Exam 2 Study Guide: Introduction to Sport Psychology

Cohesion

A dynamic process that is reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in pursuit of its instrumental objectives and/or for the satisfaction of member affective needs.

Task cohesion

The degree to which group members work together to achieve common goals and objectives.

Social cohesion

The degree to which team members like each other and enjoy one another's company.

Cohesion impact on performance

Higher cohesion is related to better performance in both co-active and interactive sports

Team satisfaction

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Conformity

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Adherence

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Social support

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Stability

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Group goals

A factor that cohesion impacts.

Dimensions of building team cohesion

5 dimensions include distinctiveness, individual roles, group norms, individual sacrifices, interaction and commmunication.

Dinstinctiveness

Characteristics, objects, symbols, etc. that distinguish this team from other teams

Individual Roles

Establishing team wide appreciation for the contributions of each individual.

Group Norms

a level of performance, pattern of behavior, or belief

Belief

Individual sacrifices an individual might be willing to give up for the good of the group.

Interaction and Communication

Standards, practices, activities involving how the team interacts and communicates.

Positive Reinforcement

Present stimulus that increases future likelihood of the behavior that preceded it.

Negative Reinforcement

Remove an aversive stimulus-increases future likelihood of the behavior that preceded it.

Positive Punishment

Present aversive stimulus decreases future likelihood of the behavior that preceded it

Negative Punishment

Remove a positive stimulus decreases future likelihood of the behavior that preceded it. Typically has fewer detrimental effects than positive punishment.

Negative side effects of aversive punishment

Fear of Failure

Unpleasant environment

Cohesion built on hatred of coach

Principles of Positive Reinforcement

With difficult skills, shape the behavior of the learner by reinforcing close approximations of the desired behavior. Reward Technical Performance as well as outcome

Reward emotional and social skill.

Motivational feedback influences performance by

enhancing confidence, inspiring greater effort, and creating a positive mood. Providing valuable reinforcement to the performer

establishing goal-setting programs

Feedback should be

both sincere and contingent.

Instructional Feedback

Provides information about specific behaviors to be performed and levels of proficiency that should be achieved.

Self-Determination Theory

3 basic needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness).

Competence

"I know what I'm doing."

Autonomy

"I'm doing what I want to do."

Relatedness

"I feel connected to others."

Self-Determination Continuum

8 dimensions i.e. external regulation, introjected regulation, integrated regulation, stimulation, accomplishment, knowledge

Amotivation

Lack of motivation.

External Regulation

Behavior completely controlled by external sources.

Introjected Regulation

Behavior motivated by internal pressures, but regulated by external contingencies.

Identified Regulation

Behavior valued and performed willingly, but reflects feeling of "ought to" rather than "want to."

Integrated Regulation

Activity is personally important because of a valued outcome rather than strictly based on the activity in and of itself.

Stimulation

Desire to experience pleasant sensations i.e. excitement.

Accomplishment

Behavior motivated by satisfaction of creation and mastery.

Knowledge

Behavior motivated by pleasure of learning, exploring, understanding.

Cognitive Evaluation Theory

How rewards are perceived is critical in determining whether intrinsic motivation increases or decreases.

Controlling Aspects

Increase or Decrease intrinsic motivation.

Controlling decrease intrinsic motivation

Rewards perceived as means to control a person

Informational Decrease Intrinsic Motivation

Events that provide negative information about competence.

Controlling Increase intrinsic motivation

Rewards that contribute to an internal locus of causality

Informational Increase Intrinsic Motivation

Rewards that provide information and positive feedback about competence

Psychological Skills Training

Systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills for the purpose of enhancing performance, increasing enjoyment, achieving greater sport and physical activity self-satisfaction.

8 Subscales of ACSI-28

Coping with Adversity, Coachability, Concentration, Confidence and Achievement Motivation, Goal Setting and Mental Preparation, Peaking Under Pressure, Freedom from Worry.

Coping with Adversity

Degree to which athlete remains positive and enthusiastic even when things are going badly, remains calm and controlled, and can quickly bounce back from mistakes and setbacks

Coachability

Degree to which athlete is open to and learns from instruction, and accepts constructive criticism without taking it personally and becoming upset

Concentration

Reflects whether athlete becomes easily distracted, and is able to focus on the task at hand in both practice and game situations, even when adverse or unexpected situations occur

Confidence and Achievement Motivation

Measures if athlete is confident and positively motivated, consistently gives 100% during practices and games, and works hard to improve his or her skills

Goal Setting and Mental Preparation

Assesses whether an athlete sets and works toward specific performance goals, plans and mentally prepares for games, and clearly has a game plan for performing well

Peaking Under Pressure

Measures if an athlete is challenged rather than threatened by pressure situations and performs well under pressure

Freedom from Worry

Assesses whether an athlete puts pressure on him- or herself by worrying about performing poorly or making mistakes; worries about what others will think if he/she performs poorly

Performance Profiling

Method of assessing what skills or attributes are necessary to be successful in an endeavor.

Importance of arousal regulation.

Stress is part of our daily lives.

Performance-related reasons

Negative impacts on performance due to ineffective stress coping.

Mental and physical distress

Negative emotional and physical states resulting from stress.

Regulating arousal

Managing physiological and psychological states to maintain focus and control.

Breath control

A foundational technique for controlling anxiety and muscle tension.

Diaphragmatic breathing

Focusing on lowering and raising the diaphragm to increase stability, centeredness, and relaxation.6,87,9

Biofeedback training

A technique that teaches individuals to control physiological responses through visual or auditory feedback. Physical oriented technique

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)

A method involving systematic tensing and relaxing of major muscle groups.

Differential PR

Learning to relax all muscles except those needed for the task at hand.

Abbreviated active PR

A shorter procedure combining muscle groups with 5-10 seconds of tension followed by 30-40 seconds of relaxation.

Passive PR

Relaxing muscles without prior tensing, allowing participants to let go of tension.

Quick body scan

An abbreviated passive PR technique used during performance to identify and release tension.

Neck and shoulder check

A technique to identify and release tension commonly held in the neck and shoulders.

Sport muscle check

Similar to neck and shoulder check, but sub sport appropriate muscle groups

Grounding exercises

Exercises that shift cognitive focus from internal thoughts to external stimuli.

Anchoring

An associative technique linking a desired emotional state with a physical action or object.

Cognitive anxiety

Anxiety that should be treated with mental relaxation techniques.

Somatic anxiety

Anxiety that should be treated with physical relaxation techniques.

4 dimensions of Concentration

Focus on relevant cues

Maintain attentional focus over time

Awareness of situation and performance

Shift attentional focus

Focus on Relevant cues

Selective attention

relevant cues are considered

irrelevant cues are either eliminated or disregarded

Maintain attentional focus over time

Median length of time during which thought content remains on target = 5 seconds

Situational awareness

The ability to assess game situations and make appropriate decisions under pressure.

Attentional flexibility

The ability to alter the scope and focus of attention as required by the situation.

Expert-novice differences

Variations in attentional processing and decision-making between expert and novice players.

Alertness

The state of being aware and responsive to stimuli, which can narrow the attentional field.

Capacity

The limitation of attention, indicating that only a certain amount of information can be processed at one time.

Selectivity

The process of allowing some information into the system while ignoring other information.

Controlled processing

Conscious attention and awareness of actions during performance.

Automatic processing

Performing skills with little to no conscious attention.

Choking model

A framework explaining performance decrements under pressure.

Quiet eye technique

A method that involves maintaining visual focus on a critical target before execution.

Imagery

Visualization, mental rehearsal, symbolic rehearsal, mental practice

Process involves recalling from memory pieces of information stored from experience and shaping these pieces into meaningful images

Self-fulfilling prophecy

The phenomenon where one's expectations influence outcomes.

Optimal confidence

A balanced level of confidence that enhances performance without leading to overconfidence.

Broad attentional focus

allows a person to perceive several occurrences simultaneously

Narrow attentional focus

respond to only one or two cues

External Attentional Focus

directs attention outward to an object

Internal Attentional Focus

attention direct inward to thoughts and feelings

Choking Model

suboptimal performance, not just poor performance. It's a performance that is inferior to what you can do and have done in the past and occurs when you feel pressure to get everything right...

Modes of Imagery

Kinesthetic

Auditory

Visual

Tactile

Olfactory

5 key characteristics of imagery

Modality

Key characteristic of imagery, it is the senses.

Perspective

Key characteristic of imagery, visual perspective taken

Angle

Key characteristic of imagery, Viewing angle when imaging from external perspective

Above, behind, front, or side.

Agency

Key characteristic of imagery, Author or agent of the behavior

One's self or another person

Deliberation

Key characteristic of imagery, Degree to which imagery is deliberate or spontaneous