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A test of processing efficiency theory in a team sport context
N C Smith1, M Bellamy, D J Collins
1Department of Exercise and Sport Science, The Manchester Metropolitan University, Hassall, UK. n.c.smith@mmu.ac.uk
Journal of Sports Sciences
|May 17, 2001
Summary
This study found that highly anxious volleyball players expend more mental effort when performance is similar to less anxious players, supporting processing efficiency theory in sports. Anxiety levels significantly impacted cognitive anxiety and mental effort during critical game moments.
Area of Science:
- Sport Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Performance Psychology
Background:
- Processing efficiency theory posits that anxiety impairs performance by increasing mental effort.
- Understanding sport anxiety is crucial for optimizing athlete performance.
- Elite team sports present complex environments for studying anxiety effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test Eysenck and Calvo's processing efficiency theory in elite male volleyball players.
- To examine the relationship between dispositional anxiety, cognitive anxiety, and mental effort in a team sport context.
- To investigate how game criticality and momentum influence anxiety and effort.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 12 elite male volleyball players over a competitive season.
- Self-report measures of pre-match and in-game cognitive anxiety and mental effort.
- Analysis of match-play performance, set criticality, and game momentum.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in in-game cognitive anxiety between high and low trait anxiety groups.
- Anxiety grouping interacted with game momentum to affect cognitive anxiety.
- Higher mental effort was reported by high trait-anxious players when performance was comparable to low trait-anxious players, especially in critical game situations.
Conclusions:
- Processing efficiency theory provides a useful framework for understanding sport anxiety.
- Dispositional anxiety influences cognitive anxiety and mental effort in team sports.
- Athletes' mental effort increases under pressure, particularly for those with higher trait anxiety.