Exercise Science Test Year 12 Term 4

What is sport psychology?

The scientific study of people's behavior while participating in sport and physical activities.

What is Psychological Skills Training (PST)?

The rehearsal or practice of various psychological techniques to improve performance.

What are the main principles that PST programs can focus on?

Goal setting, motivation, arousal, mental rehearsal, confidence, and concentration.

What is goal setting in sports?

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

What are the three types of goals in sports?

Outcome Goals, Performance Goals, and Process Goals.

What are Outcome Goals?

Goals that focus on end results, times, placings, or medals, often difficult to achieve.

What are Performance Goals?

Goals that compare present performance levels with previous ones, leading to greater self-confidence.

What are Process Goals?

Goals that focus on actions such as physical movements and game strategies to maximize performance.

What are common problems with goal setting?

Setting too many goals, failing to recognize individual differences, setting general goals, and not modifying unrealistic goals.

What are the characteristics of effective goals?

Goals must be challenging, have a long-term aim, and be measurable.

What does the acronym SMART stand for in goal setting?

Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, Time-framed.

What is motivation in the context of sports?

The force within an individual that impels or moves them toward action.

What are the five components of motivation according to Weiner?

Direction, Intensity, Persistence, Continuity, and Performance.

What is intrinsic motivation?

The spontaneous enjoyment of sports and the inner need to achieve personal standards.

What is extrinsic motivation?

Motivation driven by external rewards or reinforcement, such as prizes or praise.

What is positive motivation?

Motivation that emphasizes what is good about a performance and involves praising efforts.

What is negative motivation?

Motivation that decreases enthusiasm and performance, often involving criticism.

What is the Law of Effect?

The principle that rewarding a behavior increases the likelihood that it will be repeated.

What is achievement motivation?

An individual's drive to achieve success for its own sake.

What are the two personality factors that contribute to achievement motivation according to Atkinson?

The need to achieve (nach) and the need to avoid failure (naf).

What characterizes someone with a high need to achieve (nach)?

They seek out challenges, enjoy being evaluated, and attribute success to internal factors.

What characterizes someone with a high need to avoid failure (naf)?

They avoid challenges, prefer guaranteed success, and attribute performance to external factors.

What is self-motivation?

The extent to which a person can persist in tasks or generate action.

What does locus of causality refer to in motivation?

It refers to where the cause of success or failure comes from.

What is locus in the context of motivation?

Locus refers to where a person perceives the cause of an event to originate, either internally (within themselves) or externally (luck or other people).

What factors affect motivation?

Factors include attitudes, enthusiasm, self-esteem, and reinforcement (positive and negative).

What is reinforcement in behavioral terms?

Reinforcement increases or strengthens behavior, enhancing the likelihood of a response.

What is positive reinforcement?

Positive reinforcement involves rewarding an activity in a positive way, encouraging the participant.

What is negative reinforcement?

Negative reinforcement occurs when a stimulus is removed after completing an activity, leading to a desired outcome.

What is social reinforcement?

Social reinforcement includes reinforcers like smiles, acceptance, praise, and attention, important for team cohesion.

What is material reinforcement?

Material reinforcement provides tangible rewards such as trophies and medals, similar to extrinsic motivation.

What is internal reinforcement?

Internal reinforcement is the most effective form, involving personal satisfaction or pride about an achievement.

What does the Inverted U Theory explain?

The Inverted U Theory explains the relationship between levels of activation and performance, indicating that too low or too high activation can lead to poor performance.

What is the 'Zone' or 'Flow' in sports?

The Zone or Flow occurs during optimal activation and confidence, where performance becomes autonomous and unaffected by distractions.

What is Drive Theory?

Drive Theory posits that as activation increases, performance also increases linearly, particularly for autonomous athletes.

What does the Catastrophe Model describe?

The Catastrophe Model relates activation and performance to anxiety levels, stating that high cognitive anxiety can lead to increased somatic anxiety and decreased performance.

What is demotivation?

Demotivation is the reversal from a motivated state, often resulting from reduced activation levels.

What factors affect activation levels in athletes?

Factors include the level of competition, degree of difficulty, motor skills required, experience, expectations, and financial pressures.

What is the role of adrenaline in sports?

Adrenaline prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and redistributing blood to muscles.

What are some activation reduction techniques?

Techniques include Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), breath control, meditation, sleep, biofeedback, and stress-inoculation training (SIT).

What are some activation promotion techniques?

Techniques include elevated breathing rate, acting energetic, positive self-talk, energizing mental imagery, upbeat sounds, and pre-competition workouts.

What is state anxiety?

State anxiety refers to an athlete's emotional state at any given time, which can vary based on the situation.

What is trait anxiety?

Trait anxiety is an athlete's disposition to interpret situations as threatening, leading to increased state anxiety.

How can a coach help manage an athlete's anxiety?

A coach can help by decreasing uncertainty, reducing the importance of events, and focusing on performance-related goals.

What is stress in the context of sports?

Stress results when performers perceive themselves as unable to meet the demands of a situation, leading to negative physiological and psychological responses.

What are stressors?

Stressors are situations that trigger anxiety and worry, leading to a feeling of being unable to cope.

What is eustress?

A positive reaction to stress that energizes, motivates, and enhances performance.

What are common psychological symptoms experienced by athletes under stress?

Indecisiveness, decreased concentration, worry, and decreased attention span.

What is the stress spiral?

A cycle where increased stress leads to further psychological symptoms, worsening the situation.

What are the three stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome?

1. Alarm Reaction (fight or flight), 2. Resistance (body adapts), 3. Exhaustion (body fails to cope).

How can stress be measured?

1. Self-report questionnaires, 2. Measuring physiological responses (e.g., heart rate), 3. Observing behavior.

What are some effective ways to manage stress?

Regular exercise, healthy diet, adequate sleep, clear thinking, realistic goals, and positive visualization.

What are the three aspects of concentration in a sports setting according to Weinberg & Gould?

Selective attention, maintaining attention focus over time, and awareness of the situation.

What does Nideffer's model of concentration include?

Two dimensions: Width (narrow vs. broad) and Direction (internal vs. external).

What is narrow internal concentration?

Focusing on one's own psychological state, such as emotions and bodily sensations.

What is broad external concentration?

Taking in a wide range of environmental stimuli simultaneously, such as in team sports.

What is future-oriented thinking in sports?

Thinking ahead about potential outcomes, which can lead to negative thoughts and decreased concentration.

What is choking in sports?

A phenomenon where an athlete's performance deteriorates under pressure due to a shift in focus.

What are some strategies to improve concentration?

Simulation training, practicing selective attention, using cue words, and establishing routines.

How is confidence defined in a sports context?

The sureness of feeling that one is equal to the task at hand.

What are the sources of confidence for athletes?

Knowing what to do, how to do it, when to do it, and having the resources to succeed.

What can lead to a loss of confidence in athletes?

Focusing on irrelevant cues, past failures, outcomes instead of processes, and being overly critical.

What is self-efficacy?

The belief in one's ability to successfully perform a given activity, synonymous with self-confidence.

What are the six categories of the self-confidence model?

1. Performance accomplishments, 2. Involvement with others' success, 3. Verbal persuasion, 4. Imagery experiences, 5. Physiological states, 6. Emotional states.

What role does verbal persuasion play in building confidence?

Changing perceptions of a situation, such as a coach encouraging an athlete about their capabilities.

How can physiological states affect an athlete's performance?

Physiological changes can heighten anxiety and fatigue, impacting performance negatively.

What is the importance of emotional states in sports performance?

Controlling emotions related to the significance of a situation can influence an athlete's confidence and performance.

What are some methods to build and improve confidence in athletes?

Working hard at training, practising good self-management, rewarding successes, recording successes, recreating past performances, positive self-talk, exploiting opponents' weaknesses, and listening to inspirational music.

What is a common myth about confidence?

That you either have confidence or you don't.

What is the truth about confidence levels among individuals?

Every individual has varying degrees of confidence.

How can constructive feedback affect an athlete's confidence?

For some athletes, constructive feedback and unsuccessful performances can motivate them to achieve their goals and raise their confidence.

What is mental imagery in sports?

The ability to picture events via thoughts in the brain, which can assist in performance and muscle strength for injured athletes.

What are the three types of imagery in sports?

Kinaesthetic, auditory, and tactile imagery.

What is kinaesthetic imagery?

A sensory impression arising in the muscles and joints that provides information about the position and movement of the body.

What is the difference between internal and external imagery?

Internal imagery is seeing the image behind your own eyes, while external imagery is seeing it as if watching a video of yourself.

What is visuo-motor behaviour rehearsal (VMBR)?

An extension of mental imagery that combines generating a mental image with performance feedback, involving an initial activation phase, visualising performance, and performing under game conditions.

What is the purpose of routines for athletes?

To help athletes control their performance, increase confidence, narrow focus, and create certainty in pressure situations.

What are the components of a break in play routine?

Physical response, relaxation response, preparation response, and readying response.

What are the big five personality traits?

Conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, and extroversion.

How can personality affect sports performance?

Personality traits can influence the type of sports individuals prefer and excel in, with introverts favoring precision sports and extroverts preferring team sports.

What is the narrow band approach to personality?

It categorizes individuals as either Type A (impatient, high-stress) or Type B (relaxed, low-stress).

What are the characteristics of an ectomorph body type?

Tall, slim figure; self-conscious, tense, private, and introverted.

What does Bandura's social learning theory propose?

That personality is learned through experiences, observation, and imitation of others' behaviors.

What are the three basic models of observational learning identified by Bandura?

Live model, verbal instructional model, and symbolic model.

What does Lewin's theory state about behavior?

Behavior is a function of both inherent personality traits and environmental factors, expressed as B = F(P.E).