SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

Sport Psychology: The Role of Cognitive Control in an Athlete's Performance



Sport Psychology: The Role of Cognitive Control in an Athlete's Performance

Introduction

Psychology is central to an athlete's performance in sport. The manner in which individuals prepare themselves for sporting challenges by learning key psychological skills such as concentration and stress management, among others. Victory or defeat largely depends on athletes' ability to perform on the day of the sporting event when the pressure bar is considerably high. The outcome of games can turn because of momentary slips in concentration, thereby paralyzing teams through stress and other cognitive factors such as emotional imbalances or increased anxiety. Understanding the psychological underpinnings of sports can significantly boost an athlete's individual or team performance. For all athletes, factors that influence performance are prominent in five chief categories including “technical, tactical, physical, psychological, and environmental” (Cotterill p.1). This essay discusses how an understanding and application of cognitive skills and control can influence an athlete's performance positively. Key research findings and empirical data in the course of this essay will illustrate how cognitive factors such as anxiety or emotional control alter an athlete's performance negatively. Alternatively, the essay will highlight the role of sport psychology, making practical recommendations for coaches and athletes alike on maintaining cognitive control and mastering cognitive skills of concentration, emotional control and collected focus.

Discussion

Historical Foundations of Sport Psychology

In order to analyze holistically any scholarly discipline, studying its historical foundations and earliest conceptions is a recognized premise. The earliest contributors to sport psychology set the direction for the evolution of this discipline. Norman Triplett, for instance, was a devoted bicycle racing enthusiast and just happened to be a psychologist. Most scholars agree that Triplett's (1989) research on bicycle racing is the first research article in the discipline of sport psychology. Yerkes and Dodson made the earliest recommendation extracting the central features of psychology and relating it to sport. Griffith (1926) established sport psychology as a legitimate field of study - giving it the earliest form of an identity as a discipline. Martens (1979) focused on the application of a purely theoretical literature on the subject. His work revolved around the application of advanced research methodologies and discarding traditional laboratory research methods. These early influences and research findings were crucial in shaping sport psychology as it is known today (Smith & Bar-Eli pp.1-2).

Key Research Findings

Theories Explaining the Effects of Psychology on Athletic Performance

In “The Dynamogenic Factors in Pacemaking and Competition” (1989), Norman Triplett created a framework for dynamogenic stimulation and its application to explain the pace and competition phenomenon. Triplett established a distinct link between pace and competition with six theories in sport psychology. The first theory, the Suction Theory draws on the technical aspects of racing and pace by discussing the importance of machines' suction power. The Shelter theory maintains that the racer serves as a shelter from the wind, thus a considerably higher amount of effort facilitates achieving the leading position in a race. The encouragement theory addresses the emotional aspect of ...