Y10 Psychology - Performance Psychology

what is performance psychology?

A subfield of psychology that examines factors that influence optimal human performance and focuses on learning skills effectively, training the mind and responding to hardships

what is social learning theory/observational learning?

The learning theory that emphasises the importance of role models when learning complex skills

what are the steps in social learning theory/observational learning?

Attention Listening and watching intently to a demonstration Most valuable when done several times

Retention Consolidating the knowledge in one’s memory

Reproduction the ability to replicate or imitate the behavior that was observed ensuring one has the resources and components to complete the skill NOT a replication of the behaviour (at this stage)

Motivation The incentive in order to carry out the behaviour May be a personal motivation and reasoning

Reinforcement Attempting to complete the behaviour If done successfully, one may receive praise (motivational), encouraging the likelihood of demonstrating the behaviour again

what are mirror neurons?

Specialised neurons that are activated when observing. A type of brain cell that responds equally when we perform an action and when we witness someone else perform the same action

what do mirror neurons do?

help to improve technique and the ability to complete a task successfully without actually executing the skill - practising and consolidating moves without having to do so physically

what are fMRI’s?

a brain scan that can identify the structures of the brain, as well as parts of the brain that are active when completing a task

what is visualisation?

The practice of mental imagery - rehearsing performance before completion

The rehearsal of sensory experiences and motor movements in the mind

what does visualisation do?

Consolidates and strengthens the associated neural pathways, enhancing performance

Helpful for any activity - sport, music, work etc

what is marginal gains?

a theory relating to the concept that small improvements in many individual processes can lead to a significant improvement when combined - taking minor steps to work towards a larger goal

what can marginal gains do?

break down the elements that may impact performance and decrease the daunt of a big task

what is locus of control?

the training of the brain as well as the body (mindset) - the degree to which a person believes they can control the outcome of events in their lives - affects resilience, disappointment and preparation. includes internal and external locus of control

what is external locus of control?

When a person is more likely to believe they are not at fault for what happens in their life, meaning they are inclined to show less persistence and determination to fix it - looking for something else to blame other than themself

what is internal locus of control?

when a person is more likely to take accountability for where they went wrong and take ownership - focus on themselves rather than others.

what negative impact may internal locus of control lead to?

the over criticism of one's performance, not acknowledging other influential factors for a loss

what are superstitions?

actions that performers engage in due to the irrational belief that unrelated objects, events or actions can negatively influence an unrelated outcome

what may superstitions do for performers?

allows performers to feel more in control of an outcome and feel more security

Associated with personal rituals done to feel calmer

what is stress?

A state of physiological and psychological tension produced by internal or external forces known as stressors

what are external stressors?

Physiological and measurable

Extremes in temperature, illness, injury or hard physical training

what are internal stressors?

Psychological

Changing a coach, failing a test, unhappy relationships, losing a competition

what are the four main types of stress that athletes can experience?

1. Life stress - similar to the stress experienced by the general public

2. Training stress - exercise itself as a stressor, requiring an athlete to adapt physiologically over time - fatigue

3. Competition stress - thoughts of the physical and psychological demands of the event, combined with the possibility of loss

4. Burn-out - state of emotional exhaustion resulting from pressure - loss of drive and energy

what is anxiety?

The heightened physical and emotional arousal associated with a feeling of apprehension, worry or unease - fear or something going wrong

what is arousal?

An organism’s overall state of excitement, alertness and readiness for action

what is a highly aroused state associated with?

alertness and increased responsiveness to stimuli

what is a lesser aroused state associated with?

lower levels of alertness, where physiological changes are minimal and can go unnoticed

what are the two main parts of the human nervous system?

the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system

what is included in the CNS?

The brain and spinal cord

what does the brain do?

processes information received, interprets it, and initiates responses to sensory information.

what does the spinal cord do?

receives all information from PNS. It sends motor commands from the brain to the body, sensory information from the body to the brain and coordinates reflexes. Acts as a communication pathway, carrying between the brain and the rest of the body

what is included in the PNS?

the Autonomic NS and the Somatic NS

what does the Autonomic NS do?

connects the brain with the body’s internal organs and glands. Regulates itself and functions whether a person is conscious or unconscious/involuntary - digesting food, blinking, heart pumping blood, breathing

what are the two components of the Autonomic NS?

Sympathetic NS and the Parasympathetic NS

what does the sympathetic NS do?

activates the internal muscles, organs and glands in preparation for a vigorous, threatening or stressful activity. Releases adrenaline. Increases arousal - increased heart rate, goosebumps, dilated pupils

what does the parasympathetic NS do?

calms down the body (internal muscles, organs and glands) after high arousal - decreases arousal. The opposite effect of the sympathetic nervous system - decreased heart rate and blood pressure, decreased pupil size

what does the Somatic NS do?

transmits messages from sensory receptors to the brain and coordinates the movement of skeletal muscles. Controls the voluntary movement of skeletal muscles - voluntary responses. One exception is spinal reflexes eg flinching which are automatic reactions to protect the body

what are the effects of prolonged arousal?

Prolonged or intense arousal can result in stress, which can lead to both physiological and psychological effects

what are the physiological effects of prolonged arousal?

“Bodily changes” occur automatically in response to a stressor depending on the type and intensity of the stressor and who is exposed to it

Temporary smaller stressors are when the smaller normal sympathetic reaction will take place - increased heart and breathing rates etc

When arousal is prolonged sympathetic reactions will become more severe and performance can suffer - dizziness, aches and pains

what are psychological effects of prolonged arousal?

when prolonged arousal and stress effect the mind. divided into three types - behavioural changes, emotional changes, cognitive changes

what are behavioural changes as a psychological effect of prolonged arousal?

Influence the way a person looks and acts - Physical nerves in the form of hand tremors, shaky voices, increased aggression, changes to appetite and sleep problems

what are emotional changes as a psychological effect of prolonged arousal?

influence the way a person feels - anxiety, tensity, depression, anger, irritation, short temperedness

what are cognitive changes as a psychological effect of prolonged arousal?

influence a person’s mental abilities such as what a person perceives, their ability to learn and how to think - difficulty concentrating and maintaining focus, forgetfulness, trouble making decisions, thinking clearly

what is the relationship between arousal and sporting performance?

• Prolonged arousal leads to the feeling of stress and the inability to cope with a sporting situation - a negative

• Regulated arousal or some arousal leads to the feeling of being able to cope with a sporting situation - a positive

what is the the arousal theory/Yerkes-Dodson law?

Assumed that performance improves with increased arousal until a peak is reached, after which further arousal leads to a decline in performance (suggests there is an optimum level of arousal required to achieve optimal performance) - depends on the activity/sport

• A theory suggesting there is an optimal arousal zone, where the pressure is not so high that one may choke but not too low that one may not pay enough attention or care about their actions

what is choking?

When athletes of performers perform more poorly than expected due to high levels of pressure during situations when the person is trying their hardest to achieve success

what does regulating arousal levels enable for athletes?

optimum performance

what are energising techniques to increase arousal?

“Pep” talk from one’s coach before an event

Warming up

Having a definite goal

Bright lights and lots of noise

Friendly or hostile fans looking on

Listening to motivational music

what are relaxation techniques to decrease arousal?

Two main techniques are relaxation and mental imagery - promotes the control of excessive mental and muscle tension produced by intense arousal to prevent interferance with performance

what are the types of relaxation techniques?

environmental, physical and mental

what is environmental relaxation?

require materials - usually require music or relaxation tapes chosen by the athlete to calm them and restore the body back to a manageable state

what is physical relaxation?

work directly on physiological affects of prolonged arousal/stress - progressive relaxation method - muscle relaxation involving the contraction and relaxation of muscles to loosen the body and release tension

what is mental relaxation?

work directly on psychological effects of prolonged arousal/stress such as anxiety and lapses in concentration - imagery of peaceful locations to distract from stressful thoughts

what are the methods to overcome choking?

mindfulness, visualisation, reframing the mind and shifting the focus

what is mindfulness as a method to overcome choking?

Being present and aware of your thoughts, feelings and sensations

Reduce physiological arousal levels

Different mindfulness activities such as meditation active the parasympathetic NS, calming the body and reducing stress. This allows the body to return to an optimal arousal zone

what is visualisation as a method to overcome choking?

A strategy performers use when they prepare by rehearsing performance via mental imagery to visualise success and refocus attention

what is reframing the mind as a method to overcome choking?

Reframing the situation to think of it as a challenge and something exciting

Focusing on positive elements rather than stressful elements that the task requires

what is shifting the focus as a method to overcome choking?

Focusing on the repetitive element of one’s sport - effective for swimmers, cyclists and runners

Counting steps or stroke to direct attention and pressure away and instead focus on finding and maintaining their rhythm

what is attentional theory 1/distraction theory?

A theory suggesting that one may choke due to a shift of attention to an external or distracting factor eg a crowd

Focusing in external factors or internal worries is not helpful as one’s ability to hold information in short-term memory is limited

what is attentional theory 2/explicit monitoring?

A theory suggesting that people choke because stressful situations cause them to over-monitor and explicitly process motor or cognitive tasks that are usually performed automatically without conscious awareness

Takes up storage space in the short-term memory, inhibiting one from being aware of what is happening and preventing them from engaging in visualisation strategies

what is imposter syndrome?

When one believes their skill set is not sufficient when, in reality, they are competent and qualified

Feeling as if you don’t belong or aren’t as smart or creative as people think you are

what is the result of imposter syndrome?

Results in a person working harder to overcome their insecurities, placing further stress for perfection

One is likely to experience a self-fulfilling prophecy if the negative thoughts continue, leading to the belief one has failed (self-sabotage, withdrawal)

how do you overcome imposter syndrome?

Mindset matters

trust the people who selected you as they chose you for a reason

make a list of all your positive attributes and achievements that make you qualified for the job

practise learning how to take compliments from others

focus on growth not perfection – the point of an internship is to learn, and no employer or coach expects people to know all they need to at the start

remember that most people experience imposter syndrome at some point in their lives.