KNES 383 (Psychology of Sport and Physical Actvity)

What is Sport Psychology?

The scientific study of psychological factors that influence participation, performance, and outcomes in sports, exercise, and physical activity

looking at how mental processes affect behavior in these settings and vice versa

Physical Activity vs. Exercise

Physical Activity: Any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy—covering both structured and incidental movement (like walking or cleaning).

Exercise: A subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive, with the purpose of improving or maintaining physical fitness.

What are Educational Sports Psychologists?

They teach mental techniques such as imagery, goal-setting, and self-talk to enhance performance.

What are Clinical Sports Psychologists?

They address both performance issues and mental health concerns like anxiety or depression.

what is Imagery / Motor Imagery (mental rehearsal?

Mentally simulating an action—your brain processes it much like actual execution, improving performance when combined with physical practice.

What are Relaxation Techniques?

Tools like progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery that help manage arousal and stress/anxiety.

What is Goal Setting & Visualization?

Setting clear objectives and mentally rehearsing success to enhance preparedness and confidence.

What is Anxiety & Choking Under Pressure mean?

Issues like choking can arise from distractions, worry, or self-consciousness. Models like Self-Focus Theory, Processing Efficiency Theory, and Attentional Control Theory explain how anxiety disrupts attention and performanceby leading to overthinking or loss of focus, often resulting in suboptimal performance in high-pressure situations.

What is Imagery / Mental Rehearsal?

What is it for?

• Creating or recreating an experience in the mind using all senses (visual, kinesthetic, auditory, tactile).

• Activates similar neural pathways as physical performance, improving motor learning and confidence.

2 types of imagery:

Internal Imagery: (first-person perspective) — you see and feel the movement through your own eyes.

External Imagery: (third-person perspective) — you watch yourself like on video

What are some relaxation techniques for imagery?

• Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): Tense and release muscle groups to reduce physical tension

• Diaphragmatic Breathing: Deep belly breathing to calm the nervous system

• Guided Imagery for Calmness: Visualizing a relaxing place to lower arousal

  (Controls anxiety, before and after competition)

(Goal Setting) What does SMART stand for?

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound

(Goal Setting) What are two types of Goals? (Processes and Outcome goals)

• Outcome: Winning a race (often uncontrollable).

• Process: Focusing on form, breathing, and stride (controllable).

  (Athletes with clear, controllable goals perform more consistently under pressure)

(Arousal, Anxiety & Choking): What is Arousal?

Arousal: Physiological and psychological activation ranging from deep sleep to extreme excitement.

(Arousal, Anxiety & Choking) What is anxiety?

Anxiety: A negative emotional state with nervousness, worry, and physiological activation.

What are Key Theories of Arousal, Anxiety & Choking?

1. Inverted-U Hypothesis: Performance improves with arousal up to a point, then declines.

2. Catastrophe Model: If arousal and anxiety both spike, performance can suddenly collapse.

3. Attentional Control Theory: Anxiety reduces ability to focus on relevant cues.

   (Applied Example: Teaching a golfer to use deep breathing and cue words (“smooth swing”) to stay in the optimal zone.)

(Team Dynamics & Motivation) What are the Motivation Theories?

1. Intrinsic Motivation: Driven by enjoyment or mastery.

2. Extrinsic Motivation: Driven by rewards, recognition, or avoiding punishment.

3. Self-Determination Theory: Motivation is strongest when needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met.

(Team Dynamics & Motivation) What is the Cohesion part?

1. Task Cohesion: Commitment to team goals.

2. Social Cohesion: Liking and bonding among teammates.

   (Teams with high cohesion tend to communicate better, handle stress well, and outperform others.)

Personality & Identity in Sport (Pros and Cons ) Athletic Identity

Athletic Identity: How much someone’s self-concept is tied to being an athlete.

1. Pros: High motivation, goal orientation.

2. Cons: Risk of identity crisis if injured or retiring.

   (Applied Work: Helping athletes develop balanced identities so they can transition out of sport more smoothly.)