SELF-CONFIDENCE: SELF-CONFIDENCE: The Key to Sport SuccessThe Key to Sport Success
Matt VaartstraMatt Vaartstra
University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho
Edited from: Damon BurtonEdited from: Damon Burton
What is self-confidence?
SELF- CONFIDENCE SELF- CONFIDENCE DEFINEDDEFINED
True Self-ConfidenceTrue Self-Confidence – is a realistic belief – is a realistic belief or expectation of achieving success.or expectation of achieving success.
Self-Confidence is:Self-Confidence is:not what you hope tonot what you hope to dodo but what you but what you
realistically expect to dorealistically expect to donot what you tell othersnot what you tell others but your innermost but your innermost
thoughts about your realistic capabilitiesthoughts about your realistic capabilitiesnot pride in past deedsnot pride in past deeds but a realistic but a realistic
judgment about what you are able to dojudgment about what you are able to do
SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-SELF-ESTEEM AND SELF-EFFICACYEFFICACYSelf-esteem
Overall emotional evaluation of self-worth
Positive or negative evaluations of the self
Self-efficacy The perception of one’s
ability to perform a task successfully.
Essentially, situation-specific self-confidence
Does self-confidence enhance performance?
SELF-CONFIDENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE ENHANCES PERFORMANCEENHANCES PERFORMANCE
Mahoney & Avener (1976) 1976 Olympic qualifiers were more confident than nonqualifiers.
Feltz’ (1988) review found moderate to strong relationships between confidence and performance (i.e., mean r = .54).
Research finds a reciprocal relationship between self-confidence and performance.
HOW SELF-CONFIDENCE HOW SELF-CONFIDENCE IMPACTS PERFORMANCEIMPACTS PERFORMANCE
Lowers anxiety by creating positive expectations of success
Increases motivation by raising perceived competence
Enhances concentration by eliminating distraction from negative thoughts and personal putdowns
What are the three types of self-confidence?
CONFIDENCE-CONFIDENCE-PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIPRELATIONSHIP
Diffidence Optimal SC OverconfidenceDiffidence Optimal SC Overconfidence
PERFPERF
SELF-CONFIDENCESELF-CONFIDENCE
OPTIMALOPTIMALSELF-CONFIDENCESELF-CONFIDENCE
CompetenceCompetence -- possess the knowledge, -- possess the knowledge, strategies, skills, and abilities necessary strategies, skills, and abilities necessary for success.for success.
PreparationPreparation – sufficiently prepared so you – sufficiently prepared so you can successfully perform those skills and can successfully perform those skills and strategies in a particular competitive strategies in a particular competitive situation.situation.
DIFFIDENT ATHLETES . . .DIFFIDENT ATHLETES . . . Confuse Confuse “what is”“what is” with what they with what they “wish would “wish would
be”be” or with what or with what “ought to be”“ought to be”
See themselves as See themselves as loserslosers and act accordingly and act accordingly
Mistakes devastate their competenceMistakes devastate their competence
Self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that Self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that create a vicious negative spiralcreate a vicious negative spiral
Focus on their shortcomings and overlook their Focus on their shortcomings and overlook their accomplishmentsaccomplishments
Are underachievers whose confidence limits their Are underachievers whose confidence limits their developmentdevelopment
TYPES OF TYPES OF OVERCONFIDENCEOVERCONFIDENCE
Inflated confidence
False confidence
INFLATED CONFIDENCEINFLATED CONFIDENCE
People who believe they are better than they People who believe they are better than they really are and have an inflated opinion of really are and have an inflated opinion of themselves and their skills.themselves and their skills.
They overestimate their abilities while They overestimate their abilities while underestimating their opponents’ skills.underestimating their opponents’ skills.
Pampering from parents/coaches, playing weak Pampering from parents/coaches, playing weak competition, and excessive media hype are its competition, and excessive media hype are its primary causes.primary causes.
Often they are competent but don’t prepare Often they are competent but don’t prepare adequately. adequately.
FALSE CONFIDENCEFALSE CONFIDENCE
Act confident on the outside but inside fear Act confident on the outside but inside fear failure and are really diffident.failure and are really diffident.
Pretend to be brash, cocky, and arrogant.Pretend to be brash, cocky, and arrogant.
Difficulty admitting errors and filled with Difficulty admitting errors and filled with excuses.excuses.
Difficult to coach because they won’t Difficult to coach because they won’t accept responsibility for mistakes.accept responsibility for mistakes.
Normally prepare hard but lack the Normally prepare hard but lack the competence to be successful. competence to be successful.
What is the difference between performance
and outcome confidence?
PERFORMANCE- VERSUS PERFORMANCE- VERSUS OUTCOME CONFIDENCEOUTCOME CONFIDENCE
Performance Confidence – performers’ belief that they can execute the skills and strategies necessary to perform well and attain their goals.
Outcome Confidence – performers’ belief that they will socially compare well and win the competition.
What are some specific strategies you use to boost
your self-confidence?
CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESSTRATEGIES
General confidence development strategies.
Six confidence development tips for practitioners.
Strategies for developing and maintaining confidence during competition.
ENHANCINGENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCE SELF-CONFIDENCE
Performance Accomplishments
VicariousExperiences
VerbalPersuasion
Physiological Arousal Control
Self-Confidence
Thoughts
Behaviors
Performance
GENERAL CONFIDENCE GENERAL CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIESDEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Performance accomplishment goal-setting – builds competence and preparation
Vicarious experiences modeling/demonstrations imagery
Verbal persuasion reinforcement – enhances feelings of competence self talk – confidence script
Arousal control relaxation/energization
CONFIDENCE-DEVELOPMENT CONFIDENCE-DEVELOPMENT TIPS FOR PRACTITIONERSTIPS FOR PRACTITIONERS
Develop a systematic goal setting program and log and graph progress
Create a personal Hall-of-Fame
Design a systematic conditioning program and maximize preparation
Use effective modeling strategies
Replay past successes and imagine future triumphs
Emphasize confidence-building thoughts
How do you maintain your self-confidence during competition?
DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING DEVELOPING & MAINTAINING COMPETITIVE CONFIDENCECOMPETITIVE CONFIDENCE
Appraise situations as challenges rather than threats
Develop readiness, performance and recovery plans to deal with problems
Emphasize problem-focused coping strategies to reduce threat
Use emotion-focused coping techniques to feel less threatened
Focus on more controllable process and performance goals
What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECYSELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY
Self-Fulfilling Prophecies – occur when coaches’/teachers’ expectations prompt athletes/students to behave or perform in a way that conforms with those expectancies.
Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) found that a group of students teachers believed were “academic late bloomers” made greater educational gains than did a control group for whom they had neutral expectancies.
Expectancies of teachers, coaches and parents can significantly raise or lower performers’ self-confidence.
Who creates self-fulfilling prophecies for you?
Are these self-fulfilling prophecies positive or
negative?
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY MODEL
SELF-FULFILLINGSELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY PROCESS PROPHECY PROCESS
STEP 1 – Coaches Develop Expectations
STEP 2 – Coaches’ Expectations Influence their Treatment of Athletes (i.e., frequency, duration, and quality of interactions)
STEP 3 – Athletes’ Learning and Performance Is Impacted by Differential Treatment
STEP 4 -- Athletes’ Behavior Conforms to Coaches’ Expectations
STEP 1: COACHES FORM STEP 1: COACHES FORM EXPECTATIONSEXPECTATIONS
Person Cues race gender socioeconomic status size body type style of dress
Performance Information conditioning and skills tests previous performance history evaluation of others tryout information
STEP 2: DIFFERENTIAL STEP 2: DIFFERENTIAL EXPECTANCIES IMPACT EXPECTANCIES IMPACT COACHING BEHAVIORSCOACHING BEHAVIORS
Type, frequency and warmth of interactions
Nature of instructional behaviors (e.g., skills taught, difficulty of skills, and persistence)
Nature of feedback behaviors (e.g., valence, specificity, and corrective content)
Attributions for success and failure
STEP 3: COACHES’ BEHAVIOR STEP 3: COACHES’ BEHAVIOR IMPACTS ATHLETES’ IMPACTS ATHLETES’
PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE
Quantity and quality of learning
Quality of competitive cognitions and performance
Long-term development
STEP 4: ATHLETES’ STEP 4: ATHLETES’ PERFORMANCE CONFORMS PERFORMANCE CONFORMS
WITH COACHES’ EXPECTATIONSWITH COACHES’ EXPECTATIONS
Athletes most susceptible to Self-Fulfilling Prophecy effects are . . .younger less experienced lower in self-esteemmore coachablevalue success more
SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES: SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES: POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE?
Fostering Learning Beliefs “You really gave all your effort today, and it
looked like you had fun playing!”
Fostering Capacity Beliefs “You were the best player out there. Great job
on the win!”
Can we use self-fulfilling prophecies as a positive developmental tool?
How do we maximize positive Self-Fulfilling
Prophecy effects?
HOW TO MAXIMIZE HOW TO MAXIMIZE POSITIVE SFP EFFECTSPOSITIVE SFP EFFECTS
1. Determine what sources of information are used to form expectations.
2. Realize initial expectancies may be inaccurate, requiring adjustment as performers skill changes.
3. Equalize skill-development time across athletes.4. Provide all performers sufficient time to fully
master skills.5. Respond to errors with corrective instruction.6. Focus on process as a means to attain product.7. Develop good coach-athlete relationships.8. Create a performance-oriented team climate.