The Mental Side of
Human Performance
Chapter 13
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INTRODUCTION
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History of Sport Psychology

Chinese and Greek Civilizations
– “Healthy mind in a healthy body”

1800s
– First sport psychology research
– Effects of audience on performance of cyclists

Past Three Decades
– Increased recognition and growth of sport
psychology discipline
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Growth of Sport Psychology

Sport psychology has only recently
developed and grown due to:
1. Expansion of scientific knowledge and
emergence of different branches
2. Increased media attention
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Outline

In this section you will be introduced to
the following sport psychology issues:
– Influence of personality on performance
– Effects of sport on personality
– Relationship between anxiety and
performance
– Effects of motivation on sport performance
– Effects of the audience on athletic
accomplishments
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PERSONALITY AND THE
ATHLETE
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Personality:
Pattern of characteristic thoughts,
feelings, and behaviors that distinguish
one person from another and persist
over time and situations.
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
The study of personality in sport psychology
can help us answer the following questions:
Do athletes possess different personality
characteristics than nonathletes?
Do winners possess different personality profiles
than losers?
Does personality determine sport preference, or
does a particular sport mold our personality
accordingly?
Can personality be changed or does it remain
relatively fixed throughout involvement in sport?
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Personalities of Athletes
Versus Nonathletes
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Personalities of Athletes Versus
Nonathletes

Compared to nonathletes, athletes are more:
Stable
Extroverted
Competitive
Dominant
Self-confident
Achievement-oriented
Psychologically well-adjusted
Conservative with respect to political views
Authoritarian
Persistent
Display higher levels of self-esteem
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Personalities of Athletes Versus
Nonathletes
Although differences exist, a clear
pattern of differences has yet to
emerge
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Personality Profiles of Athletes
Differing in Skill Level
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Definitions

Personality traits: psychological characteristics of
the athlete which remain relatively stable over time

Personality states: “right now kinds of feelings”
which are situation-specific

State-trait controversy: disagreement of the relative
merits of studying states versus traits

Interactional theory: the best state-trait approach,
which considers personality traits and states, as well
as situation-specific factors
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
It is NOT yet possible to distinguish
between successful and unsuccessful
athletes using personality traits

However, it is possible to distinguish
between the elite athletes and the
lesser skilled in terms of mood states
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Mood States of Elite Versus
Nonelite Athletes

Mood states of elite athletes versus lesser
skilled athletes are below in:
Tension
Depression
Anger
Fatigue
Confusion

And are markedly higher in:
Vigor
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Iceberg Profile
This mood state profile resembles an iceberg and is
therefore often referred to as the iceberg profile
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T-SCORE
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Successful Athletes
Unsuccessful Athletes
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Tension
Depression
Anxiety
Vigor
Fatigue
Confusion
PROFILE OF MOOD STATES
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Developmental Effects of Sport
on Personality
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Are personality differences due to the athletic
experience?
Or
Do certain personality traits cause the
individual to go out for certain sports
(gravitational hypothesis)?

Evidence tends to support the gravitational
hypothesis

HOWEVER, participation in sports can also
enhance personality development
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Personality and the Athlete:
Conclusions

Athletes tend to be more extroverted, independent,
and self-confident than nonathletes; they also tend to
be less anxious

Elite athletes can be distinguished from lesser skilled
athletes by means of the iceberg profile; it is not
possible, however, to distinguish between winners
and losers

Individuals with certain personality traits tend to
gravitate toward sports; sport also has the potential to
enhance certain personality traits
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