CSC Sports Psychology and Motivation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of pre-performance routines in competitive sport?
- To entertain spectators
- To create a consistent psychological and physiological state that optimizes readiness (Correct answer)
- To delay the start of competition
- To intimidate opponents
Correct answer: To create a consistent psychological and physiological state that optimizes readiness
Pre-performance routines help athletes regulate arousal, focus attention, and access optimal mental states through consistent behavioral and cognitive cues before performance.
Question 2: Which attentional focus strategy (Nideffer) is described as broad and external?
- Focusing narrowly on body sensations
- Scanning the environment for tactical information (Correct answer)
- Concentrating on internal emotional states
- Focusing narrowly on a single technical cue
Correct answer: Scanning the environment for tactical information
Nideffer's model identifies a broad-external attentional focus as scanning the environment to assess the overall situation, critical for tactical decision-making in sport.
Question 3: How does a strength coach best support an athlete experiencing competitive anxiety?
- Dismiss the anxiety as weakness
- Use arousal regulation techniques (deep breathing, positive self-talk) and cognitive reframing (Correct answer)
- Increase training load to build toughness
- Isolate the athlete from teammates
Correct answer: Use arousal regulation techniques (deep breathing, positive self-talk) and cognitive reframing
Evidence-based interventions including diaphragmatic breathing, positive self-talk, and cognitive reframing help athletes regulate anxiety into productive activation states.
Question 4: What does 'burnout' in athletes typically involve according to Smith's cognitive-affective model?
- Temporary fatigue that resolves with one rest day
- Emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of accomplishment due to chronic stress (Correct answer)
- Only physical overtraining without psychological components
- Excessive motivation to train
Correct answer: Emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of accomplishment due to chronic stress
Smith's model describes athletic burnout as resulting from chronic stress leading to emotional exhaustion, sport devaluation, and reduced sense of accomplishment.
Question 5: Which leadership style is most effective for experienced, highly skilled athletes who prefer autonomy?
- Highly autocratic, directive leadership
- Delegative (laissez-faire) leadership with clear expectations (Correct answer)
- Micromanagement of every training decision
- Purely social leadership with no structure
Correct answer: Delegative (laissez-faire) leadership with clear expectations
Experienced athletes often perform best under delegative leadership that provides clear goals and expectations while allowing them autonomy in decision-making and execution.
Question 6: What is 'flow state' in sport performance?
- A state of fatigue following maximum effort
- A state of optimal experience characterized by total absorption, effortlessness, and peak performance (Correct answer)
- A warm-up technique
- A recovery protocol
Correct answer: A state of optimal experience characterized by total absorption, effortlessness, and peak performance
Flow (Csikszentmihalyi) describes an optimal psychological state of total absorption, perceived effortlessness, and intrinsic enjoyment that coincides with peak performance.
CSC Sports Psychology and Motivation 2
What is the primary purpose of pre-performance routines in competitive sport?