Anxiety

What is anxiety

state of nervousness and worry

What are the 4 types of anxiety in sport

• Trait = personality => genetic and stable

• State = situation dependent

• Cognitive = psychological => the irrational thinking or worries about performance => the performer may believe they do not have the ability to perform the task and therefore experience nervousness which can lead to a loss in concentration

• Somatic = physiological => it is the response of the body. Symptoms include inc. HR, sweating, muscular tension and sickness

What is competitive trait anxiety

 a personality trait when a player feels nervous in most sporting situations --> genetic and stable

what is competitive state anxiety

 a response to a particular sporting situation a temporary rush of anxiety caused by a threatening circumstance e.g. taking a penalty

give an example of competitive state anxiety

An individual with a high trait anxiety is more likely to experience high state anxiety when faced with stressful situation, especially if others are watching or evaluating their performance.

what is cognitive anxiety

psychological => it is the irrational thinking or worries about performance. The performer may believe they do not have the ability to perform the task and therefore experience nervousness which can lead to loss in concentration

what is somatic anxiety

 physiological = has an identical effect on performance as arousal does in the inverted-U theory.

What does this graph show about cognitive and somatic anxiety when it comes to the inverted U theory

Increases in somatic anxiety improves performance up to a point => beyond which performance is impaired => cognitive anxiety has a negative effect on performance as cognitive anxiety increases, performance decreases.

How can you measure anxiety

• Self-report questionnaires

• Observation

• Physiological testing

What are the strengths of questionnaires

• Quick

• Cheap

• Efficient = large numbers that can be assessed quickly 

What are the limitations of questionnaires

• Players might not answer truthfully

• Dependent on mood (answers can be given differently after they win or loose a match)

• Time pressure could cause answers to be rushed => leading to incorrect answers

What are strengths of observations

True to life

what are some limitations to observations

• Subjective (based on opinions)

• Time consuming as prior knowledge of performer required

• Performers can change behaviour if they know they are being watched

What are physiological measures

• HR, inc. sweating, inc. respiration and hormone levels can be measured to assess anxiety

 

What are some strengths of physiological measures

• Results = factual

• Can be measured in both training and competition

• Advanced in technology mean that HR can be measured by electronic devices within clothing and relayed immediately back to the coach 

What are some limitations of physiological measures

• Training is required to use devices

• Costs may deter amateur performers

• Wearing a device can restrict movement => affecting performance

• If a performer is aware they are being measured is can lead to additional stress and false readings