The Psychology of Athletic Preparation and Performance: The Mental Management of Physical Resources
Definition of Key Concepts in Sport Psychology
  �
Athlete � someone who engages in a social comparison involving psychomotor skill physical prowess (or
    both) in an institutionalized setting, typically under public scrutiny or evaluation.
  �
Sport psychology � subdiscipline of kinesiology that seeks to understand the influence of behavioral
    processes on skilled movement
    o Measuring psychological phenomena
    o Investigating the relationships between psychological variables and performance
    o Applying theoretical knowledge to improve athletic performance
Anxiety: State and Trait
  �
State anxiety � subjective experience of apprehension and uncertainty accompanied by elevated autonomic
    and voluntary neural outflow and increased endocrinological activity.
  �
Trait anxiety � a personality variable or disposition relating to the probability that one will perceive an
    environment as threatening
  �
Arousal � simple the intensity dimension of behavior and physiology
  �
Psychic energy � positive thoughts and a strong sense of control
  �
Cognitive anxiety � psychological processes and worrisome thoughts
  �
Somatic anxiety � physical symptoms as tense muscles, tachycardia, and the butterflies
  �
Cognitive anxiety --> somatic anxiety --> psychic arousal or energy --> physiological arousal
Attention and Skill
Cue Utilization

  �
Cue utilization � both relevant and irrelevant cues can come to the athlete�s awareness
Attentional Style
How the Mind Affects the Athlete�s Physical Performance
The Ideal Performance State
  �
Mental/psychological efficiency � allocation or shift in allocation of attention to process only the cues and
    cognitive activity
Motivational Phenomena
Intrinsic Motivation
Achievement Motivation
Positive and Negative reinforcement in Coaching

� Positive/negative reinforcement
   o
Positive reinforcement � the act of increasing the probability of occurrence of a given behavior by
      following it with or presenting a given act, object, or event like praise, decals on the helmet, or prizes and
      awards.
   o
Negative reinforcement � increases the probability of occurrence of a given operant by removing an act,
      object, or event that is typically aversive
� Positive/negative punishment
    o
Positive punishment � presentation of an act, object, or event following a behavior that could decrease its
      occurrence.
    o
Negative punishment � could take the form of revoking privileges sentence it relates to act of benching.
Influence of Arousal on Performance
Inverted-U Theory 
 
� Inverted-U theory � arousal facilitates performance up to optimal level, beyond which further increases in
    arousal are associated with reduced performance.
Optimal Functioning
Carastrophe Theory
Self-Efficacy
Mental Management of Physical Resources: Controlling Psychological Processes
Goal Setting
  � Goal setting
� process whereby progressively challenging standards of performance are pursued with a
    defined criterion of task performance that increases the likelihood of perceived success
Process Goals
Outcome Goals
Short-Term Goals
Long-Term Goals
  � Operant
�standards of performance and derive from the term operationalize, which means to concretely
    specify a behavior such that it can be measured.
Energizing Techniques
  � Psyching strategy -
Physical relaxation Techniques
Diaphragmatic Breathing
Progressive Muscular Relaxation
Autogenic Training
Mental Imagery
  � Mental imagery
� cognitive psychological skill in which the athlete uses all the senses to create a mental
    experience of an athletic performance
Hypnosis
Systematic Desensitization
Cognitive-Affective Stress Management
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