Section 4 - Sports Psychology

skill

a learned action to bring about the result you want with certainty and minimum effort

ability

a person’s set of traits that control their potential to learn a skill

4 skill classifications

• basic vs complex

• open vs closed

• self vs externally paced

• gross vs fine

goal setting

setting targets that you want to reach so you can improve your performance

3 benefits of goal setting

• motivation

• boosts confidence

• helps emotional well-being

performance goal

based on improving own personal performance

outcome goal

focused on end result only

goal setting principles

SMART

SMART

• specific

• measurable

• accepted

• realistic

• time-bound

guidance

how to perform or develop a skill

types of guidance

• verbal

• visual

• manual

• mechanical

feedback

finding out how you did

• intrinsic - best for elite

• extrinsic - best for beginners

information in feedback

• knowledge of performance

• knowledge of results

two types of focus in feedback

• positive - what you did well

• negative - what you didn’t do well

information processing model

1. input

2. decision making

3. output

4. feedback

6 techniques to mentally prepare in sport

• mental rehearsal

• visualisation

• deep breathing

• imagery

• positive self talk / thinking

• selective attention

arousal level

how mentally or physically alert you are

motivation

how keen you are to do something

• intrinsic

• extrinsic

aggression

• indirect

• direct

personality and sport

• introverts: prefer sports alone, fine skills high concentration and low arousal

  • archery, snooker, athletics

• extroverts: team sports, fast paced sports with gross skills and low concentration

  • e.g. hockey, rugby, football

specific

• outline exactly what you want to achieve

• makes sure you stay focused

measurable

• so you can see how much you’ve progressed towards you goal over time

• helps you stay motivated

accepted

• should be decided by everyone involved

• other people can make sure target is right level of difficulty

• can motivate performer to stay focused

realistic

• set targets you can realistically reach

• making sure you have everything you need to be able to fulfil your target

• physically able, enough resources (time, money, facilities)

• so you can stay determined during training

time-bound

• set a deadline for reaching your goal

• time limit makes sure target is measurable

• meeting short term deadlines keeps you on course to reach long term goals

• keeps you motivated

simple skill

quick to learn; not too much decision making or thought

complex skill

needs lots of decision making so required lots of thought and coordination

open skill

performed in a changing environment where performer has to react and adapt to external factors

closed skill

always performed in same predictable environment - not affected by external factors

self paced skill

controlled by performer - when and how quickly it is done

externally paced

affected by external factors which control when it starts and how quickly it is done

gross skill

involves powerful movements performed by large muscle groups

fine skill

smaller muscle groups used to carry out precise movements that require accuracy and coordination

advs of verbal guidance

• can be combined with other types of guidance

• helpful for elite performers who understand technical language

• can give it during performance - esp good for open skills

disadvs of verbal guidance

• less useful for teaching complex skills - difficult to explain

• can be confusing for beginner due to complicated language

advs of visual guidance

• works well for beginners - can copy skill

• can be used to teach closed skills - same action every time

• slow motion videos can highlight small details of a skill for elite performers

disadvs of visual guidance

• less useful for teaching complex and open skills - more detailed to copy

• demonstrations for beginners must be clear, concise and simple in order to be useful

advs of manual guidance

• useful for teaching beginners - can get ‘feel’ of skill

• helpful for teaching complex skills

disadvs of manual guidance

• performer can begin to rely on it - can’t do skill by self

• difficult for big groups of leaners

advs of mechanical guidance

• useful for teaching beginners - can feel safe practising dangerous skill

• helpful for teaching complex skills

disadvs of mechanical guidance

• leaner might be unable to perform skill without equipment

• difficult for large groups

compare intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

• intrinsic most effective - more likely to try hard and play long term is you enjoy it

• extrinsic can be effective - rewards or praise can make you feel good

• extrinsic ineffective without intrinsic motivation

• too many extrinsic rewards can decrease intrinsic motivation - rely on extrinsic rewards to feel motivated