Sport Psych Topic 3: Motivation

Question 1

Key Research: Munroe-Chandler et al

Answer 1

Aim:
1. to investigate the relationship between imagery, self confidence and self-efficiency
2. specifically to see if younger adults show the same benefits of using imagery that had been found in adult sports people

Sample:
- 122 male and female Canadian players aged 11-14
- mean experience was over 6 years, the players played in both recreational and competitive leagues in Ontario, Canada

Method:
3 measures were taken to see if there was a correlation: sports imagery questionnaires for children, CTAI-2, self-efficacy questionnaire for soccer

Procedure:
the coaches sent emails outlining the study. Data was collected before practice at the players usual fields. Done over 2 week period mid season. They completed the 3 measures of imagery, self confidence and self-efficacy in that order.

Results:
- results showed that the MG-M imagery was a significant predictor of both recreational and competitive soccer plays
- MG-M had the strongest positive correlation of the imagery measures with both SEQ and CTAI-2

Question 2

Vealey’s model of sports confidence

Answer 2

Robin Bealey suggested 3 aspects that affect sport confidence.

trait sport confidence = your belief in your general sports ability, it tends to be stable and based on sporting experience

state sports confidence = ability to perform in a specific sporting context. This confidence can change quietly

competitive orientation = it relates to an athletes drive to succeed and how they define success in a give situation - whether driven by winning or performing well

Question 3

Bandura: sporting self-efficacy

Answer 3

• suggested that self efficacy plays a key role in motivation
• high self efficacy = individual knows what is required of them and is confident that they can do it
• low self efficacy = unclear what is needed to be successful or if we do we are not confident we can do it

Bandura 4 Factors:
- previous personal achievement = if successful, increases your self efficacy
- bandora suggets we can learn vicariously from the success role role models
- a coach encouraging praise can act as effective verbal pressure and increase self efficacy
- emotional arousal has an impact

Question 4

Van Raalte et al: self talk

Answer 4

Positive self talk refers to statements an athlete says to themselves deliberately or automatically in order to improve

Van Raalte investigated the effectiveness of self talk on performance on a dart throwing test.
- 60 male undergraduates students randomly assigned to either positive self talk, negative self talk, or control condition
- in positive self talk = participants were told to repeat “you can do it” to themselves
- in negative self talk they repeated “you can’t do it”
- they all completed 15 dart throws and accuracy measured in means distance from centre of the target
- the findings showed that those in positive self-talk group showed significantly better darts accuracy

Question 5

Epstein: TARGET approach

Answer 5

Epstein suggested that the key to increasing an athlete motivation is to give positive feedback based on the mastery of tasks rather than rewarding competitive performance

Target Approach = a set of guidelines that coaches can use to improve levels of intrinsic motivation

Tasks - training is challenging and involves a range of tasks
Authority - let athletes participate in decision making
Reward - use rewards focused on individual improvement and effort
Grouping - give athletes the opportunity to work in groups
Evaluation - give a lot of evaluative feedback focused on effort
Timing - give athletes enough time to matter and develop the skills