Sport Psychology

• Stress


  A stimulus that results in a positive or negative response to a specific situation. It produces both physiological and psychological symptoms.
• Eustress


  Positive stress that gives a feeling of fulfilment and arousal. It can increase concentration, attention, and skill level.
• Distress


  Negative form of stress that in extreme cases causes anxiety and apprehension. It tends to be detrimental to sporting performance.

  
• Athlete perceives demand as a challenge (EUSTRESS)


  Increase in motivation and performance
• Athlete perceives demand as a threat (DISTRESS)


  Increase in worry and reduction in performance
• Stress process


  1. Situational demand

  2. Cognitive appraisal

  3. Stress response

  
• Ways to reduce stress during the stress process


  • Create situation appropriate tasks
  • Arrange private practice sessions
  • Create stations at practice
  • Maximize practice opportunities that enhances skill
  • Identify athletes with low perceived competence or high trait anxiety
  • Change athletes' perceptions of their demands and abilities
  • Teach athletes' relaxation techniques (slow down, breathing techniques, imagery, positive self-talk)
• Anxiety


  Negative emotional state associated with stress, feelings of worry, nervousness and apprehension

  
• Trait anxiety


  Personality core, consistent worry/behaviour regardless of situation

  
• State anxiety


  Changeable, varies depending upon the situation. Comprises cognitive state anxiety (amount of worry) and somatic state anxiety (physiological changes)

  
• Cognitive state anxiety


  Causes poor decision making and decreased concentration, increasing errors
• Somatic state anxiety


  Includes increased heart rate, sweating and blood pressure. Some symptoms are beneficial but if perceived negatively further increase cognitive state anxiety

  
• Arousal


  Psychological state of alertness and anticipation that prepares the body for action
• Inverted U Theory


  • There is an optimal level of arousal for performance, which differs for each athlete and sport. Performance is lowest when arousal is very high or very low, and highest when arousal is moderate or optimal.

  
• Drive Theory


  • Linear relationship between arousal and performance - as arousal increases, performance increases. Early in learning or for complex skills, the dominant response is the incorrect one, but later in learning or for simple skills, the dominant response is the correct one.