Exercise Science Year 12 Term 4 Test

5. Motivation & Athletic Performance

Sport psychology is the scientific study of people’s behaviour while participating in sport and physical activities.

Psychological skills training (PST) is the rehearsal or practice of a variety of psychological techniques.

Psychological skills can be taught, learned and practised to improve performance. Performance is defined as a sequence of movements in physical activity.

PST programs can focus on one or more principles including, goal setting, motivation, arousal, mental rehearsal, confidence and concentration.

Goal setting is a set of short-term plans aimed at achieving larger long-term outcomes. Athletes are generally more committed once goals are set, allowing them to:

Direct attention to the task at hand

Structure training to meet goals

Increase confidence once goals are achieved

Evaluate performance and progress

There are 3 types of goals.

Outcome Goals

Focus on end results, times, placings or medals. Difficult to achieve and rely on the performance of others.

Examples include running a PB, making the school team or being drafted by the AFL.

Performance Goals

Focus on comparing present performance levels with those obtained previously, regardless of opponents. Lead to greater self confidence and less anxiety.

Examples include improved push up technique or an greater rotation in golf swing.

Process Goals

Focus on actions such as physical movements and game strategies/tactics. These are developed to maximise athlete/team performance.

Examples include a rower maintaining a high stroke rate, or a team running an attacking play.

Common problems with goals setting include:

Setting too many goals

Failing to recognise individual differences

Setting general goals

Failing to modify unrealistic goals

Failing to set performance/process goals

Failing to create a supportive atmosphere

Understanding the time required

To be effective, goals must:

Be challenging, just beyond previous level

Have a long-term goal, reachable through smaller short term goals

Be measurable so athlete knows when they have been achieved

The following acronym is used to set goals.

S – Specific to task expectations

M – Measurable to identify progress

A – Action how you plan to achieve the goal

R - Realistic can you achieve the goal

T - Time Framed so you meet goal deadlines

E – Evaluated to review progress with coach

R – Recorded down so they are visible and known

Motivation is the force within the individual that impels or moves them toward action. It can initiate, change or maintain one's behaviour.

More than one motive can be operating at one time. A person may not be aware of their motives which could be self-motivated or motivated by others.

Weiner (1992) suggests motivation has five components.

Direction – Seeking out or avoiding situations. Athletes may want to attend extra training whereas burnt out players skip sessions.

Intensity – The amount of effort put in. Highly motivated people put in a lot of effort.

Persistence – The extent to which an athlete concentrates on a task. A golfer spending hours perfecting their putting stroke

Continuity – The extent to which an athlete returns to a task. Attends training regularly and practises autonomous skills.

Performance – It is assumed that an athlete who consistently performs at a high level has been motivated to achieve and maintain it.

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

Socialising

Types of Motivation

Positive & Negative Motivation

Primary & Secondary Motivation

Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation

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

Motivated by factors such as:

Satisfaction

Self-esteem

Feelings of enjoyment

Success