CPSS Psychological Performance Factors

Question 1

Which psychological construct refers to an athlete's belief in their ability to execute a specific behavior or skill successfully?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy

Answer

Self-efficacy, as defined by Bandura, is the belief in one's capability to perform a specific task or behavior, directly influencing performance outcomes.

Question 2

The Yerkes-Dodson law describes the relationship between arousal and performance. At which arousal level is performance typically optimal for complex motor tasks?

Accepted Answer

Moderate arousal

Answer

The Yerkes-Dodson law indicates that complex tasks are performed best at moderate arousal levels, as very high or very low arousal impairs intricate motor coordination.

Question 3

Which attentional style, according to Nideffer's model, is most beneficial during a team huddle where a coach addresses broad tactical decisions?

Accepted Answer

Broad-external

Answer

Broad-external attention involves scanning the environment for multiple external cues simultaneously, which is ideal for reading team tactics and situational awareness.

Question 4

A sport scientist notices an athlete consistently attributing losses to the referee and wins to personal skill. This pattern most closely reflects which attribution style?

Accepted Answer

Self-serving bias

Answer

Self-serving bias is the tendency to attribute successes to internal factors and failures to external factors, protecting self-esteem at the cost of accurate feedback.

Question 5

Pre-competition anxiety can be differentiated into two components. Which component involves worry and negative thoughts about performance?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive anxiety

Answer

Cognitive anxiety refers to the mental component of anxiety, characterized by negative thoughts and worry about performance, distinct from somatic (physical) anxiety symptoms.

CPSS - Certified Performance and Sport Scientist Practice Test

CPSS - Certified Performance and Sport Scientist Practice Test

CPSS Psychological Performance Factors