12PDHPE HSC COURSE Core 2 Factors Affecting Performance Critical Question 2 How can psychology affect performance?

How can psychology affect performance addresses the various ways that the mind can influence performance. Psychology refers to the many aspects of the mind and how it affects the body. Psychology is one of the biggest determinants of winning and losing at the elite level.

Athletes who have their psychology right, perform at their pinnacle more consistently over time and in various contexts and under various types of pressure. An athlete needs to be able to cope with pressure well, whether it be external or internal, so that they can focus on the competition. Some sports have particular psychological aspects to them, including trash talk or banter, that the athlete needs to be able to deal with effectively.

Elite athletes have various motivators to succeed and know how psychology affects their performance. They then develop strategies to enhance motivation and manage anxiety. Many will also have methods that they use to ensure that their body is at an optimal level of arousal for their particular sport. A great example of an athlete with good psychology is Roger Federer, who is known for his calm nature on the tennis court, regardless of the situation.

Psychology and sports performance

MOTIVATION Motivation is an internal state that activates, directs and sustains behaviour towards achieving a particular goal. There are four different forms of motivation: Positive Negative Intrinsic Extrinsic When categorising motivations two of these apply choosing either positive or negative and either intrinsic or extrinsic. A high level of motivation within an individual directly impacts their sense of responsibility in terms of improving performance. Without motivation, athletes: May not want to train at full intensity May not attend all training sessions Not perform at highest capability.

Different sports provide different forms to motivate the athlete Different sports provide different forms to motivate the athlete. For example, in boxing an athlete will frequently be motivated to dodge a punch because of the negative extrinsic motivator of pain that comes when being hit. In contrast golf provides more extrinsic positive motivators in the financial gain that comes with winning a competition. Over the course of a career, an athlete who is motivated by intrinsic positive motivators is more likely to last a long time in the sport, than someone who is motivated by extrinsic negative motivators.

Motivation Positive Motivation Positive motivation is a reward for good performance. This does not have to be an extrinsic motivator, but can also be an intrinsic motivator, such as the good feeling that comes with achieving a goal or doing a personal best. For example, crowd appreciation vs trophies.

Motivation Negative Motivation Negative motivation, on the other hand, is punishment for poor performance. Once again this can be intrinsic or extrinsic in source. For example and athlete who beats themselves up for poor performance is negative and intrinsic, while if a coach says the player will be made to do a 30 minute anaerobic training session if they lose, this is a negative extrinsic motivator. Positive motivation works better than negative, especially when it has been used through training, with praise given for good performances. If a coach or athlete is overly negative after a poor performance the result can be a decrease in motivation. Athletes who use negative motivators, such as being dropped off the starting team, often result in more conservative performances.

Motivation Intrinsic Motivation Intrinsic motivation comes from the athlete themselves. It is self generated and has a number of benefits. Intrinsic motivation is the best motivation for producing long term results and helping an athlete achieve long term goals. An example of intrinsic motivation is an athlete who wants to do well for the satisfaction found in achieving a personal best, or an athlete who is motivated by the feeling of hitting a good shot. Intrinsic motivation is particularly important for sports such as swimming, cycling, and marathon running, as the motivation needs to be sustained for long periods.

Motivation Extrinsic Motivation Extrinsic motivation comes from an external source. It is generated by someone or something distinct from the athlete. This includes motivators such as a coach, money, fame or fans. Examples of extrinsic motivation is an athlete who wants to do well to earn more money or to hear the fans cheer their name. Extrinsic motivation is often provided in sports with large crowds, such as football or basketball where the crowd sings and cheers their team on (the home ground advantage). Intrinsic motivation produces better performances over longer periods of time than extrinsic, because the athlete becomes their own motivator. This helps them to perform well under pressure, especially when extrinsic motivation is not provided. The best results will come when both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation exist together, such as an athlete who enjoys playing the sport and the high he/she gets after training hard, but also wants to inspire his/her fans and earn more money.

Motivation The responsibility for motivation needs to be shared between the athlete and their coaches/parents/peers, sustained motivation relies much more on internal factors than on external forces. Athletes who seek motivation from satisfaction with quality performances are likely to stay motivated longer than those who rely on external rewards. A noticeable characteristic of high achievers is that they seek to match their physical and technical skill against others of similar ability, whereas lower achievers often select competitions in which they know they will be successful.

YES WE ARE GOING TO THE WORLD CUP!! ANXIETY AND AROUSAL YES WE ARE GOING TO THE WORLD CUP!! Mark Schwarzer: The Hero Made two memorable saves in the penalty shootout What was the key to his memorable performance? Prior to the 2006 World cup, Australia had not qualified for the World Cup since 1974. 32 years had passed.

INSIDE THE #1 MIND It is important to keep the crowd out of your mindset, particularly being goalkeeper having the crowd right behind you, abusing you, trying to distract you, so it is important to zone them out and use selective hearing. The keeper has to have the skill to not care about what they say and stay focused on the game. Not the crowd. 2) The mental process - I analyse the players approach to taking the penalty. Watching carefully how they position themselves, their run-up and eye contact to maximise my opportunities to save the ball. After I pick a side, the decide either top or bottom Prior to the 2006 World cup, Australia had not qualified for the World Cup since 1974. 32 years had passed.

INSIDE THE #1 MIND Managing Anxiety Techniques: Relaxation Take deep breaths and focus solely on the penalties, keeping all other distraction away. During the shoot out I remember all the positives I’ve had in my career, like top games in terms of saves, how much hard work I've put in waking up early and training, always thinking no matter what happens all friends & family will be proud of my achievements and at the end of the day opportunities like this don’t come very often. Most importantly you might think I’m weird but I talk to myself both out loud and in my mind, I keep positive thoughts in my head like “I can do it” or “I’m going to save this” to keep me confident and boost my self-esteem Managing Anxiety Techniques: Relaxation Concentration Visualisation Self-Talk Prior to the 2006 World cup, Australia had not qualified for the World Cup since 1974. 32 years had passed.