Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance Vikki Krane & Jean Williams Chapter 9 “Trying to articulate the zone is not easy because it’s such an

Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance

Vikki Krane & Jean Williams

Chapter 9

“Trying to articulate the zone is not easy because it’s such an indescribable feeling….you feel like you’re playing out of your head. You aren’t feeling any tension or any pressure and physically your strokes are just flowing, every ball you hit is going in. Emotionally you’re really calm. There’s not strain involved. It’s a euphoric feeling….Whatever you do, whatever decision you make on the court, whatever stroke or shot you try, you know it’s going to work.”

(Chris Evert, Tennis Champion)Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved.

No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

What Is Peak Performance?

• Beyond ordinary levels of play• It all comes together – physically and mentally• An athlete’s personal best• It is a consequence of both physical and mental factors• Varies from athlete to athlete• Most likely to occur when skill level matches demands

How Does the Mind Work With the Body to Produce Performance?

• 40-90% of success in sport is due to mental factors• skill level, mental aspects

• Can train the ideal body/mind state that underlies peak performance

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McGraw-Hill Education.

Psychological Characteristics Associated with Peak Performances• Loss of fear• Total immersion in the

activity• Narrow focus of

attention on the present• Feeling in complete

control• Time/space

disorientation (usually slowed down)

• Feeling performance was automatic and effortless• Control over emotion,

thoughts, and arousal• Highly self-confident• Physically and mentally

relaxed• Highly energized

(Ravizza; Loehr; Garfield & Bennett; Privette & Bundrick) Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the

prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

Flow

• “The state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter.” (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990)• Flow may be the psychological process underlying

peak performance




9 Dimensions of Flow1. Situation challenge matches skills2. Awareness and action merge3. Clear goals4. Feedback indicating correctness 5. Total concentration on task at hand6. Complete control without actively

attempting to be in control7. No self-consciousness or self-evaluation8. Time seems to speed up or slow down9. Enjoyable -- participation its own reward


Factors That Affect Flow

FACILITATES FLOW• Appropriate focus• Mental and physical prep• Motivation• Arousal• Positive thoughts• Positive emotions• Confidence • Positive feedback• Good team play• Optimal environmental and

situational conditions

DISRUPTS FLOW

Opposite of what facilitates flow:• Inappropriate focus• Unmotivated• Disconnected• Negative thoughts• Negative emotions• Unconfident• Negative feedback• Poor team play


Effects of Flow

“Athletes who believe in their capabilities are probably more likely to experience a balance between challenge and skills, even when the challenge of a specific sport

competition is relatively high” (Jackson, Kimiecik, Ford, & Marsh, 1998)


Mindfulness• Nonjudgmental focus of one’s attention

on the experience that occurs in the present moment• This approach encourages the acceptance

of, and participation with, unwanted thoughts • Linked to flow• Associated with task relevant attention,

loss of self-consciousness, and a sense of control and peak performance


Individualized Zone of Optimal Functioning (IZOF)

• Attempts to identify emotional patterns (positive and negative) associated with individual athletes’ successful performances• 4 groups of emotional states:• Performance-enhancing positive emotions• Performance-enhancing negative emotions• Performance-impairing positive emotions • Performance-impairing negative emotions

IZOF (cont.)

• Athletes assess and identify emotions related to successful and unsuccessful performances• Different athletes may include different emotions• There are a range of optimal and dysfunctional

emotions



IZOF Example 1

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consent of McGraw-Hill Education.

IZOF Example 2

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Extending the IZOF Approach• Hanin includes the “metaphor self-

generation method” • Athletes develop a personally meaningful,

symbolic image “that allows for understanding something unknown (or difficult to describe)”

• Best performance metaphors were action-oriented and symbolized strength, power, and skill • Worst performance images reflected

weakness and lack of readiness


Successful Psychological Skills in Successful Elite Athletes• High self-confidence• Total commitment• Strong performance focus• Ability to cope well with

stress/distractions• Good attention-focusing and

refocusing skills• Ability to rebound from

mistakes• Positive attitude

• High personal standards• Well-developed

precompetition and competitive plans• Ability to control emotions• A view of anxiety as

beneficial• Use of performance goals• Use of imagery


Mental Toughness• An unshakable belief that one can achieve her or

his goals regardless of obstacles or setbacks• Belief + focus

• FOCUS: prioritize long-term sport goal over all other life goals• UNFOCUS: the ability to switch off this focus to

maintain balance in their lives


Characteristics of Mental Toughness

• An “unshakable belief” (i.e. knowing that they can do anything they set their minds to do)• Stay focused• Regulate performance (i.e. increase effort)• Cope well with pressure• Are aware of, and control, their thoughts and

feelings• Control the environment (i.e. are not affected by

things out of their control).

The Mental Toughness Pyramid

Bull, S.J, Shambrook, C.J., James, W. & Brooks, J.E. (2005)Copyright © 2015 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of



How Others* Facilitate Peak Performance • *Teammates, coaches, family members,

and administrators• High team cohesion• Positive/strong team leader• Committed coaching• Clear coach performance plans • Emotional and social support from

friends/family• Team management


How Others Hinder Peak Performance

• Lacking trust/confidence in teammates• Poor coach-athlete communication• Negative attitude toward coach• Coach can’t deal with crises• Unrealistic expectations from coach• Over coaching/excessive interactions• Coach’s inability to “keep it simple”


Limitations of Research Findings

• Descriptive and correlational design• The connections are certainly relational, BUT cannot

assure a cause-and-effect relationship

Documents

Psychological Characteristics of Peak Performance Vikki Krane & Jean Williams Chapter 9 “Trying to articulate the zone is not easy because it’s such an