Various studies have explored the role of confidence in sport performance. The antecedents of self-confidence ratings have also been investigated. These studies have shown that there is a relationship between confidence and performance, but the magnitude of this relationship is relatively small. Therefore, further research into the relationship between self-confidence and sports performance is warranted.
Sport confidence is a complex topic. It is a dynamic phenomenon, influenced by a variety of factors, including the athlete’s genetics, experience, coaching, and training. It is also affected by the athlete’s cognitive and affective responses. In general, high sport confidence is associated with improved performance. High confidence is also associated with feelings and behavior, such as a belief in one’s own ability to perform. However, low confidence is associated with negative feelings such as anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction.
A study conducted in 2007 identified sources of sport confidence. This study examined the behavioural and cognitive responses of a group of world-class athletes to competition. The study found that the most common sources of sport confidence are related to the organization, demographic, and psychological factors of athletes. These sources contribute to overall confidence by overriding debilitating interpretations of anxiety and other pre-competition emotions.
The study also examined the relationship between confidence and performance in individual sports. The results suggest that the confidence-performance relationship is moderated by the time between self-confidence measurement and performance. For example, performance in sports of shorter durations (less than 10 minutes) was closer to the pre-performance assessment of self-confidence than in sports with a longer duration. However, this relationship was also moderated by the objectiveness of the performance measure.
The study also revealed that different sources of confidence are important for different types of sports. For example, women athletes derived confidence from perceived competitive advantage, while men were more confident from a belief of superiority. The resulting confidence-performance relationship was more moderated by gender, experience, and the perceived competitive advantage. The highest confidence-performance relationship was associated with sports requiring open skill and sports of team competition.
The study also found that athletes with high confidence performed better, had positive affect, and were better able to solve problems. The same can be said for athletes with low confidence, as they were more withdrawn and made bold movements. However, Confidence In Sport these athletes also reduced their effort expenditure.
A study conducted by Kate Hays and colleagues examined the sources of sport confidence. This study found that athletes were confident about their fitness, skill execution, achievement, and physical factors. They were also confident about feeling superior to their opposition, and were able to reframe negative circumstances as opportunities. It is important for athletes to develop a sense of confidence and trust in their ability, and coaches must be able to foster this. The study also identified some of the organizational and demographic factors that contribute to high-confidence in world-class athletes.
The ‘Causal Network’ is a diagram that represents athletes’ affective and cognitive responses to competition. The arrows represent the causal links between the variables.