Sport and Exercise Psychology Chapter 9

Building Character

Building Confidence and Believing

Questions addressed… What is the personality profile of an elite athlete? How does anxiety influence performance? What are the psychological benefits of participation in regular physical activity? What factors influence an individual’s adherence to a rehabilitation program? How does self-confidence influence performance? What are effective intervention strategies to enhance performance?

Exercise and Adherence Estimates reveal that nearly 50% of patients fail to comply with their medical treatment. Adherence to supervised exercise programs ranges from 50% to 80%. Only 30% of individuals who begin an exercise program will be exercising at the end of 3 years.

Exercise Adherence Program Design Increase social support available to participants. Offer programs at convenient times and locations. Goal-setting and periodic assessment. Enthusiastic leaders. Strong communication. Establishment of rapport.

PERSONALITY What is the definition of personality? Can you change an athletes personality? How does personality effect performance?

ANXIETY AND AROUSAL

Anxiety and Arousal Anxiety is a subjective feeling of apprehension accompanied by a heightened level of physiological arousal. Trait and state anxiety Trait: integral part of an individual’s personality. State: emotional response to a specific situation that results in feelings of fear, tension, or apprehension. Find the optimal level of arousal that allows for peak performance.

How to Reduce Anxiety Use physical activity to release stress & anxiety. Develop precompetition routines. Simulate games in practice Promote use of positive self-talk Help athletes keep errors in perspective Keep athletes’ focus on present, not past events Incorporate relaxation training as necessary

GOAL SETTING

How Goal-setting Works Focuses attention Mobilizes effort Fosters persistence Promotes development of new learning strategies

SMART Goal-setting S = specific goals versus general M = measurable goals to monitor progress A = action-oriented goals R = realistic but achievable with effort T = time frame for achievement

Principles of Goal-setting Write goals down Incorporate different types of goals Set short- and long-term goals Establish individual goals within the team context Determine goals for practice and competition Ensure goals are internalized Regularly evaluate progress

SELF TALK

Self-Talk Cognitive approach – relationship between individual’s thoughts and performance Positive or negative influence “Self-talk occurs whenever an individual thinks, whether making statements internally or externally.”

Modifying Self-Talk Thought-stopping Replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts Countering Reframing

MENTAL IMAGERY

Mental Imagery Process of using all the senses to re-create or create an experience in the mind The person ‘sees’ the image, ‘feels’ the movements and/or environment in which it takes place, and ‘hears’ the sounds of the movement Systematic process that is consciously controlled by the person, who takes an active role in creating and manipulating the images and structuring the experience. Imagery in conjunction with physical practice can improve performance

Types of Imagery External imagery Internal imagery Athletes see themselves performing as if watching a videotape of their performance Internal imagery Athletes construct the image of the performance from the perspective of their own eyes, as if they were beside their body when performing

Strategies to Enhance Imagery Imagery must be taught correctly and practiced regularly Practice imagery in a variety of circumstances Create rich, vivid, detailed images that are multisensory in nature Focus on rehearsing successful, perfect responses Tailor imagery to the specific needs of the individual Technology can enhance the effectiveness of imagery.

THEORIES OF EXERCISE ADHERANCE

Classic learning theories Learning a new behavior is achieved by altering many small behaviors that compose the overall behavior. Break behavior down into smaller goals to be achieved. Work incrementally toward goal. Reinforcement is important; provide rewards and incentives (both immediate and long-range).

Transtheoretical Model “Stages of change”: Precontemplation Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance Termination Self-efficacy - confidence about his/her abilities in a situation)

Sports Psychologist https://youtu.be/xfwB0BDJ_A8 https://youtu.be/SXQ2MdlwHrI

SALARY Salary for Sports Psychologist is $40,000-$2 million+ Training/Educational Requirements: Master’s degree Median Salary: $55,000 per year Job Prospects: Good

WORK ENVIRONMENT The typical working environment for sports psychologists may vary based on the employer they work for. They may work for a sports team, in a high school or college, or facility directly, or they may work in their own private practice. In whatever place they work, these psychologists have an office where they may conduct research. If they treat patients, they will have exam rooms to handle all consultations and associated procedures. Sports psychologists also may travel to their clients