SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
▪ Psychology is study of the human mind, emotions and behavior.
▪ Sport psychology is the “scientific study of the psychological factors that are
associated with participation and performance in sport, exercise, and other types
of physical activity. - American Psychological Association (APA)
▪ Psychological factors may contribute to the medical problems as well as injuries of
athlete/ sports person.
▪ It can contribute to following problems:
▪ Inconsistency in performance/ poor performance with traveling
▪ Chocking under pressure, failure to meet team goals,
▪ Personality clashes with players/ officials
▪ Excess tiredness,
▪ Recurrent injuries
▪ substance abuse
IMPORTANCE OF SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
▪ Improve performance
▪ By using mental strategies.
▪ To overcome the pressure of competition
▪ Pressure due to expectation of parents/ coach/ own.
▪ To provide psychological assistance with injury rehabilitation
▪ Adherence to therapy, fight back the disease and injury
▪ Confidence building
▪ Concentration improving
▪ Commitment
▪ Provide mental relaxation
 ANXIETY AND PERFORMANCE
▪ It is a negative emotional state associated with stress, feelings of worry, nervousness and
apprehension.
▪ The causes of anxiety are largely the same as those associated with stress.
▪ There are two main types of anxiety:
• Trait anxiety – this is the personality core, and consistent worry/behaviour regardless of situation
• State anxiety – this is changeable and varies depending upon the situation. It is a temporary mood state
and it comprises of two types:
• Cognitive state anxiety – amount of worry
• Somatic state anxiety – is the physiological changes due to perceptionbe d

to sporting performance
THE CYCLE OF DECREASING
PERFORMANCE AND ANXIETY

High anxiety level

Commits more Disruption in skill

errors performance

Negative thought ▪ Increased number of

pattern errors

Distracted by
internal thoughts
PHYSIOLOGICAL AROUSAL
▪ Arousal is referred to as a psychological state of alertness and anticipation that
prepares the body for action. Individual athletes have different levels of arousal
and it is either negative or positive but neutral
▪ Theories of Arousal
▪ Sporting performance and its relationship with arousal can be demonstrated by
several theories:
• Drive Theory
• Inverted U hypothesis
• Catastrophe Theory
• Zone of Optimal Functioning (ZOF) Theory
 DRIVE THEORY BY HULL
▪ This is a linear relationship between arousal and performance, as arousal increases it increases
performance.
▪ However evidence suggests that this theory is only relevant up to a point, after which an athlete
can be over aroused and performance decreases
 DODSON
▪ Best performance is seen in optimum physiological arousal
▪ Low arousal leads to boredom, high pressure will lead to unhappiness
▪ Under arousal: inappropriate recognition, response to, on filed cues.
▪ Over arousal: increased muscular tension, impairment of concentration, co-
ordination, decreased energy level
▪ this theory states that arousal facilitates performance up to an optimal level, beyond which further increases in
arousal are associated with reduced performance.
 CATASTROPHE THEORY FAZEY AND BY

HARDY
▪ This theory differs from the inverted U hypothesis by linking arousal and anxiety.
▪ If the athlete is experiencing high levels of cognitive state anxiety as arousal rises towards the
athletes threshold, the athlete experiences a dramatic drop in performance.
▪ This theory does also rely on the need for both arousal and cognitive anxiety to achieve optimal
performance.
ZONE OF OPTIMUM FUNCTIONING BY HANIN

▪ The relationship of stress, anxiety and arousal all impact upon motivation and the
improvement of performance up to a point.
▪ However optimal performance has many other variables that impact upon arousal
and the individual.

▪ Unlike the inverted U hypothesis ZOF states that individuals perform optimally at
different arousal levels depending upon the above factors, therefore not all
athletes optimal performance is at the top of the inverted U
CONTROLLING ANXIETY, AROUSAL
▪ Progressive muscular relaxation is a technique used to remove tension in the
muscles.
▪ combined with the breathing helps the symptoms of somatic state anxiety.

▪ Imagery allows athletes to increase/decrease arousal/ anxiety levels by

visualising aspects of previous positive performances.
▪ If anxiety and stress need to be reduced the athlete focuses on the feelings of well-being
and positivity.

▪ Self-talk focuses on the performer convincing themselves that they are good
enough
TYPES OF FOCUS USED BY ATHLETE
▪ Smart Thoughts: planning or playing strategically in a game.
Analytical, make rapid decisions
▪ Body awareness: what is happening our body
▪ Single focus: what is happening immediately in front / around the
athlete
▪ Seeing bigger picture: scan playing area.
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRATEGIES FOR
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT:
▪ Mental imagery
▪ Progressive muscle relaxation
▪ Centering
▪ Routine
▪ Positive self talk
▪ Goal Setting
▪ Diaphagmatic breathing
MENTAL IMAGERY
▪ Also called mental rehearsal
▪ It is an experience that resembles sporting exercises but without actual performance
▪ It is helpful to modify arousal level, to enhance skill, pre-compitition and competition routine.
▪ Used as coping strategy for sporting situation- sporting inoculation
▪ It uses as many as senses as possible. ( not only visual)
▪ Eg: table tennis lost a point due to his foul., got angary and lost the set. ( player can recreate
such situation)
▪ This technique should be followed by deep relaxation
▪ Disadvantage:
▪ athlete can get preprogrammed to such fouls.
▪ Need s lot of practice with sports psychologist
▪ Need to be positive and successful every time
MENTAL IMAGERY
▪ Should be used before practice session
▪ Before and during competition
▪ 3-4 times / week for 10 minutes / day ( 5 minutes – 2 sessions)
▪ Progress to 6- 7 times / week
▪ Not to rehearse during night time just before going to sleep.
DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING
PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION
▪ Contracting and relaxing specific group of muscles
▪ Improves body awareness of athlete
▪ Awareness of feeling of relaxation
▪ For beginners many muscles need to be practiced, later specific
muscles can be practiced according to sports they play
▪ For eg: tennis player-shoulder, neck and elbow
CENTERING
▪ Reduces muscle tension and improves focus of athlete
▪ Takes less time as compared to progressive muscle relaxation
▪ Can be used during competition
▪ Breathing exercise with drawing all attention to abdominal muscle and then
to the point in the environment- breaks the negative cycle.
▪ Practice 3 minutes at a time for 30 minutes / day
▪ Specific instructions are given during practice.
▪ Once the athlete acquires the skill ; reduce the technique repetition.
ROUTINE
▪ Prepares the athlete mentally and physically for training as well as for performance
▪ Adopting specific pre-event routine improves consistency in performance
▪ Two types of routines an be adopted
▪ 1. Routine for preparing for competition: over all structure of the day prior or on the
competition day
▪ 2. Routine for performing skills: given situation
POSITIVE SELF TALK
▪ Helps athlete to focus and attained desired arousal level
▪ Training involves: irradiation of inappropriate thoughts
▪ This can be thought by modern transceiver technology. In this athlete is provide
with wireless ear piece, sports psychologist can provide positive feedbacks without
interrupting the competition environment.
▪ Some devices can cause two way communication but one way is proven to be
better.
GOAL SETTING
▪ Goals need to be prioritized
▪ Long tern and short term goals need to be set
▪ Not only performance/ winning competition should be the goal of athlete
but all aspects like nutrition, strength, skill, psychological
▪ Long term goals can be achieved with small task oriented goals.

▪ Other component:
▪ Modification of harmful psychological characteristic of athlete.
MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING AND
RELAXATION
DIFFERENT WAYS USED
▪ Water floatation tank
▪ Music
▪ Massage- post event
ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGIST
▪ On field: improve team dynamics, performance appraisal

▪ Off field:
▪ Athlete
▪ Coach
AIDS PHYSICAL PREPARATION FOR SPORTS
▪ Facilitate physical training
▪ Enhancing motor skill development
▪ Facilitating rehabilitation
RESPONSE OF ATHLETE TO INJURY
FIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL PHASES
▪ Denial – Athletes commonly deny the seriousness of the condition
▪ “Nothing is really wrong”
▪ “This can’ happen to me”

▪ Anger – Athletes often become angry with themselves, those around them, & everything in general
▪ “Why me?”
▪ “What did I do wrong?”
▪ “It’s not fair” . May lose interest in rehab

▪ Bargaining – Athlete becomes aware of real nature of injury & begins to have doubts about situation –
leads to bargaining
▪ Pressure on therapy staff to “work miracles”

▪ Depression – Athlete becomes aware of the nature of the injury & recovery time, depression may set
it.
▪ Acceptance – Athlete becomes resigned to situation.
▪ Applies maximal effort to rehab
▪ Accepts limitations & focuses on getting back to participation.
STALENESS, BURNOUT

▪ Staleness: Definition – loss of vigor, initiative, & successful performance, may be the
beginning of burnout
▪ Influences:
▪ Long seasons
▪ Monotony
▪ High levels of stress
▪ Poor eating habits
▪ Rewards are minimum

▪ Burnout: Definition – state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion where an

individual has their abilities to cope with minor daily frustrations decreased and
their ability to cope with major problems paralyzed
▪ Characterized by loss of motivation and interest
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS FACED BY THE
ATHLETES
▪ Depression
▪ Anxiety
▪ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OSD)
▪ Panic Disorder
▪ Post Traumatic stress disorder