Sports Psychology CH 1-5,13 Review FC's
Upcoming Assessment
Chapter 4 Learning Activity: Students can pick up their graded responses, which will be discussed to identify the "best answer."
Slides for Today: New slides have been posted to prepare students for the assessment.
Assessment Logistics:
Date: Thursday.
Materials: Students must come to class without any learning materials (no computers, laptops, or personal notes).
Group vs. Individual: Students can choose to take the assessment in small groups or individually.
Group Evaluation: For group assessments, a short evaluation occurs afterward to provide feedback on participation and contribution, assisting with grading.
Social Loafing: Explained as a phenomenon in groups where effort and motivation decrease. This occurs because individuals might assume their personal contribution isn't significant, disproving the adage "there is no I in team" by asserting there is a "major I in team."
Content Covered: Chapters 1 through 5.
Review Materials: Guiding questions and objectives for each chapter (1-5) have been posted for review.
Point Value: The assessment will be between 30 and 50 points, likely closer to 50 due to the number of chapters.
Question Types: Includes review, objective questions, multiple-choice, and a significant portion dedicated to application-based questions (e.g., "What do you think?", "How would you handle this?"). Specific focus on the motivation learning activity and individual personality reflections.
Personality Reflections: The instructor found student reflections on their personality assessments (extroversion, grit, mastery/task orientation, neuroticism, ego/racial orientation, low GRIT scores) interesting, noting connections between these traits.
Review of Sports Psychology Basics
Definition of Sports Psychology: The scientific study of people and behaviors within sports and physical activity.
Core Process: Involves both studying/learning theoretical concepts and then applying them in practice.
Two Primary Objectives/Research Lenses: These are crucial to remember, as they might form the basis of assessment questions (e.g., designing a study based on personal experience):
Impact of Psychological Factors on Performance: How psychological elements like self-confidence, concentration, motivation, arousal, anxiety, and personality influence exercise, sport, and physical activity behavior.
Impact of Sport on Psychological Health: What effect do sport and physical activity participation have on psychological health and overall well-being.
Roles of Sports Psychology Specialists:
Clinical Piece (Clinician): Requires a medical degree in psychology, enabling diagnosis, prescription, and treatment.
Educational Sports Psychology Specialist (MOV 201 Focus): Focuses on teaching, conducting research, and acting as a consultant. The course emulates this role, asking students to act as consultants (e.g., in Chapter 4 motivation activity).
Personality
Interactional Approach:
Definition: The most effective approach to studying personality, motivation, arousal, anxiety, and stress, which considers both the person (traits) and the environment/situation/state as interacting factors influencing behavior.
Limitations of Other Approaches: Solely focusing on traits or states is considered shortsighted because motivations (direction and intensity of effort) change across different situations and over time.
Application: Understanding this approach helps leaders adapt the environment; for example, easily bored extroverts often require high-activation activities.
In-Class Personality Tests: Students completed the GRIT test, the BTPS (Big Three Perfectionist Scale), and the Big Five personality test.
Cautions Regarding Personality Research/Tests:
Self-Report Nature: Much sports psychology research relies on self-reflection and self-report rather than objective measures (like blood pressure), which can introduce limitations.
Classroom Use: In MOV 201, these tests are used for informational purposes only, to promote self-understanding, and to familiarize students with the tools; they are not used for consulting, mental practice, or diagnosing issues without specialized training.
Defining "Athlete": Research comparing athletes and non-athletes is often confounded by inconsistent definitions of "athlete" (e.g., skill level, professional, jogger, college athlete), making causal relationships difficult to establish.
Research Findings on Athletes' Personality Traits:
General Tendencies: More concise research suggests small but consistent differences: athletes tend to be more extroverted and conscientious, and less neurotic, which many students observed in their own Big Five reflections.
Successful Athletes: Define (by the researcher), tend to score higher in conscientiousness, emotional control, and agreeableness. This makes intuitive sense, as successful athletes are often seen as good teammates (agreeable), able to handle coaching, organized (conscientious), and emotionally regulated (less neurotic).
Implication: The small differences emphasize that personality tests should not be used for selection (e.g., picking teams) or diagnosis, but rather for informational insights.
Nature vs. Nurture of Character: The question arises whether sports build character or if individuals with certain characteristics are naturally drawn to sports, highlighting the complexity of the relationship.
High-Risk Activities:
Participants' Traits: Individuals who engage in high-risk activities (e.g., rock climbing, cliff jumping) are typically higher in extroversion and lower in fear and worry.
Extroversion and Arousal: Extroverts seek and thrive on high arousal, needing and desiring high physiological and psychological activation activities.
Physical Activity & Persistence: Extroversion and conscientiousness are positively related to involvement and persistence in physical activity; neuroticism, fear, and worry are negatively related. However, these associations are less consistent when differentiating between general physical activity and organized athletic participation.
Perfectionism (BTPS - Big Three Perfectionist Scale):
Societal Impact: Many students show high levels of perfectionism and self-criticism, often influenced by societal pressures, including parents living vicariously through their children.
Maladaptive/Unhealthy Perfectionism: Characterized by high standards combined with self-criticism, fear, and worry (especially concerning devaluating situations). This type of perfectionism can lead to burnout, cessation of activity, and poor performance.
Healthy Perfectionism: Involves setting high standards as a challenge without excessive self-criticism or fear of failure. Some students effectively linked healthy perfectionism to mastery orientation, high GRIT scores, extraversion, and conscientiousness.
Leader's Role in Addressing Maladaptive Perfectionism: Leaders should listen for signs of unhealthy perfectionism (fear of failure, worry over mistakes).
Strategies for Intervention:
Separate Self-Worth from Performance Outcomes: Help individuals dissociate their global feelings of self-worth from the results of their performance (e.g., not equating winning or losing with being a good or bad person).
Reduce Importance of Evaluations: Employ strategies, such as setting flexible goals and re-evaluating attributions, to reduce the anxiety associated with being evaluated.
Positive View of Aspiration: "Aspirations of perfect aren't a bad thing"; the key is the approach to seeking perfection.
Motivation
Centrality of Interactional Approach: Re-emphasized as crucial for leaders. Understanding motivation allows leaders to influence it daily.
Definition: Motivation is the direction (tendency to approach or avoid) and intensity (how hard one works) of someone's effort.
Individual Reasons: Every person approaches something for unique reasons.
NIL Money Example: The example of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) money in college sports highlights a strong external motivator for some, contrasting with intrinsic motivation.
Dynamic Nature of Motives:
Change Over Time: Motivations are not static; they evolve as goals are achieved or situations change (e.g., after completing a triathlon goal, new motivations arise). Leaders must monitor these changes.
Individual Differences: People in the same activity can have completely different experiences and motivations (e.g., one child on a soccer team enjoys it, another is forced to join).
Gender and Social Class: Research indicates gender differences in reasons for joining sports/organizations (e.g., white males often for leadership, females for camaraderie, social support, growth) and differences based on social class.
Leader's Influence on Motivation:
Change the Environment: A primary challenge for leaders, especially in repetitive roles (e.g., game-day staff). Leaders should seek ways to alter the "behind-the-scenes" work or perceptions to maintain motivation.
Foster Fun: Combine competitive and non-competitive elements to make activities enjoyable.
Consider Individuals: Tailor approaches by focusing on individual needs.
Leverage Technology: Technology (e.g., spin class screens, Fitbits) can effectively increase the direction and intensity of effort.
Introduction to Behavior Modification (Chapter 7 Preview):
Goal: To teach how to use reinforcement to increase the likelihood of desired behaviors and decrease undesired ones.
Positive vs. Negative Reinforcement: Not synonymous with "good" or "bad," but rather "adding" or "subtracting" something.
Positive Reinforcement: Adding something desirable to encourage a behavior (e.g., praise for good work).
Negative Reinforcement: Taking away something undesirable to encourage a behavior (e.g., allowing an employee to leave early after excellent work, reinforcing the message, "I want you to work like that every day").
Case Study: Helping Dave the Skier (Chapter 4 Learning Activity)
The Problem: Dave is highly outcome-oriented ("ego-oriented"), leading him to compare his performance to others, lose interest when losing, suffer deteriorating performance, and blame external factors (e.g., equipment).
Ego Orientation: Individuals with this orientation base their motivational tendencies on outperforming others. They often prefer situations where they have a high (~75\%) chance of winning or a high (~75\%) chance of losing (to manage expectations).
Key Solutions (from "Best Answers" in student responses):
Interactional Perspective: Consider Dave's personality within his skiing environment.
Shift to Mastery Orientation: Encourage a focus on personal improvement and skill mastery rather than solely on winning or beating others.
Incremental Improvement: Emphasize mastering skills and achieving progress in small, measurable steps.
Growth Mindset: Promote a mindset that reduces fear of mistakes, which is often linked to perfectionism.
Address Attributions:
Dave's Attribution: Blaming "ski wax and equipment" for poor performance is an external and stable attribution. This suggests Dave feels he has no control, which negatively impacts his effort.
Desired Attribution Shift: Guide Dave to attribute outcomes to internal and unstable factors he can control, such as effort, work ethic, and practice time.
"University of Cupcake" Example: The instructor critiques scheduling easy wins against weaker opponents, as it doesn't necessarily improve performance or effort and can lead to a false sense of security, especially for outcome-oriented individuals. It's crucial to focus on incremental improvements and realistic attributions.
Arousal and Anxiety
Measurement: Both trait (general disposition) and state (momentary) measures exist for arousal and anxiety. These are primarily for informational purposes, not diagnosis.
Arousal vs. Anxiety:
Arousal: Refers to physiological activation or alertness.
Anxiety: A feeling or thought process that is primarily internal ("between our ears"), manifesting as cognitive symptoms (fear, worry) or somatic symptoms (muscle tension, rapid heart rate, sweating).
Types of Anxiety:
State Anxiety: Fluctuates moment-to-moment in specific situations. The instructor gave a personal example of experiencing severe somatic and cognitive state anxiety during an unexpected pop quiz in a statistics class, despite generally enjoying academic learning.
Trait Anxiety: A more stable, enduring personality disposition to perceive certain situations as threatening. Trait anxiety combined with low self-belief or self-esteem can lead to heightened state anxiety. The instructor used her own experience as a basketball player to illustrate how trait anxiety made highly evaluative game situations problematic, especially with high uncertainty or competitiveness, though she learned management techniques.
**Stress:
Two Key Components:
Demand/Challenge: An external (e.g., physical or psychological) demand placed upon an individual.
Negative Consequences: The individual's perception that they lack the resources or ability to meet the demand, and that failure will result in negative outcomes.
Shift in Conversation: Leaders should develop a more nuanced understanding of stress beyond simple phrases like "don't be stressed," acknowledging the complex stressors college students face (grades, finances, family, work-life balance).
**Stress Model (Four Stages):
Environmental Demand: A challenge or demand is presented (e.g., a final exam determining graduate school admission).
Perception of Demand: The individual's interpretation of the demand. This is critical:
Threat Perception: If perceived as a threat (debilitative), performance can suffer.
Challenge Perception: If perceived as a challenge (facilitative), performance can improve (as per Joan's model, likely referring to Hanin's Zones of Optimal Functioning or similar arousal-performance models).
Individual Factors: This perception is influenced by individual background and factors (e.g., learning disabilities).
Stress Response: The individual's physiological and psychological reactions.
Manifestations: Arousal level (frenzy), anxiety (cognitive/somatic), and changes in attention/concentration. The basketball example illustrates how being debilitated by stress impairs concentration and decision-making, while feeling challenged allows for clear focus and strategic thinking.
Behavioral Consequences: The outcome of the situation, often framed as success or failure.
Leader's Role in Stress Management (Intervention): Understanding this model allows leaders to intervene at various stages.
Corporate Examples: Corporations implemented fitness programs, flexible schedules, and on-site gyms to combat issues like low retention, high sick days, increased insurance costs, and decreased motivation.
College Athletics Examples: Policies changed to support mothers (e.g., allowing children at practice, daycare support) to reduce barriers for women entering and staying in coaching, exemplified by the University of Tennessee's women's basketball coach.
Theoretical Frameworks (Briefly Mentioned): Driving Theory, Yerkes-Dodson Law (often referred to as "inverted-U hypothesis" or Jones' model), Reversal Theory. The core message is the importance of coping strategies to help individuals view challenges as controllable rather than threatening. This enables them to interpret their physiological responses (e.g., racing heart) as facilitative rather than detrimental for performance.
Arousal Regulation (Chapter 13)
Objective: To manage cognitive and somatic arousal and anxiety.
Method: Matching specific regulation techniques to the experienced symptoms.
Universal Technique: Breathing is a fundamental and widely applicable technique for arousal regulation.
SUMMARY
Upcoming Assessment
Date: Thursday, covering Chapters 1 through 5.
Format: Students choose to take it individually or in small groups (with group evaluation).
Materials: No learning materials (computers, notes) allowed.
Content: Includes review, objective, multiple-choice, and significant application-based questions; focuses on motivation and personality reflections.
Concepts: "Social Loafing" is a key concept, explaining decreased individual effort in groups.
Review of Sports Psychology Basics
Definition: Scientific study of people and behaviors in sports/physical activity, focusing on theoretical learning and practical application.
Primary Objectives:
Impact of psychological factors (e.g., confidence, motivation) on performance.
Impact of sport on psychological health and well-being.
Specialist Roles:
Clinical: Requires medical degree; diagnoses and treats.
Educational (MOV 201 Focus): Teaches, researches, consults.
Personality
Interactional Approach: Most effective, considers both person (traits) and environment (situation/state) for behavior.
Research Cautions: Relies heavily on self-report; in-class tests (GRIT, BTPS, Big Five) are for self-understanding, not diagnosis.
Athlete Traits: Tend to be more extroverted and conscientious, less neurotic. Successful athletes often show higher conscientiousness, emotional control, and agreeableness.
High-Risk Activities: Participants are typically higher in extroversion, lower in fear/worry.
Perfectionism (BTPS):
Maladaptive: High standards with self-criticism, fear, worry; can lead to burnout.
Healthy: High standards as a challenge without excessive self-criticism; linked to mastery orientation.
Leader's Role: Intervene by separating self-worth from performance outcomes and reducing evaluation anxiety.
Motivation
Definition: Direction (approach/avoid) and intensity (effort) of an individual's effort.
Dynamic Nature: Motives change over time and vary individually, influencing by gender and social class.
Leader's Influence: Can alter the environment, foster fun, consider individual needs, and leverage technology.
Behavior Modification: Introduces using reinforcement to shape behavior:
Positive Reinforcement: Adding something desirable (e.g., praise).
Negative Reinforcement: Removing something undesirable (e.g., early leave).
Case Study: Helping Dave the Skier (Chapter 4 Learning Activity)
Problem: Dave is outcome-oriented ("ego-oriented"), comparing himself to others, blaming external factors.
Solutions:
Apply an interactional perspective.
Shift focus to mastery orientation (personal improvement).
Emphasize incremental improvement and a growth mindset.
Address attributions: Guide Dave to attribute outcomes to internal, unstable, controllable factors (e.g., effort) rather than external, stable ones (e.g., equipment).
Arousal and Anxiety
Measurement: Both trait (general disposition) and state (momentary) measures exist.
Arousal: Physiological activation.
Anxiety: Internal thought process (cognitive: fear, worry; somatic: muscle tension, rapid heart rate).
Types of Anxiety:
State Anxiety: Moment-to-moment fluctuations.
Trait Anxiety: Stable disposition to perceive situations as threatening.
Stress: Involves an external demand and the perception of lacking resources to meet it, leading to negative consequences.
Stress Model (Four Stages):
Environmental Demand (challenge).
Perception of Demand (threat vs. challenge).
Stress Response (arousal, anxiety, attention changes).
Behavioral Consequences (success/failure).
Leader's Role: Intervene at various stages to help individuals develop coping strategies and view challenges as controllable.
Arousal Regulation (Chapter 13)
Objective: Manage cognitive and somatic arousal/anxiety by matching techniques to symptoms.
Universal Technique: Breathing is a fundamental method.