Chapter 14: Self-Confidence

Benefits of Self-Confidence

-Arouses positive emotions, brings us into our proper arousal and concentration -Facilitates concentration -Affects the setting and pursuit of challenging goals, creates accurate feeling about activity, -(along with goal setting) it Increases effort, goal setting and self-confidence help with effort and resiliency if you fail, you should not change what you're doing -Affects game strategies(play to win vs. play to lose), tactics -Affects psychological momentum, we will perform well if we believe we will do well -Affects performance

Coaches' Expectations and Behavior Recommendations

-Coaches should determine what sources of information they use to perform preseason or early-season expectations for each athlete -Coaches should realize that their initial assessments of an athlete's competence may be inaccurate and thus needs to be revised continually as the season progresses, initial assessments may be wrong, they need to change them, sometimes they have unrealistic expectations and assessments based on older siblings -During practices, coaches need to keep a running count of the amount of time each athlete spends in non-skill-related activities(ex. waiting in line) to ensure they treat all athletes fairly(it is OK to count time in and out of activity, it will keep kids in activity and make them not compare themselves as much) -Coaches should design instructional activities or drills that provide all athletes with an opportunity to improve their skills, they need instruction -Coaches should generally respond to errors with instructions about how to perform the skill correctly -Coaches should emphasize skill improvement as a means of evaluating and reinforcing individual athletes rather than using absolute performance or levels of skill achievement -Coaches should interact frequently with all athletes on their team to solicit information about athletes' perceptions, opinions, and attitudes regarding team rules and organization -Coaches should try to create a mastery-oriented environment in team practices, focusing on improvement and team play -Coaches should communicate their expectations so athletes are aware of how they are being evaluated, tell what them what is expected(realistic goal) and hold them accountable to it -Coaches should create concrete measures(or use existing measures) to evaluate athlete improvement in psychological factors, which are often difficult to objectively measure

Dos For Building Self-Confidence

-Do maintain a high positive precompetitive environment -Do have high expectations of all your participants -Do set realistic but challenging short, intermediate, and long-term goals -Do provide lots of contingent, positive feedback and praise -Do structure the environment to provide for early success -Do try to find participants doing something right(don't just look for their mistakes) -You should always catch things that are done right, praise them in front of others, everyone likes this appraisal, children thrive on it(may not want it in front of everyone but always enjoy it)

Don'ts For Building Self-Confidence

-Don't use sarcasm and put-downs to motivate people -Don't allow teammates or group members to belittle other team or group members -Don't criticize participants for inconsequential errors -Don't embarrass or criticize participants at the first sign of a mistake -Don't criticize the person, criticize the behavior

Self-Confidence in Elite Athletes

-Found additional types of self-confidence in elite athletes, such as belief in their ability to achieve(both winning and improved performance) as well as their belief in their superiority over the opposition -This underscores the notion of elite athletes having strong beliefs in their abilities and is consistent with the importance of self-belief as seen in the literature on mental toughness -They believe they're better than everyone else around them, without this we wouldn't have doctors, they are eventually rewarded at the end, ex. ER doctors think they can save anyone, ex. NFL football players think they are each the best person on the field at the time, this is how they got there

Tips for Giving Effective Demonstrations

-Inform learners of the importance of the skill to the game or activity -Point out a high-status model(ex. professional athlete) who effectively uses the skill to be modeled -Make sure participants do not face any distractions and that they can all see and hear -Make eye contact with the learner as you convey instructions about the modeled act(teacher should communicate as best as they can) -Demonstrate complex skills from several angles(ex. tennis serve for both left-and right-handed individuals), they need to do this perfectly to be able to teach it -Focus learners' attention on only three or four key points of this skill(let them master if, we can only really learn one thing at a time, let them master it and then go on to next step) -Repeat demonstrations of complex skills -Make sure instructions always slightly precede the skill or segment of the skill being demonstrated(be ahead of them) -Have the learners mentally rehearse what was shown immediately after observing the demonstration -Practice the skill immediately after it has been demonstrated and mentally rehearsed -Have observers name the subunits(parts) of the skill -Always follow slow-motion demonstrations by giving at least one demonstration performed at full speed -Reinforce correct performance of the modeled act(lastly, always focus on repetitions and rehearsal to learn the new task)

Robust Self-Confidence Characteristics

-Multidimensional -Malleable -Durable -Developed -Protective -Strong set of beliefs

Levels of Confidence

-Optimal confidence involves being so convinced that you will achieve your goals that you strive hard to do so -Lack of confidence(self-doubt) creates anxiety, breaks concentration, and causes indecisiveness -Overconfidence(false confidence) causes you to prepare less than you need to in order to perform, this can lead to a lack of preparation, ex. people tend to not prepare and study for an exam they are overly confident about and it may affect their performance on the exam

Sources of Efficacy

-Past performance is main source, if we did well in the past at the task, we will be more confident in the future, -Performance accomplishments: Accomplishments are the most dependable source, Successful experiences raise the level of self-efficacy, while failure results in lowered efficacy -Vicarious experiences(modeling): Seeing others or modeling influences efficacy, if a client needs to do a new exercise, they need to be shown if perfectly because it will be their only image of what it looks like, get them to endure comfort of pain, such as stress inoculation training to get better -Verbal persuasion from oneself and others(coaches, teachers, peers) can enhance feelings of self-efficacy, confidence, think like you're good -In imaginal experiences, individuals can generate beliefs about personal efficacy or lack of efficacy by imagining themselves or others behaving effectively or ineffectively in future situations -Psychological states influence self-efficacy when they are associated with aversive physiological arousal, poor performance, and perceived failure -Emotion states, or moods, are a source of efficacy information(need to use what we know about changing arousal and emotions)

Reciprocal Relationship Between Efficacy and Behavior Change

-Self-efficacy is a determinant of performance and exercise behavior -Performance and exercise behavior determine one's self-efficacy

Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory

-Self-efficacy provides a model for studying the effects of self-confidence on sport performance, persistence, and behavior -Self-efficacy is important when one has the requisite skills and sufficient motivation -Self-efficacy affects an athlete's choice of activities, level of effort, and persistence in a task -Although self-efficacy is task specific, it generalizes to other similar skills and situations -People with high self-efficacy set more challenging goals

Robust Sport Confidence

-This is a set of enduring yet malleable positive beliefs that protect against the ongoing psychological and environmental challenges associated with competitive sport -It contains a set of beliefs that include multiple types of sport confidence that are intense and stable over time -The belief that we can control of our outcomes, if things go bad we believe we can fix them, if not we would quit(if we got in an accident every time we drove, we would eventually stop driving)

Modeling

AKA Observational learning, can influence confidence, leading to enhanced performance, depending on the following factors: -Model similarity -Coach models -Mastery versus coping modeling -Self-modeling -Multidimensional modeling -Virtual models

Building Coaching Efficacy

An intervention program to enhance efficacy targeted: -Commitment -Communication -Concentration -Control -Confidence

Coaches' Expectations and Athletes' Performance: Stage 4

Athlete's performance confirms the coaches' original expectations, Performance results then feed back into stage 1 of the coaches' expectations and athlete performance process, Performance confirms what was first thought, If a coach doesn't know an athlete they should have neutral expectations at first, was their assessment right or not?, they should use feedback such as praise and corrections to increase performance -was the expectation correct, did performance go the way you thought it was, if not they need to reevaluate original expectations and assessments

Building Team(Collective) Efficacy

Before competition: Focus on developing joint perceptions of capabilities and fitness to manage the upcoming competition in a successful manner During competition: Focus on getting team members believing in one another right before and during the game After competition: Develop intrateam interpretations of experiences of the game

Coaches' Expectations and Athletes' Performance: Stage 1

Coaches form expectations based on: -personal cues(ex. sex, race, body size) and -performance information(ex. skill tests, practice behaviors) Problems occur when inaccurate expectations(too high or too low) are formed, ex. a teacher has high expectations for you because of an older sibling doing well in class, you may or not meet the expectations and be completely different from your sibling -the expectation, can be high or low

Coaches' Expectations and Athletes' Performance: Stage 3

Coaches' behaviors affect athletes' performance by causing low-expectancy performers to perform more poorly because of less reinforcement, less playing time, less confidence, and attributions to low ability, If performance is low, the coach reinforced high expectations -performance of athletes because of coach's expectations and assessment/feedback

Coaches' Expectations and Athletes' Performance: Stage 2

Coaches' expectations influence their behavior regarding the -frequency and quality of coach-athlete interactions, -quantity and quality of instruction, and -type and frequency of feedback This is the assessment, if they have higher expectations, they don't give the person all of the instructions they would normally(if they think you can do it, they won't tell you much about how to do it, this can be bad if you don't know to do it) -the assessment and feedback from their expectation

Aspects of Self-Confidence in Sport

Confidence about one's ability to: -execute physical skills -use psychological skills -employ perceptual skills(ex. make good decisions) -be fit and highly trained, and -improve one's skill(learn skills)

Building Self-Confidence

Ensure performance accomplishments(some kind of performance or learning): -Successful behavior increases confidence and leads to further successful behavior -Include good physical, technical, and tactical instructions -Use game-pressure situations(should always reward effort even more than performance) Act confidently: -Instructors and coaches should display confidence(Restaurant owner should speak and appear confidently which will lead to workers being confident) -Teach athletes to display confidence Respond with confidence: -Athlete should focus on responding with control and confidence, as opposed to reacting with emotion or unproductive behaviors Think confidently: -Focus on instruction and motivating thoughts -Avoid judgmental thoughts -Focus on remembering good performances, not poor ones Use imagery: Imagine yourself as confident and successful Goal mapping: Have personalized goal achievement plans Training for physical conditioning: Training and physical states are key to confidence(being physically ready makes you mentally ready/prepared, this helps with confidence) Prepare: Develop performance plans and precompetitive routines, plans give you confidence because you know what to do Social climate: Leadership style, types of goals, social support network, and social feedback influence confidence

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Expecting something to happen actually helps cause it to happen, expecting to succeed will lead you to succeed more often

Sources of Sport Self-Confidence

Many sources for confidence in sport: Mastery, Demonstration of ability, Physical and mental preparation, Physical self-presentation, Social support, Coaches' leadership, Vicarious experience, Environmental comfort, Situational Favorableness In elite performers, additional sources of self-confidence included: -experience(having been there before) -innate factors(natural ability, innate competitiveness), and -competitive advantage(having seen competitors perform poorly or crack under pressure before)

How Expectations Influence Performance

Our's and other's expectations effect our performances in multiple ways, Expectations play a critical role in the behavior change process, Positive expectations of success product positive effects in many fields, including sport -Coaches' and teachers' expectations are very important -A teachers' or coach's expectations can alter a student's or athlete's feelings and performance -The expectation-performance process occurs in four stages ex. if a teacher tells you an exam is difficult, it probably won't change how you study but it will change how you feel about it while you take it, can change performance

Mastery

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Developing and improving skills

Environmental Comfort

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Feeling comfortable in the environment where one will perform

Physical and Self-Presentation

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Feeling good about one's body and weight

Social Support

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Getting encouragement from teammates, coaches, and family

Situational Favorableness

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Seeing breaks going one's way and feeling that everything is going right, it is in their favor

Vicarious Experience

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Seeing other athletes perform successfully so believe you can do it too

Demonstration of Ability

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Showing superior ability by winning and outperforming opponents

Physical and Mental Preparation

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Staying focused on goals and being prepared to give maximum effort

Coaches' Leadership

Source of Sport Self-Confidence, Trusting coaches' decisions and believing in their abilities

State Self-Confidence

The belief of certainty that individuals have at a particular moment about their ability to succeed, they may be confident during exams but not while driving due to experiences, it is not just due to personality, College exams have bigger consequences if we fail so they create anxiety, We have to get clients motivated and create small successes and get them to overcome some pain

Dispositional Self-Confidence

The degree of certainty individuals usually have about their ability to succeed - succeed as learning and growing and not necessarily winning(outcome)

Self-Expectations and Performance

The expectation of beating a tough opponent or successfully performing a difficult skill can produce exceptional performance as psychological barriers are overcome, linked to positive reinforcement

Coaches Efficacy and Its Components

The extent to which coaches believe they have the capacity to affect the learning and performance of athletes, Components of coaching efficacy: -Game strategy -Motivation -Technique -Character building

Self-Efficacy Theory

The perception of one's ability to perform a certain task successfully, A situation-specific form of self-confidence, With this we can perform successfully, it can be based on past experiences in the task or reinforce by past performances during the task

Negative Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

This is a psychological barrier whereby the expectation of failure leads to actual failure, focusing on negatives will cause you to fail because of fear of consequences, ex. In some restaurants, waiters are charged for dishes that they drop, this makes them think about trying not to break this dishes which leads to a worse performance, we want them to be relaxed and not focuses on not dropping the dishes, we shouldn't punish failures because doing it will lead to worse performances in the future

Self-Confidence

This is important for clients, This is the belief that you can successfully perform a desired behavior, This can be both dispositional and state like, it it not just due to personality, it depends on environment and other things as well, this is why someone could be confident in one thing but not another, their confidence could be due to psychological characteristics or could be due to them having small successes and victories over the years

Four-Stage Modeling Process

This shows exercise learning completely, Attention: Careful attention must be given to the model or person observed Retention: For modeling to occur, the observers must commit the observed acts to memory, must retain to memory, they need to be able to do it without anyone telling them, they need to reproduce it, this needs to be permanent, they need to be motivated enough to learn it Motor Reproduction: For modeling of physical skills to occur, the performers must be able to coordinate their muscle activity with their thoughts Motivation: For modeling to occur, the observers must be motivated to attend to, retain, and practice modeled acts, This stage affects all other stages, How can we motivate them to do something painful?, need to think of end result