and MacNamara (2012)
The increasingly well funded and high-tech world of talent development (TD) represents an important investment for most sports. Reflecting traditional concepts of challenge and focus, the vast majority of such systems expend a great deal of effort maximizing support to the young athletes and trying to counter the impact of naturally occurring life stressors. In this article, we suggest that much of this effort is misdirected; that, in fact, talented
potential can often benefit from, or even need, a variety of challenges to facilitate eventual adult performance. Our argument is built on evidence that such challenges are more common in athletes who reach the top, together with a critical consideration of the modus operandi and impact of psychological/ character-focused interventions such as mental toughness and resilience. In conclusion, we explore some implications for the design and conduct of optimum academies and TD environments.
MacNamara and Collins (2013)
The ability to successfully develop to the highest levels in sport is dependent on a range of variables, not least an individual’s ability to cope with the various challenges of development. Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence (PCDEs) include both the trait characteristics and the state-deployed skills that have been shown to play a crucial role in the realisation of potential. Psychological characteristics of developing excellence equip aspiring elites with the mental skills, attitudes, and
emotions to cope with the challenges of the development pathway, as well as underpinning their capacity to make the most of their innate abilities. The Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire (PCDEQ) was designed to assess the possession and deployment of these characteristics. The purpose of this paper was to examine the ability of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire to effectively discriminate between good and poor
developers based on their current possession and deployment of psychological characteristics of developing excellence. Two hundred and eighty-five athletes (n ¼ 192 team athletes; n ¼ 93 individual athletes) completed the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire. Results from the discriminant function analysis suggest that the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire correctly classifies between 67% and 75% of athletes based on their responses. The Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence Questionnaire can be used as a
formative assessment tool to direct training programmes by identifying weaknesses in psychological characteristics of developing excellence and incorporating specific training to address these weaknesses in advance of developmental challenges
Savage et al. (2017)
It has recently been argued that performers benefit from trauma (i.e., memorable challenges) during development. To deepen knowledge in this area, we explored perceived traumas in the development of 20 senior-international performers with a multimethods, temporal-based design. Results showed that perceived traumas were primarily sports based, recognized from onset of investment, associated with immediately negative but ultimately positive impact, and negotiated through skills that were brought to, rather than generated by, these experiences. The findings provide an interesting contrast to messages in other early trauma-focused research and promote focus on the process and mechanisms of responding to and recovering from traumatic experiences
Duckworth et al. (2007)
The importance of intellectual talent to achievement in all professional domains is well established, but less is known about other individual differences that predict success. The authors tested the importance of 1 noncognitive trait: grit. Defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals, grit accounted for an average of 4% of the variance in success outcomes, including educational attainment among 2 samples of adults (N 1,545 and N 690), grade point average among Ivy League undergraduates (N 138), retention in 2 classes of United States Military Academy, West Point, cadets (N 1,218 and N 1,308), and ranking in the National Spelling Bee (N 175). Grit did not relate positively to IQ but was highly correlated with Big Five
Conscientiousness. Grit nonetheless demonstrated incremental predictive validity of success measures over
and beyond IQ and conscientiousness. Collectively, these findings suggest that the achievement of difficult goals entails not only talent but also the sustained and focused application of talent over time.
Fletcher and Sarkar (2012)
Objective: Although it is well-established that the ability to manage stress is a prerequisite of sporting excellence, the construct of psychological resilience has yet to be systematically examined in athletic performers. The study reported here sought to explore and explain the relationship between psychological resilience and optimal sport performance.
Design and method: Twelve Olympic champions (8 men and 4 women) from a range of sports were interviewed regarding their experiences of withstanding pressure during their sporting careers. A
grounded theory approach was employed throughout the data collection and analysis, and interview transcripts were analyzed using open, axial and selective coding. Methodological rigor was established by incorporating various verification strategies into the research process, and the resultant grounded theory was also judged using the quality criteria of fit, work, relevance, and modifiability.
Results and conclusions: Results indicate that numerous psychological factors (relating to a positive personality, motivation, confidence, focus, and perceived social support) protect the world’s best athletes from the potential negative effect of stressors by influencing their challenge appraisal and metacognitions. These processes promote facilitative responses that precede optimal sport performance. The emergent theory provides sport psychologists, coaches and national sport organizations with an understanding of the role of resilience in athletes’ lives and the attainment of optimal sport performance
Yeager and Dweck (2012)
Because challenges are ubiquitous, resilience is essential for success in school and in life. In this article we review research demonstrating the impact of students’ mindsets on their resilience in the face of academic and social challenges. We show that students who believe (or are taught) that intellectual abilities are qualities that can be developed (as opposed to qualities that are fixed) tend to show higher achievement across challenging school transitions and greater course completion rates in challenging math courses. New research also shows that believing (or being taught) that social attributes can be developed can lower adolescents’ aggression and stress in response to peer victimization or exclusion, and result in enhanced school performance. We conclude by discussing why psychological interventions that change students’ mindsets are effective and what educators can do to foster these mindsets and create resilience in educational settings.
Collins et al. (2016)
There seems to be general agreement on the importance of challenge for effective development on the athlete pathway. What seems less coherent, however, are ideas on
how much, when and how this challenge should be used. Reflecting our own experience as applied practitioners and our ongoing research, we offer a perspective on this work
from a practitioner stance. The literature suggests that differences between levels of adult achievement relate more to what performers bring to the challenges than what they experience. Therefore, it is essential that young athletes have the opportunity to develop psycho-behavioral and coping skills, and have adequate social support, to ensure that adversity is interpreted as a positive growth experience. A periodized and progressive
set of challenge, preceded with specific skill development, would seem to offer the best pathway to success. The importance of preparing athletes for challenges, supporting them through the experience, and then encouraging positive evaluation and reflection is
key to successful outcome. Finally, we offer some suggestions, structures and systems, which can be used to support the skill-based approach promoted.
The real-world experiences of young athletes follow a non-linear and dynamic trajectory and there is growing recognition that facing and overcoming a degree of challenge is desirable for aspiring elites and as such, should be recognized and employed. However, there are some misunderstandings of this “talent needs trauma” perspective with some research focusing excessively or incorrectly on the incidence of life and sport challenge
as a feature of effective talent development. The objective of the study was to examine what factors associated with such “trauma” experiences may or may not discriminate
between high, medium, and low achievers in sport, classified as super-champions, champions or almosts. A series of retrospective interviews were used with matched
triads (i.e., super-champions, champions, or almosts) of performers (N = 54) from different sports. Data collection was organized in three phases. In the first phase, a
graphic time line of each performer’s career was developed. The second phase explored the specific issues highlighted by each participant in a chronological sequence. The third phase was a retrospective reflection on “traumatic” motivators, coach/significant other inputs and psychological challenges experienced and skills employed. Data suggested qualitative differences between categories of performers, relating to several perceptual
and experiential features of their development. No evidence was found for the necessity of major trauma as a feature of development. There was a lack of discrimination across categories of performers associated with the incidence of trauma and, more particularly, life or non-sport trauma. These findings suggest that differences between levels of adult achievement relate more to what performers bring to the challenges than what they experience. A periodized and progressive set of challenge, preceded and associated with specific skill development, would seem to offer the best pathway to success for the majority
Morgan et al. (2013)
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to develop a definition of team resilience and to identify the resilient characteristics of elite sport teams.
Design and method: Focus groups consisting of a total of 31 participants were conducted with five elite teams from a range of sports. An interpretive thematic analysis using inductive and deductive reasoning was employed to analyze the data.
Results and conclusions: Team resilience was defined as a dynamic, psychosocial process which protects a group of individuals from the potential negative effect of the stressors they collectively encounter. It comprises of processes whereby team members use their individual and combined resources to positively adapt when experiencing adversity. Findings revealed four main resilient characteristics of elite sport teams: group structure, mastery approaches, social capital, and collective efficacy. This study extends resilience research in sport psychology by providing greater conceptual clarity of resilience at a team level. The implications of the findings for those conducting research in this area and for those consulting with elite sport teams are discussed.
Vaeyens et al. (2008)
No unified theory found
Validity has been questioned
Traditional theories tend to exclude late developers
TD programmes need to be multidimensional and dynamic
