Sport psychology · Both
Sport Psychology Basics
Mental factors influence performance as much as fitness. Learn key terms and simple theories used at GCSE.
Motivation and goals
Intrinsic (for enjoyment/mastery) vs extrinsic (medals, praise, money).
SMART goal setting focuses effort and tracks progress.
Arousal and anxiety
Arousal = alertness/activation. Too low or too high can hurt performance (inverted-U idea).
Anxiety: cognitive (worry) and somatic (physical symptoms).
Confidence and mental rehearsal can help control nerves.
Worked example
Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation?
Solution: Intrinsic comes from within (enjoyment); extrinsic from external rewards.
Practice questions
1. What is intrinsic motivation?
2. What happens if arousal is too high?