Sports psychology
What's covered
Key facts
Attention control (concentration) is focusing on task-relevant cues while blocking out distractions.
Ability is classed as a stable attribution because it is relatively fixed over time, whereas effort is unstable because it varies from one performance to the next.
Biofeedback gives the athlete real-time physiological data (e.g. heart rate) so they can learn to control their own arousal.
Attribution retraining aims to change an athlete's attributions from stable "lack of ability" to unstable, controllable "lack of effort", restoring motivation.
Centering is a breathing-and-focus technique that lowers cognitive anxiety and refocuses attention on the task.
Blaming a loss on "bad luck" is an external (outside the athlete), unstable (changeable) attribution.
A closed skill is performed in a stable, predictable environment and can be repeated the same way each time (e.g. a free throw, a serve, a gymnastics vault).
Attributing a win to effort is an internal (within the athlete), unstable (changeable from performance to performance) attribution.
Cognitive anxiety is the psychological side of anxiety: worry, negative thoughts and doubts about performance.
Extrinsic motivation comes from external rewards such as prize money, trophies, medals or praise from a coach.
Sample questions
A taste of the 82 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
Why are sporting skills placed on a continuum rather than in fixed categories?
- •Each sport sets its own skill rules
- •Every skill is either open or closed
- ✓Most skills fall between the two extremes
- •Skills cannot be measured objectively
According to Edexcel, which of these is a documented benefit of goal setting?
- •It guarantees a faster recovery from injury
- ✓It increases the performer's attention and focus
- •It removes all pressure from competition
- •It replaces the need for a coach's feedback
Why do beginners rely on extrinsic feedback the most?
- •They can already feel exactly what their body is doing
- ✓They cannot yet judge their own performance accurately
- •They no longer need a coach to support them safely
- •They prefer to review video of themselves afterwards
What is visual guidance in coaching?
- ✓Demonstrating a skill so the learner can see the correct technique
- •Physically moving the athlete's body into the correct position
- •Providing written instructions on a whiteboard
- •Telling an athlete what they did wrong verbally
What does SMART stand for in goal setting?
- •Safe, Measurable, Athletic, Rewarded, Tracked
- •Simple, Manageable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely
- ✓Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound
- •Structured, Motivating, Ambitious, Reviewed, Tracked
Which is the best example of an open skill?
- •A free throw in basketball
- ✓A pass in open play
- •A putt on the green
- •A vault in gymnastics
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