16

4

12

Anxiety, Arousal & Attention

chapters

Four Types of Attentional Focus

Four Types of Attentional Focus

Choking As an Attentional Problem

Choking is an attentional process that leads to impaired performance and the inability to retain control over performance – competing poorly when you should be doing well.

Choking is characterized by performers’ exhibiting conscious step-by-step execution of skills and a breakdown of automated movement patterns.

Choking An Attentional Problem

Figure 4.8

Why Arousal Influences Performance

•  Increased muscle tension, fatigue, and coordination difficulties

•  Changes in attention, concentration, and visual search:

– Narrowing of attention

– Shift to dominant style

– Attending to inappropriate cues (continued)

Why Arousal Influences Performance (continued)

•  Changes in attention, concentration, and visual search: – Performance worries and situation-irrelevant

thoughts (High Trait Cog-A) – Visual cues are differently identified and

processed when performers are anxious

Choking and Overanalyzing Body Mechanics

•  Conscious processing hypothesis: Choking occurs when skilled performers focus too much of their conscious attention to the task, much as they would do if they were a novice at the task.

•  Contrast with Flow’s: “merging of action and awareness” “effortless movement”

Attention Control Training (ACT) (Nideffer, 1985)

1.  Identify situations where you are likely to lose focus or become anxious

2.  Center to clear mind 3.  Refocus attention on task-related “cues”

ACT vs. Focus Plans

•  Focus Plan:

•  Identifies key moments and related “cues” or “keys” to focus on

Example of Preperformance Routine for Tennis Serve (16-Second Cure)

1.  Determine positioning and foot placement. 2.  Decide on service grip and ball. 3.  Adjust racket grip and ball. 4.  Take a deep breath (centering?) 5.  Bounce the ball for rhythm. 6.  See and feel the perfect serve (imagery) 7.  Focus on the ball toss and serve to

programmed spot.

Tips for Improving Concentration On Site

1.  Use simulations in practice (practice with distractions present).

2.  Use cue words to focus (instructional and motivational words).

3.  Employ nonjudgmental thinking. 4.  Establish routines (before or during the

event).

(continued)

Tips for Improving Concentration On Site (continued)

5.  Develop competition plans. 6.  Practice eye contact. 7.  Self-monitor. 8.  Overlearn skills.

The Matching Hypothesis

–  Cognitive anxiety should be treated with mental (i.e., cognitive) relaxation.

–  Somatic anxiety should be treated with physical (i.e., somatic) relaxation.

–  If you are not sure what type of anxiety is most problematic, however, use a multimodal technique.

Anxiety-Reducing Techniques (continued)

•  Somatic anxiety reduction: Progressive relaxation

- Learn to feel the tension in your muscles and then to let go of the tension.

•  Somatic anxiety reduction: Breath control –  When you are under pressure and tense, your

breathing is short, shallow, and irregular. –  When you are calm, confident, and in control, your

breathing is smooth, deep, and rhythmic.

(continued)

Anxiety Reduction Techniques

Multimodal anxiety reduction

Cognitive–Behavioral Orientation

Thoughts (cognitions) are central in determining behavior. (Text: Ch. 1, p.18)

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy(CBT)

•  Cognitive therapy : directed toward changing clients’ maladaptive cognitions

Cognitive Behavior Modification(CBM)

•  Self-talk or Self-instruction •  Coping-Skills Programs •  Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) a). Conceptualization Phase b). Skill Acquisition/Rehearsal Phase c). Application Phase

Self-Talk Self-talk

Any self-statement or thought about the self. Appropriate self-talk helps one focus on the present and keeps one’s mind from wandering.

REBT: Albert Ellis (1960’s)

10 Irrational Beliefs (iBs) 1.  You must have love or approval from all

significant people.

2.  You must prove thoroughly competent in all activities important to you.

3.  Things are awful or horrible when you get frustrated, treated unfairly or rejected.

Three Irrational Conclusions •  Musterbation: I “must” not fail this test. It “must”

be this way or things are horrible of terrible;

•  Awfulizing: person believes and acts like some situation is more than 100% bad.

•  I-can’t-stand-it-itis: person believes s/he can not be happy or endure a situation if something exists that they demand not exist. (Low Frustration Tolerance).

Three REBT Insights

•  Beliefs, not events, cause disturbance. We remain disturbed by adhering to irrational beliefs.

•  We keep re-indoctrinating ourselves w/ these beliefs thereby perpetuating our disturbance

•  It will take hard work to revamp/restructure our misery-producing beliefs.

REBT  ABC Model

A = activating event (actual event, thought or image) B = belief(s) about the event C = emotional and/or behavioral consequence

 ABC Model is used to help people understand the B-C connection and suggests that people are influenced by what they tell themselves. An ABC form is typically used. People initially only see the A-C connection (John made me angry… I am depressed because I didn’t get my raise)

The A-B-Cs of Disputing Irrational Beliefs

A. Activating Event:

B. Beliefs:

C. Consequences:

D. Disputing:

E. Effect:

Use of Self-Talk

•  Motivational •  Initiating action •  Sustaining effort •  Instructional •  Skill acquisition •  Breaking bad habits

Types of Self-Talk

•  Positive (motivational) •  Negative (e.g., worry) •  Instructional (task or process)

Techniques for Improving Self-Talk

•  Thought stopping—identifying negative thought, stopping the thought, focusing on task-relevant thought (ACT?)

•  Centering – diaphramatic breathing to clear the mind

•  Changing negative self-talk to positive self-talk

Choose Two (-) Self-Statements from your sport – change to (+)

Negative Positive e.g., “He robbed me

on the line call—the ball was in.”

1.

2.

e.g., “There’s nothing I can do about it. If I play well, I’ll win anyway.” 1.

2.

(See figure 16.4 on p. 383 of text.)

Six Rules for Creating Effective Self-Talk

•  Keep phrases short and specific. •  Use the first person and present tense. •  Construct positive phrases. •  Say your phrases with meaning and

attention. •  Speak kindly to self. •  Repeat phrases often.

Your Individual Data? Which Model?

•  Drive theory •  Inverted-U hypothesis •  Individualized zones of optimal functioning

(IZOF) •  Multidimensional anxiety theory

(continued)

High

High Low

Drive Theory: Linear Relationship

Performance

Arousal

Figure 4.4

Cognitive state anxiety

Somatic state anxiety

Multidimensional Anxiety Theory

High

High Low

Performance

Anxiety