Module in Psychosocial Aspects of Sports and Exercise

GROUP COHESIVENESS
 Is the ability to think and act as one if the group is physically or not]
 According to Stephen P Robbins, “It is the degree to which members attracted to each other and are
motivated to stay in the group.
Dimensions of group cohesiveness: Group Unity, Attraction and Team work

Group unity - Many theorists believe that group cohesion results from a deep sense of “we-ness” or
belonging to a group as a whole.ì By becoming enthusiastically involved in the efforts of their group and by
recognizing the similarities that exist among group members, individuals tend to develop a close connection
with their group and its members.
Attraction- According to Hogg (1992), group cohesiveness typically develops from a depersonalized attraction
to group members based on their status as group members, rather than a personal attraction based on
specific relationships.
Team work - Some theorists stress that cohesion comes from group members’ commitment to work together
to complete their shared tasks and accomplish their collective goals.ì Members of task-oriented groups typically
exhibit great interdependence and often possess feelings of responsibility for the group’s outcomes.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO GROUP COHESIVENESS

1. Threat & Competition- Whenever the common group goal is threatened, cohesiveness increases. Also,
such cohesiveness increases the importance of the goals. When we fight for a goal, the goal gets the
highest priority. Thus the threatening party will have less chance of success when faced with a unified
force.
2. . Difficulty in Entryì Some groups are not easy to join. The members are very carefully selected and the
selected members feels a sense of pride and accomplishment.ì The more difficult it is to get into a
group, the more cohesive that group becomes.ì The reason being that in exclusive and elite groups the
members are selected on the basis of certain characteristics and these characteristics being common to
all add to the degree of liking and attraction towards each other.
3. Time Togetherì It is quite natural that the more time people spend together, the more they will get to
know each other and more tendency there will be to get closer to each other, thus strengthening the
degree of cohesiveness.ì In an organizational setting, people who work near each other are more likely
to spend more time together.
4. Group Sizeì Since continuous and close interaction among members is a fundamental necessity for
cohesiveness, it would be natural to assume that large groups restrict the extent of communication and
interaction with each other, thus resulting in reduction of degree of cohesiveness.
5. Previous Successì When a group achieves a meaningful goal, the cohesiveness of the group increases
because the success is shared by all the members and each one feels responsible for the achievement.ì
6. Similarity of Attitudes & Values ì One of the strongest source of group cohesiveness is the similarity in
values, morals, beliefs and code of conduct. ì

HOW TO INCREASE COHESSION?

1. Induce agreement on group goals.
2. Increase membership homogeneity.
3. Increase interactions among members.
4. Decrease group size.
5. Introduce competition with other groups.
6. Allocate rewards to the group rather than individuals.
7. Provide physical isolation from other group.
HOW TO DECREASE COHESSION?
1. Induce disagreement in group goals.
2. Increase membership heterogeneity.
3. Restrict interaction among members.
4. Increase group size.
5. Allocate reward to individuals rather than to a group as a whole.
6. Remove physical isolation.
7. Introduce a dominating member.
BENEFITS ( Increased morale, Increased productivity Improved communication Conformity and influences)
Conclusion
 Group cohesion has been linked to a range of positive and negative consequences.
 People in cohesive groups are confronted with powerful pressures to conform to the group’s goals,
norms, and decisions.
Chapter 4: Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety in Sports and Exercise
 Arousal is a blend of psychological and psychological activation, varying in intensity along a continuum
 Anxiety is a negative emotional state with feelings of worry, nervousness, and apprehension associated
with activation or arousal of the body.
Relationship Between Trait and State Anxiety
 State anxiety refers to “right now” feelings that change from moment to moment
  Trait anxiety is a personality disposition that is stable over time.
 High- versus low-trait anxious people usually have more state anxiety in highly evaluative situations.
 High- versus low-trait anxious people usually have more state anxiety in highly evaluative situations.
Stress and the Stress Process
 Stress: A substantial imbalance between physical and psychological demands placed on an individual
and his or her response capability under conditions in which failure to meet demands has important
consequences.
 Stress process: Implications of the stress process for practice (intervene at any of the stress process
stages).
Activity 1: Group the following CIRCUMSTANCES according to its SOURCES OF STRESS AND ANXIETY
(Event importance: Uncertainty: Trait anxiety: Self-esteem: Social physique anxiety)
Activity 2: How Arousal and Anxiety affects one performance? (Search the meaning different theory and
SITUATIONAL SOURCE PERSONAL SOURCE

discuss it briefly. Have a diagram every theory <see figure 4.9>. Put your answer on the back part of the
module. Use other papers if necessary)
1. Drive Theory
2. Inverted U Hypothesis
3. Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF)
4. Multidimensional Anxiety Theory
5. Catastrophe Model
6. Reversal Theory
7. Anxiety Direction and Intensity
 Cognitive anxiety is negatively related to performance. Somatic anxiety is related to performance in an
inverted-U pattern.
Why Arousal Influences Performance
 Increased muscle tension, fatigue, and coordination difficulties
 Changes in attention, concentration, and visual search:
o Narrowing of attention
o Shift to dominant style
o Attending to inappropriate cues
 Changes in attention, concentration, and visual search:
o Performance worries and situation-irrelevant thoughts
o Visual cues are differently identified and processed when performers are anxious

Implications for Practice

 Identify optimal combinations of arousalrelated emotions for best performance.
 Recognize how personal and situational
 factors interact to influence arousal, anxiety, and performance.
 Recognize signs of arousal and state anxiety.
 Tailor coaching strategies to individuals: Sometimes arousal must be reduced, other times maintained,
and other times facilitated.
 Develop performers’ confidence and perceptions of control.

Theories of arousal

The Impact of Arousal, Stress and Anxiety on Sports Performance

Stress is defined by McGrath (1970) as a substantial imbalance between demand and response capability,
under conditions where failure to meet the demand has important consequences.
Stress occurs when a person feels they cant deal with a situation and this will have bad consequences.

There is 2 types of stress which are eustress which is good stress as it makes your body release endorphins
and improves performance.

Then there is distress which is bad. This causes the heart to race.

There are 4 stages in stress. The first one is environmental demand, the 2nd one is individuals perception, the
3rd is stress response and the last is behavioural consequences. These stages could be taken in a positive or
negative way.

There are also two effects of stress which are sympathetic which produces stress response, and there is an
increase in heart rate, tension in the muscles, increase adrenaline and increased breathing rate.

The other effect is parasympathetic which is after stress and it takes control after stress has passed, you have
slow heart rate, muscles relax, increased saliva and a slow breathing rate.

Effects of Stress

The 2 symptoms are cognitive and somatic. Cognitive is in your mind and it is the amount you worry. You
have negative thoughts, nervousness and worry. An sporting example would be before a gymnastic
competition you could become confused and even forgot the routine.

Somatic is physical effects on your body and it relates to your perception of a physiological changes that
happen in a particular situation. An sporting example would be before a game and the symptoms of somatic
are tension, fear and worry.

Your heart rate will increase and so will your breathing.

Activity 3: How to cope with stress? Give at least 10

OVER TRAINING AND BURN OUT

Overtraining
 Short cycle of excessive training at maximal capacity. Used to overload athletes.
 Burnout
 Imbalance between exercise and rest, occurring when athletes are subjected to an intensive training
overload without adequate recovery or rest.
 Is thought to be a result of physical and emotional stress of training.
 A condition in which an athlete experience fatigue and declining performance in his/her sport despite
continuing or increased training.
 Characteristics: exhaustion, both physical and emotional; feelings of low personal accomplishment, low
self-esteem, failure and depression; depersonalization and devaluation.

Activity 4: list down the different symptoms of Overtraining. Categorize them, it can be Physiological or
Psychological.
Staleness
 Physiological state of overtraining which manifests as deteriorated athletic readiness.
FACTORS LEADING TO BURNOUT
 Lack of recognition or reward for good/hard work
 Working in a high pressure environment
 Working too much without enough recovery
 Too many responsibilities without support of others
 Injuries, Training loads , Lack of enjoyment , Fatigue
 Emotional withdrawal (Caine et al., 2016)
THE 5 MODELS OF BURNOUT (Weinberg, 2011)
1. COGNITIVE-AFFECTIVE STRESS MODEL
o 4 stages
o Involves psychological, physiological, and behavioral components (Situational Demands –
Cognitive appraisal – Physiological responses – Behavioral Responses)
2. NEGATIVE-TRAINING STRESS RESPONSE MODEL
o Focuses on responses to physical training
o Physical training stresses athlete both physically and mentally
o Some cases of burnout are not caused by physical overtraining (Weinberg, 2011)
3. UNIDIMENSIONAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AND EXTERNAL CONTROL MODEL
o Focuses on young athletes
o Real cause of burnout is related to social organization of high-p its performance sport and its
effect on identity and control issues
 o Coaches and parents make most of decisions in youth sports (Weinberg, 2011)
4. COMMITMENT AND ENTRAPMENT THEORY
o Athletes commit to sport for 3 reasons
 1. They want to participate
 2. They believe they have to participate
 3. For both reasons – Athletes feel entrapped by sport – They feel they have to continue
to participate even though they don’t want to (Weinberg, 2011)
5. SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY
o People have 3 basic psychological needs 1. Autonomy 2. Competence 3. Relatedness – Athletes
who have these needs satisfied have low levels of burnout (Weinberg, 2011)

OVERTRAINING AND BURNOUT IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT ATHLETES • Overuse is most common
factor that leads to injuries in adolescent athlete • Participation in sports year round • Multiple teams •
Parental pressure • Growing problem in U.S. • Estimated that 30 to 45 million youth 6-18 years old participate
in athletics (Brenner, 2007)

OVERUSE INJURIES • A micro traumatic damage to a bone, muscle, or tendon subjected to repeated stress
without sufficient time to heal • 4 Stages • 50% of injuries in pediatric sports medicine is due to overuse
(Brenner, 2007)

GROWTH AND MATURATION- RELATED FACTORS • Susceptibility to growth plate injuries • Growth
spurts • Under-developed coordination and skills • “The more frequent and intensive training and competition
of young elite athletes now may create conditions under which these potential risk factors can more readily
exert their influence” (Caine et al., 2016).

TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF BURNOUT • Suggestions to prevent burnout 1. Monitor critical states
in athletes 2. Communicate 3. Set short-term goals for competition and practice 4. Take relaxation breaks 5.
Learn self-regulation skills 6. Keep a positive outlook 7. Manage post-competition emotions 8. Stay in good
physical condition (Weinberg, 2011)

NUTRITION’S IMPACT ON OVERTRAINING SYNDROME • Societal Pressure Factor (Kinucan & Kravitz) •
Nutrient-Related Fatigue (Katch & McArdle, 2011) • Unbalanced Nutrition – Carbohydrates • Main source of
fuel for exercise, adequate carbs should be eaten each day for athletes to train consistently. – Proteins •
Building block for muscles and important for recovery – Fats • High source of energy • Important for hormone
regulation and joint lubrication (Quinn, 2016)

Activity 5: 5 Models of Burnout

Stages
Psychological needs

Finals in Psychosocial Aspects of Sports and Exercise

Name:_____________________________ Grade & Section:______________ Date:_______________

Direction: Read the following questions carefully.(use other sheet if necessary). ANSWER IN A CAPITAL
LETTER.

1. Factors contributing to group cohesiveness. (make a diagram)

2. Result from the deep sense of “we-ness”
3. According to him, group cohesiveness typically develops from depersonalized attraction to group
members based on their status as group members.
4. Discuss one dimensions of group cohesiveness. (Site one example) 5 pts.
5. Quite natural that the more time people spend together.
6. When sports team wins an important game, everyone in the team congratulates every other member
of the team for this success.
7. We enjoy the company of others who hold similar opinions and characteristics as ourselves.
8. FITT formula
9. Phases of exercise
10. Principles of exercise
11. A physiological and psychological state of being awoken or of sense organs stimulated to a point of
perception.
12. A feeling of emotional or physical tension.
13. A feeling of fear or apprehension about what to come.
14. A state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
15. Physical overload on an athlete without adequate rest and recovery results in decreased performance.
16. The 4 stages of cognitive-affective stress model.
17. Give at least 5 factors leading to burnout.
18. Most common factor that leads to injuries in adolescent athlete.
19. A micro traumatic damage to a bone, muscle or tendon subjected to repeated without sufficient time to
heal.
20. What is teamwork?
21. What are the different stages of group/team formation?
22. A collection of individuals who regular contact, frequent interaction, mutual influence, common feeling
or trust, and who work together to achieve a common set of goal.
23. TEAM stands for.
24. Dimensions of group cohesiveness
25. How do we assess teamwork? (10)

Good Luck and Congratulations!