Sports Studies and Sports Psychology – Page 18

Experiences from Attention Training Techniques among Athletes

Submitted by Frode Moen1, Ph.D*, Kristian Firing2. Ph.D*

1* Department of Education, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway

2* Department of Leadership, The Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy, 7450 Trondheim, Norway

Dr. Frode Moen is currently the head manager of the Olympic Athlete program in central Norway, where he also has a position as a coach / mental trainer for elite athletes and coaches. He also is an associate professor at the Department of Education at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. He previously has worked as a teacher in high school where sport was his major subject, and he has been a coach for the national team in Nordic combined in Norway for several years. Frode received his Ph.D. in coaching and performance psychology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. His research focuses mainly on coaching in business, coaching in sport, communication, performance psychology and relationship issues.

Dr. Kristian Firing is currently Associate Professor at The Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy, where he conducts teaching, coaching and research. Kristian received his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in 2011. His research focuses mainly on leadership development, experience based learning, debriefing, coaching, process oriented writing and academic writing.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study was to investigate how Attention Training Techniques (ATT) affects young athletes in sport. Six athletes who participated in a 12-week ATT training program participated in qualitative interviews that explored their experiences from the program. Our findings indicate that ATT training can influence junior athletes’ experiences of being able to switch from a mind wandering state to take executive control of their attention. Secondly, when the athletes experiences that they have executive control of their attention, they are also able to make an attention switch to key points that make the athletes mindful in context. Thirdly, when the athletes experience that they are mindful in context, they experience that they are able to understand themselves at a deeper level and thereby enhance their self-esteem.

Key words: attention, mindfulness, stress, burnout (more…)

U.S. Sports Academy2015-04-16T16:16:42-05:00March 13th, 2015|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

A Case Study Exploring Self-Team Evaluations and Feedback through Team-Designed Behavior Scales

Submitted by Robert Brill, Fernando Cifuentes and Logan Stano

Robert Brill is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Moravian College where he teaches courses and conducts research in Industrial / Organizational Psychology and Sports Psychology. He also consults with a number of organizations in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania. Fernando Cifuentes and Logan Stano are Psychology majors and student researchers at Moravian College.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This case study set out to explore a feedback intervention that incorporated team-generated scales created from best practice research principles from industrial / organizational psychology. METHOD: A college men’s soccer team developed behaviorally-based anchored rating scales on 14 performance dimensions, and then provided self and team member ratings on each dimension. Each player received feedback on team average ratings about them relative to self-ratings. Player perceptions were assessed prior to scale development, prior to ratings, and after feedback was received. RESULTS: Findings indicate that the experience was challenging but positive; perceptions of potential and current ability changed significantly in opposite directions between ratings and feedback suggesting that players experienced a simultaneous improvement in motivation and reality check on their perceived potential. CONCLUSION: The data suggests that this feedback intervention may be a worthwhile endeavor to help motivate individuals and strengthen team cohesion. APPLICATIONS IN SPORT: In order to supplement a coach’s feedback and unify teammate performance expectations, the creation and administration of behavior-based self and peer ratings may be a needed and viable option. If so, this case study offers a good model to attempt such an intervention.

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U.S. Sports Academy2020-06-02T11:24:59-05:00July 21st, 2014|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Sartrean Ethics and Sport for Development and Peace Programs

Submitted by Zachary Smith

Zachary Smith is a graduate student in sport studies at the United States Sports Academy and currently resides in Grand Rapids, MI.

ABSTRACT

The United Nations recently declared the first ever International Day of Sport for Development and Peace in recognition of “the power of sport to erase cultural barriers and mobilize people around the world” (9). Unfortunately, while many organizations recognize the ethical neutrality of sport in name, this is often functionally forgotten as sport is co-opted for use by other programs. This paper aims to briefly outline this functional issue by observing the cognitive dissonance within the UN’s statement and its characterization of the Olympics and World Cup events as archetypes of sport for development and peace programs. It will briefly examine this dissonance through the lens of a Sartrean ethic of ambiguity and recast the Olympic and World Cup events as archetypes of cultural hegemony. Finally, it will be suggested that until this dissonance is reconciled, SDP’s will suffer from “inauthenticity,” severely hampering the program’s ability to achieve stated development and peace goals, jeopardizing the “survival of sport as a noble human enterprise” (Morgan, 1976 p. 93) and turning it into a “mere vehicle for the exploitation of man’s own self interests” (Morgan, 1976 p. 91).

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U.S. Sports Academy2017-04-18T08:56:48-05:00July 17th, 2014|Contemporary Sports Issues, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Perceived Qualifications Necessary for Black Females Seeking Head Collegiate Basketball Coaching Positions

Submitted by Joan Sloan, Ph.D.

Dr. Jo Sloan is an Assistant Professor at Lane College teaching in the areas of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and is also a certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise.

ABSTRACT

Surveys were sent to 231 randomly selected athletic administrators from the 2008-09 NCAA Directory of Colleges and Universities across the United States in Divisions I, II, and III seeking their perception of qualifications necessary for Black females seeking opportunities to head coach Women’s basketball programs at the Division I, II, or III level. The rate of return for the surveys was 67%. The statistical significance of the information was tested using t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, and the Tukey’s Post Hoc procedures. There were items of significance from the Athletic Directors across the divisions as it related to education (p<.00), qualifications (p<.00), being unaware of openings (p<.02), experience at their level (p<.00) and being single (p<.02). There was a significant result from the Commissioners as it related to experience (p<.02) for the division at its level. With the passage of Title IX some 42 years ago, the adoption of affirmative action guidelines and the increase in the number of women in sports one would be lead to believe that things would change especially for the Black female. However the number of minority women head coaches have not increased (Abney & Richey, 1992). Given as the top five perceived qualifications necessary for the employment of Black females according to athletic administrators were: strong communication skills, ability to recruit/travel, personality, educational level, and Division 1 coaching experience. Each division believed that experience at their level was definitely necessary. Having four out of the five qualifications and the Black female is still denied the opportunity. Between the years of 2000 and 2002, 90.3% of those new positions were filled by men (Acosta & Carpenter, 2002).

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U.S. Sports Academy2014-07-07T09:29:48-05:00July 7th, 2014|Contemporary Sports Issues, General, Sports Studies and Sports Psychology|Comments Off

Physical Activity and the Nintendo Wii: A Psycho-Physiological Approach

Submitted by:

John Batten

The University of Winchester

John.Batten@winchester.ac.uk

Department of Sports Studies, The University of Winchester, Winchester, UK. SO22 4NR.

Tel. 01962 827289

Jo Batey

The University of Winchester

Jo.Batey@winchester.ac.uk

Department of Sports Studies, The University of Winchester, Winchester, UK. SO22 4NR.

Tel. 01962 827069

Laura Shafe

University of Chichester

L.Shafe@chi.ac.uk

Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Chichester, Chichester, UK. PO19 6PE.

Tel. 01243 816371

James Wright

Southampton Solent University

Email. James.Wright@solent.ac.uk

Centre of Health, Exercise and Sport Science, Southampton Solent University, Southampton, UK. SO14 0YN.

Tel. 02380 319955

Helen Ryan

The University of Winchester

Helen.Ryan@winchester.ac.uk

Department of Sports Studies, The University of Winchester, Winchester, UK. SO22 4NR.

Tel. 01962 827112

Abstract

Purpose. This study examined whether the affective responses pre-, mid- and post- a single bout of Interactive Video Game Technology (IVGT), as well as the amount of energy expended, were comparable to those experienced during traditional physical activity.
Methods. The randomised cross-over design saw each participant (n = 16 undergraduate students) engage in 30-minutes of Nintendo Wii ™ Tennis and 30-minutes of Hardcourt Tennis. Measurements of affect were taken pre-, mid- and post-activity, and estimates of energy expenditure calculated. Two post-experiment focus group interviews were also used to explore participants’ affective responses.
Results. Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed both valence and activation to be higher during Hardcourt Tennis at all time intervals. A paired t-test also indicated that energy expenditure was greater during Hardcourt Tennis. However, the IVGT condition was still associated with low-activation pleasant affect. The interview data supported and partially explained the quantitative findings from a self-determination perspective.
Conclusions. These findings demonstrate that traditional physical activity elicits greater psycho-physiological benefits than IVGT physical activity.
Applications. The efficacy of IVGT-based physical activity may reside in its ability to operate as a motivational entry point for inactive populations, making the initial process of physical activity an enjoyable means to displace sedentary behaviour.

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