Chapter 5 - Anxiety In Sport & Exercise

Question 1

What is arousal ?

Answer 1

• blend of physiological & negative psychological activity
• it varies in intensity; positive or negative

Question 2

How can arousal influence performance ?

Answer 2

• Increased muscle tension & coordination difficulties
• Changes in attention or concentration levels

Question 3

What is anxiety?

Answer 3

• a negative emotion that is experienced when faced with a real or imagined threat
• Negatively changed emotional state; internal discomfort & nervousness

Question 4

What is cognitive anxiety?

Answer 4

• a mental & thought component of anxiety, referring to worries & concerns & a reduced ability

Question 5

What is somatic anxiety?

Answer 5

• refers to perceptions of body states, such as clammy hands, a racing heart, or butterflies in the stomach
• degree of perceived physical activation

Question 6

What is state anxiety?

Answer 6

• anxiety experienced at a particular moment in time & can change from moment to moment
• Situational apprehension, temporary, ever changing emotional state of subjective, consciously perceived feelings of apprehension & tension; changing mood state

Question 7

What is cognitive state anxiety ?

Answer 7

• Worry & emotional distress, negative thoughts

Question 8

What is somatic state anxiety?

Answer 8

• Moment to moment changes in perceived physical activation; physiologically based

Question 9

What is trait anxiety ?

Answer 9

• a general predisposition to perceive a variety of situations threatening
• trait anxiety is more enduring
• people with A-type personalities; like to be in control
• Acquired behavioural tendency

Question 10

What is drive theory ?

Answer 10

• performance is a function of habit strength and arousal, or drive.
• The more well learned a task (the higher the habit strength), and the greater the arousal (higher drive), the better the performance
• higher levels of arousal lead to better performance

Question 11

What is the inverted-u theory ?

Answer 11

• As Physiological Arousal Increases, Performance Improves but Only up to a Certain Point, after Which Performance Will Decline

Question 12

What is optimal arousal levels for various sports?

Answer 12

• Each activity takes a different level of activation to result a high level of performance

Question 13

What is the optimal arousal levels for different athletes ?

Answer 13

• Novice Athlete = Low levels
• Intermediate athletes = Medium levels
• Advanced Athlete = High levels

Question 14

What is competitive trait anxiety?

Answer 14

• The tendency for athletes to experience anxiety during competitive sport situations

Question 15

What is individualized zones of optimal functioning?

Answer 15

• an athlete who is within his/her optimal competitive state anxiety zone will be more likely to have a best athletic performance
• If anxiety is outside of his/her optimal zone (either too low or too high), performance is likely to be impaired

Question 16

What is competitive state anxiety?

Answer 16

• depends on the individual and is dependent on the player, not the type of sport or sport skills that the athlete is to perform
• some athletes may play their best even if there are large fluctuations in the intensity of anxiety symptoms, whereas others may play best when the intensity of state anxiety stays constant

Question 17

What is the multidimensional anxiety theory?

Answer 17

• predicts that an increase in cognitive state anxiety (worry) has a negative effect on performance
• based on the premise that state anxiety is multidimensional with its two components (cognitive anxiety and somatic anxiety) influencing performance differently.

Question 18

What is the catastrophe theory?

Answer 18

• describes the combined, or interactive, influences of the multiple components of competitive anxiety and physiological arousal on athletic performance, rather than looking at them separately
• predicts that under certain circumstances, elevations in anxiety are not always detrimental for performance- in fact, they might be facilitative.

Question 19

What are beliefs & attitudes about success?

Answer 19

• Low self-confidence & High self-confidence
• outside of performer’s control
• debilitating to performance
• positive perceptions of control
• facilitative interpretations

Question 20

What are the 5 implications for practice ?

Answer 20

1. Identify optimal arousal-related emotions
2. Recognize the interaction of personal & situational factors
3. Recognize arousal & state anxiety signs
4. Tailor coaching strategies to individuals
5. Develop athletes’ confidence

Question 21

What are signs & symptoms of anxiety?

Answer 21

• Feelings of worry, racing heartbeat, shaky hands, sweaty, etc.