Unit 2 Flashcards
Psychological Skills Training (PST)
Skills that can…
- be learned
- practiced
- not all equal
- Often assume people have the skills
- Requires Self- Awareness
- Physical and Mental
Self-Regulation
- Arousal Control –> optimal level of arousal
- Anxiety/ Stress Model
- Will Power (Motivation)
- Confidence
If Psychological Skills are so important to performance, why do we do such little training?
- Lack of Knowledge- relatively young field
- Belief that Champions are born; not made- overemphasis on talent
- Lack of time- takes time to learn and practice the skills
How to increase practice for PST
Develop a habit- require less mental effort
-Cue-> Routine-> Reward
Eventually we being to anticipate reward
- “Craving” or “Desire”
Myths about PST
- for problem athletes- in fact used to optimize function
- Elite Athletes- in fact most people can benefit (incl. kids)
- Quick Fix- requires practice
- Not Effective- lots of studies show effectiveness
Bottom Line: It works, but it is not magic
-compliments physical training
PST Program Stages
- Education Phase
a. assess awareness
b. assess motivation
c. Rationale- explain why it works - Acquisition Phase- learn the skills
- Practice/ Implementation- progress reports, check in, correct, question
- Evaluate- modify/ next step/ new skill
Progressive Relaxation
- Alternate tensing and relaxing
- Full body relaxation
- God for type A people
- once a day
- 18 to 20 minutes
- caution with injuries
Autogenic Training
- 15 minutes
- body scan
- no tensing
- warm and heavy
- face is cold and light
How to Respond and Manage Stress
- Reduce Stressers
- Decrease Vulnerability
- Physiological Intervention
a. Programmed relaxation
b. Autogenic
c. Meditation
d. Hypnosis
e. Biofeedback - Cognitive Intervention
a. Cognition Therapy
b. Reframing
c. Problem Solving - Modify Stress Responce
a. Sleep Hygine
STRESS: Vulnerability
Genetic, Prior Experience, Health Status, Development Stage, Coping Skills
STRESS: Stressors
Major events (+/-), Life Changing Events, Daily Hassles, Social Stressors, Environment Stressors (Chronic or Acute)
STRESS: Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
Cortisol, Fight or Flight, Respiratory Activation
STRESS: Cognitive Apprasial
Threat, Coping Resources, Attribution (Negative)
STRESS: Stress Responce
INCREASED Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, Anxiety, and Irritability.
DECREASED Immune System
-Depression, muscle tension, headaches
Other models of Arousal
- Inverted ‘U’ Function (Arousal v. Performance)
2. Flow Theory (Challenge v. Skills- be in middle zone)
Under Arousal- Less Common
Causes…
- Not Enough challenge-> Overconfidence
- Burnout/ Overtraining
- Depression
- Lack of Sleep
- Lack of Interest
- Worry/ Distraction
How to Increase Arousal
- Music
- Verbal Encouragement
- Change Routine
- Fun
- Competition (low stakes)
- Day Off
- Self- Talk
- Act Energized- feelings follow actions
Attention/ Focus/ Concentration
- Ability to focus on relevant task cues while ignoring distractions
- Attention is a complex multi dimensional, psychological process
Parts of Attention/ Focus/ Concentration
- Alertness (level of arousal)
- Selective- filter (evaluate stimulus and decide to ignore)
- Maintenance- w/o effort- lasts 5 sec
- Search Function (auditory/ visual)-spotlight effect
- Executive Function- Awareness of attention
- Switching Functions
- Situational Awareness
Visual Attention
- Efficient gaze strategy
- Experts ‘learn’ where to look/ hold
- Visual control leads to motor control
- Optimal visual control “Quiet Eye”
- Anxiety leads to lower Quiet Eye
Attentional Capacity Varies with…
genetic differences
State of organisms (fatigue, nutrition, stress)
Self-talk
Losing Attenion- Misdirection
- Internal Distraction
a. Past
b. Future
c. Overanalyze technique
d. Negative self talk - External Distraction
a. Visual
b. Auditory
Hypnosis Myths
- loss of control
- surrender will
- low intelligence
- reveal secrets
Characteristics of Hypnosis
- Reduce stimuli
- Narrow attention
- Physiological Relaxation
- Suggestions
Ways to enhance concentration
- Be intentional
- Focus on 1 thing @ a time
- keyword - Do what you think
- Focus on what you can control
- When anxious focus outward
- in the moment
- Focus on performance goals
- Pre-performance rituals
- Visualization
- Stimulation Training
- preparing for adversity
Good suggetions for hypnosis
- Positive
- Permissive
- Future
- Repeat (at least 3 times)
- Visual Images
- Avoid word “try”
Imagery/ Visualization
- Cognitive Process- conscious production of images of some action that activates areas of brain involved in that action
- Skill- varies from person to person
- Part of Preparation
5 Key Characteristics of Imagery
- Sensory Modality- visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile
- Perspective- 1st person perspective or 3rd person perspective
- Angle- Horizontal, Arial, in between
- Agency- who is “author” of image- self is better
- Deliberation- spontaneous or intentional
2 Explainations
- Neuroplasticity- structure brain to perform actions
2. Primary effects- preparing neuron to activate
Things Image can do
- Task
- Concentration/Focus
- Confident
- Solve Problems
- Healing
Rules for Image
- must be intentional purpose, vivid, control
- MUST use correct Image
- incorrect image decreases performance
- image to match optimal performance
Meditation
Conscious attempt to focus attention in a non-analytic way and not dwell on discursive thought
Physiological Effects of Meditation
INCREASED: Immune Function, Cerebral Blood Flow
DECREASED: Lactic Acid and Cortisol
2 Types of Meditation
- Concentrative- focus on single stimulus- Mantra, Icon, Breath
- Mindfulness- Allow stimulation in consciousness
Psychological Effects of Meditation
INCREASED: Memory, Empathy, Cognitive Flexability (esp elderly), Attitude, Self-Compassion, Creativity, Optimism, Info Processing Speed, Self-Actualization
Exercise and Well Being Continuum of Wellness
I———–I—————–I——————————————-I
a. b. c. d.
a. Disorder, Disease, Distress, Anxiety, Depression
b. Subclinical
c. Neutral (as far as medicine goes)
d. FLOURISH (Optimal Functioning
Parts of Flourishing Wellness
- Positive Emotion
- Engagement (FLOW)
- Positive Relationships
- Meaning
- Accomplishment
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
-- 3+ symptoms for clinical disorder (6 month time span) Restlessness Fatigue Difficult to Concentration Irritable Muscle Tension Sleep Disturbance Worry
Moderate Exercise and Well Being
Decrease Anxiety (for 4- 24 hrs)
- Low intensity has some effect
- Longer time period (weeks) vs. days
- Very effective
- 30 minute minimum
- Aerobic is best
- Psychological gains even w/o physical gains
- Effect cut across populations
Depression
Depressed Mood Loss of Interest Weight Change +/- Sleeping Problem (Insomnia/Hypermedia) Loss of Energy Restless Difficulty Concentrating Suicidal Ideas
Exercise (Moderate) for Depression
Decreased Depression Prevent Relapse 3-5x wk (30-45 min) Aerobic/ Anerobic Quick Relief Effective Across populations -as effective as therapy and medications Longer program leads to greater effects Fitness is not a factor
Mood
Transient state
Exercise can do what with moond
Increase mood
Increase energy level
Decrease Muscle Tension
Why does Exercise Work (Physological)
Brain Blood Flow Oxygination Increase Neurotransmitters Decrease Muscle Tension (more relaxed) Structure of the brain
Why does Exercise Work (Psychological)
Confident
INCREASED: Self-Esteem, Social Interaction, Feelings of Control, Hope->Optimism, Cognitive Effects, Working Memory, Executive Function, Speed of info processing.
Intrinsic Enjoyment
Exercise and Quality of Life (FLOURISH)
Mobility, Independence, Good Sleep, Productive, Flow, Stamina, Hardiness (able to handle stress)
