Motivation in Sport February 26, 2014

Motivations For Fitness One of the single most important themes in all of psychology Widely researched in sport & exercise What factor(s) lead us to not “stick” with an exercise program? ◦THOUGHTS? ◦EXCUSES? Think about being a product of our environment…

Factors that hinder our ability to be physically active

Barriers to Change PROCRASTINATION: PRECONDITIONED CULTURAL BELIEFS: GRATIFICATION: RISK COMPLACENCY: COMPLEXITY: INDIFFERENCE & HELPLESSNESS: ILLUSIONS OF INVINCIBILITY:

Motivation - Definitions Very complex concept--hard to define Force that directs effort/energy/persistence toward participatory choices The direction & intensity of behavior (Gill, 1986) What motivates you?- Lab

Motivation Terms Intrinsic motivation: Motivation derived from an internal source Desire to overcome the problem or task ◦Development of skills and habits to overcome that problem ◦Rehearsal of successful habits until they are perfect ◦A feeling of pride and enjoyment in performing the skill ◦Repeated goal setting in order to progress and maintain motivation Extrinsic motivation: Motivated by some outside force ◦Tangible rewards: Physical rewards such as medals and money. These should be used sparingly with young athletes to avoid a situation where winning a prize is more important than competing well ◦Intangible rewards: Praise, recognition and achievements. These should be used on a regular basis to encourage the athlete to repeat the behaviour which earned the praise. Source: teachpe.com Are you intrinsically motivated or extrinsically motivated?

Optimal Motivational Profile Self-discipline Enjoyment Realistic self-confidence Attitude toward failure Goal-directed All skills that may be taught & are possessed by elite

When it comes to motivation, which type are you? There are two types of people when it comes to motivation in sport and fitness: Need to Achieve (NACH) ◦“These are the people that thrive on a challenge. They are usually determined, quick workers who take risks and enjoy being assessed. Most sports people fall into this group.” Need to Avoid Failure (NAF) ◦Avoid challenges for fear of failing ◦Avoid responsibility for fear of being assessed

Athletes can be… Ego-Oriented: How would an ego-oriented person measure their success? ◦Examples? Task-Oriented How would a task-oriented person measure their success? ◦Examples?

Self-Confidence What role can self confidence play in your motivation? Self-efficacy: overall confidence to successfully complete a specific task Affected by 4 things: can you hypothesize what they are?

Factors affecting self-efficacy Performance accomplishments - Past and positive achievements in an activity create a feeling of self- efficacy Vicarious experiences – When you see someone else, who you think is of the same or lower ability level to yourself, complete the task successfully provides confidence that you can too Verbal persuasion - Encouragement and positivity from friends, family, and those you are close to can establish self-efficacy Emotional arousal - Control over your arousal levels/anxiety/stress provides greater self-efficacy source: teachpe.com

How can you improve self-efficacy and motivation? 1. Set achievable goals: SMART ones! 2. Work with a competent peer who can model new techniques for you 3. Ask for support and encouragement from family and friends 4. Use stress management techniques to decrease anxiety and increase relaxation