Psychological Aspects

Controlling anxiety

Anxiety

Negative aspect of experiencing stress:

Two components –

Two types -

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worry of possible failure

Cognitive - psychological

Somatic - physiological

State and trait

Trait / state anxiety Trait – high trait anxiety – most situations seen as

- tends to develop more

State – before competition; ; but

at crucial points and components

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enduring personality trait

temporary response to situation

state anxiety

High low during

rises

Cognitive somatic

threatening

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Anxiety

Affects state of arousal - continuum

Trait – predisposed to see wide range of

situations as threatening

State anxiety – moment to moment changes in feelings

Cognitive state –

worries, fears

Somatic state – perceived

arousal

Cognitive and somatic state anxiety

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State anxiety

Somatic Cognitive

Feelings of nervousness,

apprehension, worry, loss of concentration

Awareness of arousal in body – increased heart

rate, sweaty palms

Cognitive state anxiety

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Fear of failure

Attentional difficulties

Loss of concentration

Faulty decision-making

Worries about performance

Increase in arousal

Measuring anxiety

Physiological measures –

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• heart rate; amount of sweating; muscle tension; hormone levels

• but set-up increases arousal

• reluctance to upset performance

• responses vary due to other factors

Measuring anxiety

Observations –

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• record frequency of arousal behaviours

• difficult in real-world setting

• can lead to increased arousal

• difficulties with interpretations

Measuring anxiety

Self-report questionnaires –

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• STAI, SCAT, CSAI-2

• rely on honesty of respondent

• tendency to give perceived ‘correct’ answers

• unable to recognise own feelings

STAI – State-Trait Anxiety Inventory

• Self report questionnaire (Speilberger (1970)

• Measures anxiety of performer

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state and trait

Competitive anxiety

(Martens 1977) –

High competitive trait anxiety –

Development of

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‘tendency to see competitive situations as threatening’

competition seen as threat – results in high competitive state anxiety

SCAT test to measure competitive trait anxiety

SCAT – Sport Competition Anxiety Test

• Self-report -

• Measures anxiety in competition-specific situations

• Measures specific anxiety trait –

• Shows

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specific to competition

state

competitive trait anxiety

high validity

Effects of state anxiety on performance

04/21/23 13Level of anxiety

Quality of performance

High

High

Low

Low

Somatic state

anxiety

Cognitive state

anxiety

Explanation of graph

• Somatic state anxiety – performance at level of

anxiety – inverted U• Cognitive state anxiety - lower for better

performance –

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optimal moderate

negative linear relationship

Multidimensional view of anxiety

1.

2.

3.

Led to CSAI-2 – Competitive State Anxiety Inventory–2 (Martens 1990)

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• measures base-line and pre-competition anxiety

Somatic state anxiety

Cognitive state anxiety

Self-confidence

• most evident aspect of pre-competition of anxiety

Changes in cognitive and somatic anxiety pre-competition

04/21/23 16Time before competition

Level of state

anxiety

High

Low

1 week 1 day 2 hours 1 hour start 1 hour into

Somatic state

anxiety

Cognitive state

anxiety

Explanation of graph

• Cognitive state anxiety days prior to competition and then during competition usually depending on possibility of

• Somatic state anxiety tends to remain until before event, then as event starts

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increases

fluctuates

success or failure

lowhours decreases

Typical question

The cognitive and somatic state anxiety of the competitors may vary as the start of the race approaches.

(i) What do you understand by the terms cognitive state anxiety and somatic state anxiety? (2 marks)

(ii) Describe how cognitive state anxiety and somatic state anxiety may vary prior to and during the race. (3 marks)

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Exam Question

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Exam question and Answer

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Controlling Anxiety

Stress – response of body to demands of situation

Demands = Threats to Potential Fear of

Increased Stress causes

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arousal

stressors

personal harmself-esteem

unknown

Frustration

pressure

Stress

Whether situation causes stress depends on:

Some activities designed to create stress -

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• Trait anxiety

eustress

• Self-confidence• Interpretation of arousal

• Importance of event

EUSTRESS

• a type of stress with a positive effect• the performer actively seeks the

thrill of the danger• and enjoys the excitement and

feeling of satisfaction when it is over

• examples :– bungy jumping– free rock climbing– extreme sport skiing– ultra high diving

Stress Management

PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS

EXTERNAL - THE SITUATION• perception of the demands of the

situation• example : I’ve got to run a PB to

win

INTERNAL• perception of the performer’s

ability to cope• example : I got a terribly slow

start last time

COMPETITIVE ORIENTATION• perception of the importance of

the situation• example : there’s a gold medal

hanging on this

Stress Management

SYMPTOMS OF STRESS

PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS• increased heart rate• increased blood pressure• increased sweating• increased breathing rate• decreased flow of blood to the skin• increased oxygen uptake• dry mouth

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS• worry• feeling overwhelmed• inability to make decisions• inability to concentrate• inability to direct attention appropriately• narrowing of attention• feeling out of control

BEHAVIOURAL SYMPTOMS• rapid talking• nail biting• pacing• scowling• yawning• trembling• raised voice pitch• frequent urination

Stress Management

Stress response

• response• released• Increases and -

more• Increased • Blood diverted away from skin –

• Focuses

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‘Fight or flight’

Adrenalineheart rate blood pressure

oxygen to musclessweating – cooling

less to lose if damagedattention on threat

Stress management

• Control thoughts - cognitive techniques – eg

• Reduce physiological components -somatic techniques – eg

• Involves redirecting thoughts away from

and

• Needs

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imagery/mental rehearsal/thought control

cause of stress reducing anxiety

learning

biofeedback/muscle relaxation

Imagery

• Imagine

• Use

• Must be

• Can imagine event – include possible

• Pre-experience achievement of – increase

• Lock on to perfect performance –

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relaxing situation

all sensesown image

mistakes

goalsself-efficacy

visualisation

Attentional control (focusing)

• Learn to concentrate/focus on

• Concentration linked to • Tendency to focus on • Needs to control attention• Avoid • Use of key phrases to help • Use routine for repeatable skills – eg

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appropriate cues

attention

novel cuespractice

distractions

relaxserving

Thought-stopping

• Use of ‘action’ –

• Switch attention to controlled

• Use whenever occurs

• Action that thought

• Involves – learn to think of action rather than negative thought

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eg clenched fist

mental state

negative thought

removes

conditioning

Self-talk

• Develop about your actions

• Learn to

• Rehearse when things are going wrong -

• Can be

• Can recall good plus

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positive thoughts

control thoughts

what to saydifficult

written down

performances

a few thoughts

Biofeedback

• Use monitor to show effect of anxiety – eg

• Performer to reduce variable

• By thinking of

thoughts

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somaticheart rate

learns

alternative, pleasant

Centering

• Use to regain concentration

• Often used with ‘ ’

• Requires considerable

• technique

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deep breathing

mantra

practice

Somatic

Breathing control

• Focus on rather than cause of anxiety

• Learn breathing

• Lowers

• Often combined with techniques

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breathing

diaphragmatic

heart rate and blood pressure

cognitive

Progressive Muscular Relaxation

• Reduces

• Relax muscles by alternatively

• Start at extremities and gradually move towards

• technique

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muscle tension

tensing and relaxing

centre of body

Somatic

Goal setting

• Control anxiety by directing attention away from and towards achievable

• Increases • Improves • Improves • Raises • Reduces

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stress targetmotivation

selective attention

task persistenceself-confidence

anxiety

Types of goals

• Outcome – based on – eg

But can be• Performance – based on specific aspect of

play – eg

• Process – based on – often affects goals

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result/end productwinning the match

outside performer’s control

completing 50% of passes

- bettertechniques/tactics

performance

Typical question

(a) Explain the difference between outcome, performance and process goals (3 marks)

(b) Which of these tends to be best at reducing anxiety? Explain your answer. (4 marks)

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Answer

(a) Outcome – results;Performance – component of play;Process – technique/tactics; 3 marks(b) Achievement of goals to reduce anxiety;Choose goal to suit performer;Outcome – not good;Result outside performer’s control;Performance – good;Specific to performer’s own efforts/independent of others;Process – good;Can affect performance goals; 4 marks

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Question Mark 1 Mark 2 Mark 3

a(i)

(ii)

(b)