Psychology of Motivation and Goal Setting in Sport Performance

Motivation

The internal drive that influences an athlete's commitment and performance.

Goal Setting

A set of short-term plans aimed at achieving larger long-term outcomes.

Outcome Goals

Goals that focus on end results, times, placings or medals, which are difficult to achieve and rely on the performance of others.

Performance Goals

Goals that focus on comparing present performance levels with those obtained previously, leading to greater self-confidence and less anxiety.

Process Goals

Goals that focus on actions such as physical movements and game strategies/tactics, developed to maximize athlete/team performance.

Psychological Skills Training (PST)

The rehearsal or practice of a variety of psychological techniques to improve performance.

Self Regulation

The ability to manage one's own learning and performance.

Law of Effect

A principle stating that behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to be repeated.

Locus of Causality

The degree to which individuals believe they can control events affecting them.

Performance

A sequence of movements in physical activity.

Mini Quizzes

Short assessments used to recap content and reinforce learning.

Common Problems with Goal Setting

Issues such as setting too many goals, failing to recognize individual differences, and not modifying unrealistic goals.

Effective Goals

Goals that must be challenging, have a long-term vision reachable through smaller short-term goals, and be measurable.

Acronym for Goal Setting

A specific acronym used to assist in the process of setting effective goals.

Issues with Goal Setting

Problems that can arise include failing to create a supportive atmosphere and understanding the time required for goal achievement.

Types of Goals

Three categories of goals: Outcome, Performance, and Process.

Commitment

The level of dedication an athlete has towards achieving their goals.

Evaluation of Performance

The process of assessing performance and progress towards goals.

Attention Directing

Focusing on the task at hand to enhance performance.

Training Structure

The organization of training sessions to align with set goals.

S - Specific

Specific to task expectations

M - Measurable

Measurable to identify progress

A - Action

Action how you plan to achieve the goal

R - Realistic

Realistic can you achieve the goal

T - Time Framed

Time Framed so you meet goal deadlines

E - Evaluated

Evaluated to review progress with coach

R - Recorded

Recorded down so they are visible and known

Direction

Seeking out or avoiding situations, such as athletes wanting to attend extra training or burnt out players skipping sessions.

Intensity

The amount of effort put in; highly motivated people exert a lot of effort.

Persistence

The extent to which an athlete concentrates on a task, exemplified by a golfer spending hours perfecting their putting stroke.

Continuity

The extent to which an athlete returns to a task, such as attending training regularly and practicing autonomous skills.

Major motives for physical activity

Include youth sport participation, adult sport participation, improving skills, health reasons, having fun, weight loss, being with friends, fitness, experiencing thrills, self challenge, achieving success, feeling better, fitness, and socializing.

Types of Motivation

Include Positive & Negative Motivation, Primary & Secondary Motivation, Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation.

Intrinsic motivation

The spontaneous enjoyment of sports, the sense of mastery and competence in acquiring skills, and the inner need to achieve personal standards or goals.

Factors motivating intrinsic motivation

Include satisfaction, self-esteem, feelings of enjoyment, success, effort, and interest.

Extrinsic motivation

Refers to the + or - reinforcement of sport achievements through physical means or social means, such as praise or the avoidance of criticism.

Examples of extrinsic rewards

Include money, glory/recognition, and winning.

Positive Motivation

Emphasizes what is good about a performance, involves praising athletes' efforts, and is the most effective form.

Characteristics of positive motivation

Must be consistent & continuous, and can create a sense of achievement and desire to continue.

Example of positive motivation

Verbal praise, such as 'Good kick Johnny'.

Negative Motivation

Decreases an athlete's enthusiasm to participate and the chances of the athlete performing well.

Primary Motivation

Comes from the activity itself, such as when a goal is scored.

Secondary Motivation

Is provided by something or someone else, such as encouragement from a coach.

Extrinsic Rewards

Psychologists believe extrinsic rewards have the power to develop and modify behaviour; these rewards can be tangible or intangible.

Tangible Rewards

Physical rewards such as trophies or medals.

Intangible Rewards

Non-physical rewards such as praise or criticism from a coach or fan.

Achievement Motivation

An individual's drive to achieve success for its own sake, influenced by personality and situational factors.

Personality Factors

Two factors that contribute to Achievement Motivation: the need to achieve (nach) and the need to avoid failure (Naf).

Need to Achieve (nach)

Shows approach behaviour, seeks out challenges, is concerned with standards, enjoys being evaluated, is not afraid to fail, and has high task persistence.

Need to Avoid Failure (Naf)

Shows avoidance behaviour, avoids challenges, prefers guaranteed success or failure, avoids situations where success is unknown, attributes performance to external factors, and lacks persistence.

Situational Factors

Judged in terms of the incentive value of success and the probability of success.

Self Motivation

The extent to which a person is able to persist in tasks or to generate action, such as continuing to work hard during tough competition.

Stability

Refers to whether a cause is stable and unchangeable or unstable and temporary, such as luck.

Factors Affecting Motivation

Include attitudes, enthusiasm, self-esteem, and positive and negative reinforcement.

Reinforcement

Defined by the effect it has on behaviour, increasing or strengthening the behaviour and enhancing the likelihood of a response.

Positive Reinforcement

When an activity is rewarded in a positive way, encouraging the participant.

Negative Reinforcement

When a stimulus is removed after completing an activity, such as a coach telling the team to complete their sprints before playing a game.

Social Reinforcement

Refers to reinforcers such as smiles, acceptance, praise, acclaim, and attention from others, important for team cohesion.

Material Reinforcement

Provides material rewards such as trophies and medals, similar to extrinsic motivation.

Internal Reinforcement

The most effective form of reinforcement, involving feeling satisfaction or pride about an achievement or execution of a skill.