SELF-CONFIDENCE: THE KEY TO SPORT SUCCESS

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SELF-CONFIDENCE THE KEY TO SPORT SUCCESS

• Damon Burton and Bernie Holliday
• Vandal Sport Psychology Services
• University of Idaho

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What is self-confidence?
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SELF- CONFIDENCE DEFINED

• True Self-Confidence is a realistic belief or
  expectation of achieving success.
• Self-Confidence is NOT
• What you hope to do but what you realistically
  expect to do.
• What you tell others but your innermost thoughts
  about your realistic capabilities.
• Pride in past deeds but a realistic judgment
  about what you are able to do.

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Does self-confidence enhance performance?
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SELF-CONFIDENCE ENHANCES PERFORMANCE

• Mahoney Avener (1976) 1976 Olympic qualifiers
  were more confident than nonqualifiers.
• Feltz (1988) review found moderate to strong
  relationships between confidence and performance
  (i.e., mean r .54).
• Research finds a reciprocal relationship between
  self-confidence and performance.

DQ 1 Explain the last bullet on this slide with
an example.
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HOW SELF-CONFIDENCE IMPACTS PERFORMANCE

• Lowers anxiety by creating positive expectations
  of success.
• Increases motivation by raising perceived
  competence.
• Enhances concentration by eliminating distraction
  from negative thoughts and personal putdowns.

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What are the three types of self-confidence?
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CONFIDENCE-PERFORMANCE RELATIONSHIP

• Diffidence Optimal SC
  Overconfidence
• PERF
• SELF-CONFIDENCE

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OPTIMALSELF-CONFIDENCE

• Competence -- possess the knowledge, strategies,
  skills and abilities necessary for success.
• Preparation sufficiently prepared so you can
  successfully perform those skills and strategies
  in a particular competitive situation.
• Villanovas 1984 upset of Georgetown in the NCAA
  Championship Game.

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DIFFIDENT ATHLETES . . .

• Confuse what is with what they wish would be
  or with what ought to be.
• See themselves as losers and act accordingly.
• Mistakes devastate their competence.
• Self doubts fuel self-fulfilling prophecies that
  create a vicious negative spiral.
• Focus on their shortcomings and overlook their
  accomplishments.
• Are underachievers whose confidence limits their
  development.

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TYPES OF OVERCONFIDENCE

• Inflated confidence.
• False confidence.

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INFLATED CONFIDENCE

• People who believe they are better than they
  really are and have an inflated opinion of
  themselves and their skills.
• They overestimate their abilities while
  underestimating their opponents skills.
• Pampering from parents/coaches, playing weak
  competition, and excessive media hype are its
  primary causes.
• Often they are competent but dont prepare
  adequately.

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FALSE CONFIDENCE

• Act confident on the outside but inside fear
  failure and are really diffident.
• Pretend to be brash, cocky and arrogant.
• Difficulty admitting errors and filled with
  excuses.
• Difficult to coach because they wont accept
  responsibility for mistakes.
• Normally prepare hard but lack the competence to
  be successful.

DQ 2 Give an example of an athlete that has
exhibited either type of overconfidence.
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What is the difference between performance and
outcome confidence?
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PERFORMANCE- VERSUS OUTCOME CONFIDENCE

• Performance Confidence performers belief that
  they can execute the skills and strategies
  necessary to perform well and attain their goals.
• Outcome Confidence performers belief that they
  will socially compare well and win the
  competition.

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What are some specific strategies you use to
boost your self-confidence?
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CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

• General confidence development strategies.
• Six confidence development tips for
  practitioners.
• Strategies for developing and maintaining
  confidence during competition.

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ENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCE
Performance Accomplishments
Behaviors
Vicarious Experiences
Performance
Self- Confidence
Verbal Persuasion
Thoughts
Physiological Arousal Control
DQ 3 Use an example to show your understanding
of this slide.
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ENHANCING SELF-CONFIDENCE
Hierarchical Model Interventions
Performance Accomplishments 1.
Vicarious Experiences 1. 2.
Verbal Persuasion 1. 2.
Physiological Arousal 1. 2.
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GENERAL CONFIDENCE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

• Performance accomplishment
• Goal-setting.
• Vicarious experiences
• Modeling/demonstrations Namaths Jets.
• Imagery Russell déjà vu.
• Verbal persuasion
• Reinforcement enhances feelings of competence.
• Self talk confidence script.
• Arousal control
• Relaxation.
• Energization.

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CONFIDENCE-DEVELOPMENT TIPS FOR PRACTITIONERS

• Develop a systematic goal setting program and log
  and graph progress.
• Create a personal Hall-of-Fame.
• Design a systematic conditioning program and
  maximize preparation.
• Use effective modeling strategies.
• Replay past successes and imagine future
  triumphs.
• Emphasize confidence-building thoughts.

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How do you maintain your self-confidence during
competition?
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DEVELOPING MAINTAINING COMPETITIVE CONFIDENCE

• Appraise situations as challenges rather than
  threats.
• Develop readiness, performance and recovery plans
  to deal with problems.
• Emphasize problem-focused coping strategies to
  reduce threat.
• Use emotion-focused coping techniques to feel
  less threatened.
• Focus on more controllable process and
  performance goals.

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What is the self-fulfilling prophecy?
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SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY

• Self-Fulfilling Prophecies occur when
  coaches/teachers expectations prompt
  athletes/students to behave or perform in a way
  that conforms with those expectancies.
• Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) found that a group
  teachers believed were academic late bloomers
  made greater educational gains than did a control
  group for whom they had neutral expectancies.
• Expectancies of teachers, coaches and parents can
  significantly raise or lower performers
  self-confidence.

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What are the four (4) steps of the
Self-Fulfilling Prophecy Process?
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SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY MODEL
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SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY PROCESS

• STEP 1 Coaches Develop Expectations.
• STEP 2 Coaches Expectations Influence their
  Treatment of Athletes (i.e., frequency,
  duration, and quality of interactions).
• STEP 3 Athletes Learning and Performance
  Is Impacted by Differential Treatment.
• STEP 4 -- Athletes Behavior Conforms to
  Coaches Expectations.

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STEP 1 COACHES FORM EXPECTATIONS

• Person Cues
• Race.
• Gender.
• Socioeconomic status.
• Size.
• Body type.
• Style of dress.
• Performance Information
• Conditioning and skills tests.
• Previous performance history.
• Evaluation of others.
• Tryout information.

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STEP 2 DIFFERENTIAL EXPECTANCIES IMPACT COACHING
BEHAVIORS

• Type, frequency and warmth of interactions.
• Nature of instructional behaviors (e.g., skills
  taught, difficulty of skills, and persistence).
• Nature of feedback behaviors (e.g., valence,
  specificity, and corrective content).
• Attributions for success and failure.

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STEP 3 COACHES BEHAVIOR IMPACTS ATHLETES
PERFORMANCE

• Quantity and quality of learning.
• Quality of competitive cognitions and
  performance.
• Long-term development.

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STEP 4 ATHLETES PERFORMANCE CONFORMS WITH
COACHES EXPECTATIONS

• Athletes most susceptible to Self-Fulfilling
  Prophecy effects are . . .
• Younger.
• Less experienced.
• Lower in self-esteem.
• More coachable.
• Value success more.

DQ 4 Use an example to show your understanding
of the SFP.
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How do we maximize positive Self-Fulfilling
Prophecy effects?
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HOW TO MAXIMIZE POSITIVE SFP EFFECTS

• Determine what sources of information are used to
  form expectations.
• Realize initial expectancies may be inaccurate,
  requiring adjustment as performers skill changes.
• Equalize skill-development time across athletes.
• Provide all performers sufficient time to fully
  master skills.
• Respond to errors with corrective instruction.
• Focus on product as a means to attain product.
• Develop good coach-athlete relationships.
• Create a performance-oriented team climate.