PSY407 Sport Psychology Assignment No. 1 Fall Semester 2012

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PSY407 Sport Psychology Assignment No. 1 Fall Semester 2012


“Self Confidence in Sports”
Cricket is one of the most popular games played in Pakistan. Keeping the time duration, opportunities and facilities aside, critiques claim that national women’s cricket team can not play as good as men’s national cricket team. Many arguments are given in this regard among which one of the most significant is low self confidence. Ellen Lenney has worked a lot in this regard and argued that women suffer from reduced levels of self-confidence in presence of some specific situational variables.
• Now keeping Pakistani culture, Lenney’s work and improvement in women’s cricket team in mind, pick out any three variables that must have played their role in low self confidence of the team members. Important factor to be taken in account are the time duration and the changes occurring in society. (3+3+3)

Psychological momentum in Cricket is affected on a point-by-point basis and players need to develop strategies to cope with slumps during the game. Maintaining resilient self-confidence can be achieved by developing effective strategies such as using affirmation statements, thought replacement, pre-performance routines, and using concentration strategies. However, caution is urged when self-esteem is directly affected by changes in self-confidence following poor performance. Players should be encouraged to invest their self-esteem in a range of activities – not only tennis.
• Give any five practical suggestions that can help in building self confidence in players of women cricket team. These suggestions MUST be based on your analysis. (3)

Cricket players need to maintain self-confidence during competition and the ability to engage in positive self-talk is critical;
Psychological skills are trainable and players need to be active in this process;
Self-confidence is couched in self-esteem and players need to maintain a high self-esteem by investing self-esteem in behaviours other than tennis and through using adaptive coping skills.

• Keeping the present scenario in mind, being a sport psychologist, give a genuine point of view on the future of women’s cricket team that you foresee in Pakistan. (3)
Maintaining concentration under the spotlight
Dealing with external distractions

Players can be distracted both by external and internal distractions. By looking through the list of possible external distractions indicated below and simply placing a tick beside some of the distractions listed, you can identify what distracts you. Once you’ve identified these distractions, you can start developing strategies to cope with these distractions.

Noise in the crowd;
Clicking of a camera;
Movement seen in peripheral vision;
Verbal attempts to intimidate by opponents;
Seeing coach get up and leave.

Dealing with internal distractions

Even when the crowd is silent, your mind can be a forest of internal distractions and an inability to identify the relevant cues can lead to anxiety. We know that becoming anxious leads to an increase in physiological arousal, which in turn makes it more difficult for us to control and concentration.