Competitive state anxiety and self-confidence: intensity and direction as relative predictors of performance on a golf putting task.
This study considered relationships between the intensity and directional aspects of competitive state anxiety as measured by the modified Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory-2(D) (Jones & Swain, 1992) in a sample of 12 experienced male golfers. Anxiety and performance scores from identical putting tasks performed under three different anxiety-manipulated competitive conditions were used to assess both the predictions of Multidimensional Anxiety Theory (MAT; Martens et al., 1990) and the relative value of intensity and direction in explaining performance variance. A within-subjects regression analysis of the intra-individual data showed partial support for the three MAT hypotheses. Cognitive anxiety intensity demonstrated a negative linear relationship with performance, somatic anxiety intensity showed a curvilinear relationship with performance, and self-confidence intensity revealed a positive linear relation. Cognitive directional anxiety illustrated a positive linear relationship with putting performance. Multiple regression analyses indicated that direction (42% of variance) was a better predictor of performance than intensity (22%).
Chamberlain
Sean T
ST
Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK.
Hale
Bruce D
BD
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000523:psychology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D004739:England; D006055:Golf / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011582:Psychological Theory; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept