Inside_Sports_Pyschology

Lesson 6/Chapter 6

1. The process of controlling the direction, width, and selectivity of attention is central to concentration. Discuss the selectivity dimension of attention as it relates to sensory input and the processing of information to produce movement.

2. The process of controlling the direction, width, and selectivity of attention is central to concentration. Describe the direction and width dimensions of attention as seen in the four distinct attentional or concentration styles.

3. Utilizing table 6.1 on page 151, “Types of Concentration Focus and Typical Errors in Sport,” identify one type of concentration that aids performance and one type of concentration that hinders performance in the sport of your choice. (Do not use the example of a basketball player shooting a free throw. The authors have already used this example.  See page 150.)  Relate to your coaching.  How might your coaching play a role in promoting the appropriate concentration style or the inappropriate concentration style?  Be honest.  Are you a help or a hindrance to the performance of your athletes?  What are you doing well in this regard and what could you do better?

4. Let’s play detective for a moment. You will need to revisit the Cue Utilization Theory (from chapter 4), and then refer back to table 6.1 on page 151. Once again, for the sport of your choice, speculate on the following:

(a) What type of external concentration error and associated performance problems will likely occur when the athlete is over-aroused (high level of arousal/activation)?

(b) What type of external concentration error and associated performance problems will likely occur when the athlete is under-aroused (low level of arousal/activation)?

5. As competitors, we have probably choked at one time or another in our playing careers. As coaches, we have probably seen our athletes choke at one time or another. (The authors discuss the phenomenon of choking on page 155.) The phenomenon seems to occur at the most important and pressure-filled moments in competition. Choking is most commonly associated with a concentration error involving an inappropriate internal focus either external or internal.  Refer again to table 6.1 on page 151 and look at the common problems associated with both inappropriate internal foci.  Once again for a sport of your choice, speculate what might be going through the athlete’s mind at the pressure-filled moment, and how might you be able to help the athlete avoid the phenomenon of choking?

Lesson 7/Chapter 7

1. Explain how visualization or imagery has the effect of “priming” the appropriate muscles for subsequent physical action.

2. Describe five visualization perspectives that can be used to create or recreate sport experience, and then discuss the research trends regarding the visual external perspective and the visual internal perspective. Practically speaking, what is the “litmus test” for any form of visualization?

3.”Paivio’s imagery model has two main dimensions:  the purpose of imagery, which can be motivational or cognitive (though related), and the application of imagery, which can be general or specific” (Karageorghis and Terry, 2011, p. 196).  There are five types of imagery based on Paivio’s model.  Name each type, describe it, and provide an example related to the sport of your choice.

4. Complete Exercise 7.1, Introduction to Visualization Skills, (page 175 in the textbook) to help you understand how you visualize. Then write a response to the following questions:

(a) Which senses were really vivid and which were difficult to evoke?

(b) Could you see movement in your images?

(c) Were you able to visualize in color?  Not at all or some? Describe.

(d) Which senses were you able to control?  Were you able to control some more so than others?

(e) Anything else that seems important about your visualization experience?

5. Explain what self-hypnosis is. What is the main benefit of self-hypnosis in the sport setting? How does visualization complement self-hypnosis?