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Sport and Exercise Psychology

Techniques for managing arousal and anxiety in sport

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 03

Overview

Recall questions on techniques for managing arousal and anxiety in sport, including the matching principle, progressive muscular relaxation, centring, biofeedback, imagery, thought stopping, cognitive restructuring, process goals, stress inoculation training, choosing techniques for athletes and their limitations.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Process

How does a centring or breathing-control routine work?

Key term

How can imagery be used to reduce competitive anxiety?

Key term

Explain the technique of thought stopping.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the matching principle in anxiety management?

    Model answer

    It is the rule that the technique chosen should match the type of anxiety, so bodily symptoms are treated with physical relaxation and worrying thoughts are treated with cognitive techniques.

  2. 2

    How is progressive muscular relaxation carried out?

    Model answer

    The athlete works through the body one muscle group at a time, deliberately tensing each group for a few seconds and then releasing it, learning to notice and let go of unwanted tension.

  3. 3

    Which component of anxiety is progressive muscular relaxation aimed at, and why?

    Model answer

    It targets somatic anxiety, because it directly reduces the muscle tension and physical agitation that make up the bodily side of anxiety.

  4. 4

    How does a centring or breathing-control routine work?

    Model answer

    The athlete shifts attention to a point around the navel and takes slow, deep breaths with a longer out-breath than in-breath, which lowers heart rate and gives the mind a single point to settle on.

  5. 5

    What is biofeedback, and how does it help an athlete control arousal?

    Model answer

    Biofeedback displays a bodily signal such as heart rate or skin conductance back to the athlete in real time, so they can see immediately whether a relaxation strategy is working and learn to control the response.

  6. 6

    How can imagery be used to reduce competitive anxiety?

    Model answer

    The athlete rehearses the event in vivid detail while feeling calm and in control, so the situation becomes familiar and less threatening before they ever arrive at it.

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