Anxiety

Question 1

Anxiety

Answer 1

A negative aspect of stress

Characterised by irrational thinking, loss of concentration and fear of failure.

Question 2

2 types of anxiety

Answer 2

Trait-
Personality trait
Consistent 
Stable 
A player worrying before all games 
Anxious behaviour all the time

State-
Situation dependent
Temporary rush of anxiety
Caused by threatening circumstances eg taking a penalty

High trait anxiety would mean a performer is more likely to have a higher state anxiety

Question 3

Anxiety types- the symptoms can be different

Answer 3

Somatic- physiological,muscular tension,shaking,pacing,poor co-ordination,sweating,increased heart rate.

Cognitive- physiological, irrational thinking-nerves,worrying,confusion,loss of concentration.

Somatic anxiety-similar to an inverted U diagram
Cognitive anxiety-negative linear

Question 4

Anxiety and competition

Answer 4

We become anxious before competition starts (1hr 30mins) before so methods to control anxiety could be employed before this time.

Question 5

Causes of anxiety

Answer 5

Being watched , running out of time when loosing, increased competition, injury, playing badly, letting the team down.

Question 6

Measuring anxiety

Answer 6

Complete and hour before tests somatic anxiety,cognitive anxiety and confidence.
SCAT-sports communication anxiety, test a questionnaire used by sports psychologists to measure anxiety.
CSAI-competitive sports anxiety inventory, the SCAT was extended to this in 1990. A questionnaire used by sports

Question 7

Measuring anxiety

Answer 7

Observation- measuring anxiety by watching, true to life,based on observers opinion-subjective, must know performer, time consuming, may need more than one observer, behaviour may change if they know they are being observed.

Physiological measures- measure the physical response from the body, +VES, are factual and allow comparisons to be made, responses can be measured in real game situations (GPS) , -VES, training can be required to use equipment and cost may inhabit use, wearing the device may restrict performance, the performer may be affected by wearing the device giving more stress and false reading.