CPSS Psychological Performance Factors 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Flow state, as described by Csikszentmihalyi, is most likely to occur when which condition is met?
- Challenge greatly exceeds skill level
- Skill greatly exceeds challenge level
- Challenge and skill are in balance at a high level (Correct answer)
- Arousal is maximally elevated
Correct answer: Challenge and skill are in balance at a high level
Flow is most likely when perceived challenge and skill level are both high and in balance, producing deep engagement and optimal intrinsic experience.
Question 2: Which psychological intervention strategy involves an athlete replacing irrational or negative thoughts with more balanced, constructive ones?
- Thought stopping
- Centering
- Cognitive restructuring (Correct answer)
- Desensitization
Correct answer: Cognitive restructuring
Cognitive restructuring involves identifying distorted or unhelpful thoughts and consciously replacing them with rational, performance-enhancing alternatives.
Question 3: In sport psychology, mental imagery used to rehearse skills and strategies is most effective when performed using which perspective?
- External visual imagery only
- Internal kinesthetic imagery only
- A combination of internal and kinesthetic perspectives (Correct answer)
- Third-person observational imagery
Correct answer: A combination of internal and kinesthetic perspectives
Research supports that combining internal (first-person) visual and kinesthetic imagery produces the greatest neuromuscular and performance benefits during mental rehearsal.
Question 4: Overtraining syndrome in athletes often includes psychological symptoms. Which of the following is a key psychological indicator of overtraining?
- Increased motivation to train
- Elevated mood and energy
- Persistent mood disturbance and decreased vigor (Correct answer)
- Enhanced concentration during competition
Correct answer: Persistent mood disturbance and decreased vigor
Persistent mood disturbances — including fatigue, depression, irritability, and decreased vigor — are hallmark psychological indicators of overtraining syndrome.
Question 5: Which motivational climate in sport, associated with Ames' Achievement Goal Theory, emphasizes mastery and personal improvement over winning?
- Ego-involving climate
- Performance-involving climate
- Mastery-involving climate (Correct answer)
- Outcome-involving climate
Correct answer: Mastery-involving climate
A mastery-involving (task) climate focuses on effort, learning, and self-improvement, fostering intrinsic motivation and adaptive achievement patterns in athletes.
Question 6: A sport scientist wants to measure an athlete's state anxiety immediately before competition. Which validated instrument is most commonly used?
- Profile of Mood States (POMS)
- Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2) (Correct answer)
- Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ)
- Athletic Coping Skills Inventory (ACSI-28)
Correct answer: Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2 (CSAI-2)
The CSAI-2 measures both cognitive and somatic components of state anxiety as well as self-confidence immediately prior to competition, making it the standard tool for pre-competition anxiety assessment.
Question 7: Which coping strategy involves an athlete focusing on managing emotional responses rather than directly resolving the stressor?
- Problem-focused coping
- Emotion-focused coping (Correct answer)
- Avoidance coping
- Approach coping
Correct answer: Emotion-focused coping
Emotion-focused coping targets regulating the emotional response to a stressor (e.g., relaxation, reappraisal) rather than changing the stressor itself.
CPSS Psychological Performance Factors 2
Flow state, as described by Csikszentmihalyi, is most likely to occur when which condition is met?