Momentum sequence and environmental climate influence levels of perceived psychological momentum within a sport competition.
The present study examined the influence of momentum sequence (positive vs. negative) and environmental climate (hot-wet vs. neutral) on supporters' (i.e. virtual observers') reported levels of perceived psychological momentum (PM) during a simulated cycling competition. Participants supported one of two competing cyclists involved in a race that was displayed on a screen in a lecture hall. The race scenario was manipulated so that the supported cyclist appeared to undergo either a positive or negative momentum sequence. In addition, participants were either exposed to a hot-wet environmental climate or to a neutral environmental climate while observing the race scenario. According to the results, reported levels of PM were higher in the positive momentum sequence condition than in the negative momentum sequence condition, consistent with the notion that supporters' PM is influenced by a positivity bias, and reported levels of PM were also found to be higher in the hot-wet climate condition than in the neutral climate condition, consistent with the notion that environmental climate is a contextual factor that influences PM through the operation of a causal augmenting mechanism.
a Department of Sport Sciences , ACTES Laboratory, University of French West Indies , Pointe-à-Pitre , France.|b College of Arts and Sciences, Sport Science Program , Qatar University , Doha , Qatar.
Walid
W
Briki
c Department of Psychology , Ohio University , Athens , OH , USA.
Keith D
KD
Markman
a Department of Sport Sciences , ACTES Laboratory, University of French West Indies , Pointe-à-Pitre , France.
Guillaume
G
Coudevylle
a Department of Sport Sciences , ACTES Laboratory, University of French West Indies , Pointe-à-Pitre , France.
Stéphane
S
Sinnapah
a Department of Sport Sciences , ACTES Laboratory, University of French West Indies , Pointe-à-Pitre , France.
Olivier
O
Hue
D000293:Adolescent; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D002980:Climate; D003163:Competitive Behavior; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011897:Random Allocation; D055815:Young Adult
Psychological momentum; environmental context; positivity bias; supporters