A mental block is the inability to cognitively process thoughts or recall information. The effect can potentially interfere with performance. Sometimes confusion, lack of action, or indecision can occur with mental blocks. Performers of all ages, backgrounds, and activities can experience a mental block in varying degrees of severity. The block may be caused by
In general, sports psychologists work with amateur and professional athletes to improve their mental and physical health, as well as athletic performances, by using goal setting, imagery, focus strategies, and relaxation techniques, among others. Sports psychologists also strive to help athletes to mentally prepare for competition. There are approximately 179,000 psychologists employed in the United
Vision is the process of seeing and perceiving the surrounding environment by using information contained in light. Appropriate visual information is imperative for almost every sporting task to ensure that athletes are able to monitor the actions of others, while also perceiving their position in relation to targets, such as balls, nets, and walls, and the
The eyes perceive spatial information with full acuity when light falls on a small region at the back of the retina called the fovea. Because of the small area of the fovea, the area over which we are able to see clearly is only about 2° to 3° of visual angle. Visual angle indicates the
Priming refers to the process of temporarily activating an individual’s mental constructs (i.e., trait concepts, stereotypes, contexts, goals) and observing the subsequent effect of this activation on psychological, social, and/or motor behavior phenomena. Every individual possesses a set of mental representations (that are constantly being added to or developed) about themselves and the world around
In sport, some events, occurrences, and outcomes are more probable than others, and the potential exists to use information about probabilities to aid performance. This entry discusses two levels on which probabilities are relevant to sport performance. The first is the individual, immediate performance level. On this level, probabilities are used implicitly during performance; performers
Complex systems in nature are defined as having many individual components that are free to vary and interact with each other, exemplified by a sand pile, a weather system, and social collectives such as animal colonies and sports teams. An athlete can also be studied in this way. In the complexity sciences, the term degrees
Sports Careers Background The first organized athletic events took place in Greece in 776 BC, with the advent of the ancient Olympic Games. The Olympics featured running races, throwing contests, and other competitive events, with the greatest athletes from the Greek empire competing. The Olympics, even then, were colorful events and people from nearby countries
Researchers, spectators and performers alike are often intrigued, and sometimes shocked, if motivated people perform dramatically worse than usual in important, high-pressure situations. This can happen not only in sports but in almost any domain in which people are specifically motivated to do well, be it music, surgery, academic examinations, or even a driving test.
The concept of diversity encompasses a broad range of qualities and characteristics that distinguish people from one another. Diversity is used broadly to refer to demographic characteristics including, but not limited to, sex, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability status, age, national origin, religious beliefs, and education. Diversity is important for a number of reasons.