PSY 4830 Sport& Psychology Exam – Questions And Answers |
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1. A collegiate soccer coach notices that a star forward experiences severe performance
anxiety during penalty shootouts, leading to hesitant mechanics and missed shots. Which
foundational psychological construct best describes the physiological arousal component
the athlete is experiencing?
A. Trait anxiety
B. Somatic state anxiety
C. Cognitive state anxiety
D. Self-efficacy
Somatic state anxiety refers to the moment-to-moment physiological and affective
manifestations of anxiety, characterized by autonomic arousal such as increased heart rate,
rapid breathing, and muscle tension. Trait anxiety is a stable behavioral predisposition,
cognitive state anxiety involves negative mental worries, and self-efficacy represents situation-
specific confidence.
2. During a high-stakes basketball playoff game, a point guard blocks out external crowd
noise and focuses exclusively on the defensive alignment of the opposing team. Which
dimension of attention according to Nideffer's model is the athlete primarily utilizing?
A. Broad-external
B. Broad-internal
C. Narrow-external
D. Narrow-internal
Nideffer’s attentional focus model categorizes attention along two axes: width (broad vs.
narrow) and direction (internal vs. external). A narrow-external focus occurs when an athlete
concentrates on a single or very few external cues, such as a specific defensive player or the
goal, which is essential for execution under pressure.
3. A sport psychology consultant is hired by an elite swim club to help athletes manage pre-
competition stress. The consultant teaches athletes to systematically tense and then release
major muscle groups from their feet up to their face. What psychological intervention
technique is being applied?
A. Cognitive restructuring
B. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
C. Systematic desensitization
D. Autogenic training
, Progressive muscle relaxation involves the active contraction followed by the conscious
relaxation of distinct muscle groups, enabling athletes to recognize bodily tension and lower
somatic anxiety. Cognitive restructuring targets negative thoughts, systematic desensitization
pairs relaxation with graded phobic exposure, and autogenic training utilizes self-statements
regarding warmth and heaviness.
4. A marathon runner sets a goal to "run as fast as I can" for the upcoming race.
According to goal-setting theory in sport and exercise psychology, what primary limitation
does this objective present?
A. It lacks specificity, making it difficult to monitor progress or direct attention effectively.
B. It sets the performance standard too low, undermining intrinsic motivation.
C. It relies exclusively on outcome goals rather than process goals.
D. It creates excessive cognitive state anxiety due to unrealistic expectations.
Effective goal setting requires specific, measurable targets to direct effort and evaluate
performance accurately. Vague goals like "try your best" or "run fast" fail to provide clear
benchmarks or actionable behavioral guidelines for the athlete.
5. A youth baseball coach frequently praises players only when they win games, leading to
a drop in player self-esteem and increased dropout rates among less skilled participants.
Which goal orientation are the coaches inadvertently fostering within the team culture?
A. Task orientation
B. Mastery orientation
C. Ego orientation
D. Autonomous orientation
An ego-oriented motivational climate defines success primarily through social comparison,
normative performance, and winning relative to others, which often harms self-esteem when
performance falls short. Task or mastery orientations emphasize personal improvement, effort,
and skill acquisition regardless of the win-loss outcome.
6. A competitive gymnast visualizes executing a flawless beam routine while sitting quietly
in the locker room, explicitly feeling the balance adjustments in their feet and the spatial
orientation in the air. Which theoretical explanation of imagery posits that this mental
practice actually innervates the neuromuscular pathways used during physical execution?
A. Symbolic learning theory
B. Psychoneuromuscular theory
C. Bioinformational theory
D. Dual-coding theory
_ Psychoneuromuscular theory suggests that imagined movements activate the same motor
pathways and muscle fibers at a sub-threshold level as actual physical performance,
facilitating neural pathways and muscle memory. Symbolic learning theory views imagery as a
, coding system for mental blueprints, while bioinformational theory focuses on stimulus and
response propositions._
7. A triathlete preparing for an Ironman event experiences a sudden loss of motivation,
physical exhaustion, and emotional detachment from training after months of grueling
workouts without adequate recovery. Which syndrome is this athlete most likely
exhibiting?
A. Acute anxiety reaction
B. Overtraining syndrome / Burnout
C. Performance slumping due to cognitive interference
D. Depressive episode unrelated to sport
_ Burnout in sport is a multidimensional cognitive-affective syndrome characterized by
emotional and physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation
resulting from chronic unmanaged stress and overtraining. Acute anxiety and slumps
represent different short-term psychological states._
8. During a penalty kick in soccer, a player thinks, "Do not kick the ball over the
crossbar," and subsequently strikes the ball high into the stands. Which psychological
phenomenon explains why suppressing or focusing on an unwanted thought frequently
results in its behavioral manifestation?
A. Flow state disruption
B. Irony process theory (or paradoxical theory of mental control)
C. Social loafing
D. Catastrophe model mechanics
Wegner's ironic process theory posits that attempting to suppress a specific unwanted thought
triggers an unconscious monitoring process that scans the mind for that very thought, making
it more accessible and increasing the likelihood of performing the exact unwanted action
under pressure.
9. A high school basketball coach notices that players exert significantly less defensive
effort during group drills when working in larger squads compared to when their
individual statistics are tracked publicly. Which group dynamic process is occurring?
A. Group cohesion
B. Social loafing (Ringelmann effect)
C. Synergy
D. Collective efficacy
Social loafing describes the tendency for individuals to reduce their physical or cognitive
effort when working collectively in a group compared to when performing individually, often
due to diffusion of responsibility. Group cohesion and collective efficacy enhance teamwork,
while synergy represents combined productive output exceeding individual sums.
Verified And Well Detailed Answers Plus Rationales |
Guaranteed Pass | Latest Exam Update | Exam Prep | Study
Guide | Practice Test| Download Instant Pdf
1. A collegiate soccer coach notices that a star forward experiences severe performance
anxiety during penalty shootouts, leading to hesitant mechanics and missed shots. Which
foundational psychological construct best describes the physiological arousal component
the athlete is experiencing?
A. Trait anxiety
B. Somatic state anxiety
C. Cognitive state anxiety
D. Self-efficacy
Somatic state anxiety refers to the moment-to-moment physiological and affective
manifestations of anxiety, characterized by autonomic arousal such as increased heart rate,
rapid breathing, and muscle tension. Trait anxiety is a stable behavioral predisposition,
cognitive state anxiety involves negative mental worries, and self-efficacy represents situation-
specific confidence.
2. During a high-stakes basketball playoff game, a point guard blocks out external crowd
noise and focuses exclusively on the defensive alignment of the opposing team. Which
dimension of attention according to Nideffer's model is the athlete primarily utilizing?
A. Broad-external
B. Broad-internal
C. Narrow-external
D. Narrow-internal
Nideffer’s attentional focus model categorizes attention along two axes: width (broad vs.
narrow) and direction (internal vs. external). A narrow-external focus occurs when an athlete
concentrates on a single or very few external cues, such as a specific defensive player or the
goal, which is essential for execution under pressure.
3. A sport psychology consultant is hired by an elite swim club to help athletes manage pre-
competition stress. The consultant teaches athletes to systematically tense and then release
major muscle groups from their feet up to their face. What psychological intervention
technique is being applied?
A. Cognitive restructuring
B. Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)
C. Systematic desensitization
D. Autogenic training
, Progressive muscle relaxation involves the active contraction followed by the conscious
relaxation of distinct muscle groups, enabling athletes to recognize bodily tension and lower
somatic anxiety. Cognitive restructuring targets negative thoughts, systematic desensitization
pairs relaxation with graded phobic exposure, and autogenic training utilizes self-statements
regarding warmth and heaviness.
4. A marathon runner sets a goal to "run as fast as I can" for the upcoming race.
According to goal-setting theory in sport and exercise psychology, what primary limitation
does this objective present?
A. It lacks specificity, making it difficult to monitor progress or direct attention effectively.
B. It sets the performance standard too low, undermining intrinsic motivation.
C. It relies exclusively on outcome goals rather than process goals.
D. It creates excessive cognitive state anxiety due to unrealistic expectations.
Effective goal setting requires specific, measurable targets to direct effort and evaluate
performance accurately. Vague goals like "try your best" or "run fast" fail to provide clear
benchmarks or actionable behavioral guidelines for the athlete.
5. A youth baseball coach frequently praises players only when they win games, leading to
a drop in player self-esteem and increased dropout rates among less skilled participants.
Which goal orientation are the coaches inadvertently fostering within the team culture?
A. Task orientation
B. Mastery orientation
C. Ego orientation
D. Autonomous orientation
An ego-oriented motivational climate defines success primarily through social comparison,
normative performance, and winning relative to others, which often harms self-esteem when
performance falls short. Task or mastery orientations emphasize personal improvement, effort,
and skill acquisition regardless of the win-loss outcome.
6. A competitive gymnast visualizes executing a flawless beam routine while sitting quietly
in the locker room, explicitly feeling the balance adjustments in their feet and the spatial
orientation in the air. Which theoretical explanation of imagery posits that this mental
practice actually innervates the neuromuscular pathways used during physical execution?
A. Symbolic learning theory
B. Psychoneuromuscular theory
C. Bioinformational theory
D. Dual-coding theory
_ Psychoneuromuscular theory suggests that imagined movements activate the same motor
pathways and muscle fibers at a sub-threshold level as actual physical performance,
facilitating neural pathways and muscle memory. Symbolic learning theory views imagery as a
, coding system for mental blueprints, while bioinformational theory focuses on stimulus and
response propositions._
7. A triathlete preparing for an Ironman event experiences a sudden loss of motivation,
physical exhaustion, and emotional detachment from training after months of grueling
workouts without adequate recovery. Which syndrome is this athlete most likely
exhibiting?
A. Acute anxiety reaction
B. Overtraining syndrome / Burnout
C. Performance slumping due to cognitive interference
D. Depressive episode unrelated to sport
_ Burnout in sport is a multidimensional cognitive-affective syndrome characterized by
emotional and physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation
resulting from chronic unmanaged stress and overtraining. Acute anxiety and slumps
represent different short-term psychological states._
8. During a penalty kick in soccer, a player thinks, "Do not kick the ball over the
crossbar," and subsequently strikes the ball high into the stands. Which psychological
phenomenon explains why suppressing or focusing on an unwanted thought frequently
results in its behavioral manifestation?
A. Flow state disruption
B. Irony process theory (or paradoxical theory of mental control)
C. Social loafing
D. Catastrophe model mechanics
Wegner's ironic process theory posits that attempting to suppress a specific unwanted thought
triggers an unconscious monitoring process that scans the mind for that very thought, making
it more accessible and increasing the likelihood of performing the exact unwanted action
under pressure.
9. A high school basketball coach notices that players exert significantly less defensive
effort during group drills when working in larger squads compared to when their
individual statistics are tracked publicly. Which group dynamic process is occurring?
A. Group cohesion
B. Social loafing (Ringelmann effect)
C. Synergy
D. Collective efficacy
Social loafing describes the tendency for individuals to reduce their physical or cognitive
effort when working collectively in a group compared to when performing individually, often
due to diffusion of responsibility. Group cohesion and collective efficacy enhance teamwork,
while synergy represents combined productive output exceeding individual sums.
