ASCA Sports Psychology & Mental Training for Swimmers

Question 1

What psychological concept refers to an athlete's belief in their ability to successfully execute a specific task?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy

Answer

Self-efficacy, developed by Bandura, is the task-specific belief in one's capability to execute a behavior successfully, and is a strong predictor of athletic performance.

Question 2

Which mental skill technique involves creating a detailed mental image of a successful performance before it occurs?

Accepted Answer

Visualization/imagery

Answer

Visualization (mental imagery) involves mentally rehearsing performance, activating many of the same neural pathways used during physical execution.

Question 3

Which arousal theory proposes that performance improves as activation increases to an optimal point, then declines with further arousal?

Accepted Answer

Inverted-U Theory

Answer

The Inverted-U Theory (Yerkes-Dodson) states there is an optimal arousal level for peak performance — too little or too much arousal hurts performance.

Question 4

What type of goal focuses on the result of a competition relative to opponents, such as winning or finishing in a specific place?

Accepted Answer

Outcome goal

Answer

Outcome goals center on competitive results versus others (e.g., winning, ranking) and are the least controllable because they depend on competitor performance.

Question 5

In sports psychology, 'choking' under pressure is best described as:

Accepted Answer

Performance deterioration caused by excessive conscious self-monitoring

Answer

Choking occurs when pressure triggers reinvestment of conscious attention into automated skills, disrupting fluid performance.

(ASCA) American Swimming Coaches Association Swimming Certification Practice Test

(ASCA) American Swimming Coaches Association Swimming Certification Practice Test

ASCA Sports Psychology & Mental Training for Swimmers