Assessing what generates precompetitive emotions: development of the precompetitive appraisal measure

Athletes’ precompetitive appraisal determines which emotion they experience with regard to an upcoming competition. Such precompetitive emotions have powerful and potentially destructive consequences for performance. To control and optimise these consequences, it is important to examine precompetitive appraisal. Currently, such efforts are hampered by the lack of a valid measurement tool. The present study aimed to develop a novel measure of precompetitive appraisal. Specifically, the Precompetitive Appraisal Measure (PAM) was constructed by adapting an existing self-report scale. Female and male intercollegiate team sport athletes (N = 384) completed the PAM, along with a measure of intensity and interpretation of precompetitive anxiety symptoms (CSAI-2D) prior to competition. On these responses, (a) a Principal Component Analysis and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the PAM’s suggested two-factor structure (Primary and Secondary Appraisal), (b) cluster analyses indicated the measure’s ability to distinguish theoretically congruent appraisal profiles (Threat and Challenge) and (c) a MANOVA and multiple regression analyses demonstrated that PAM-responses predicted precompetitive symptom intensity and interpretation. Further, analyses revealed that the majority of athletes appraised the upcoming competition as a challenge.     

Advertising

Francesco M. Nicosia (ed.) Advertising, Management, and Society: A Business Point of View (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974—available in hardback and paper but prices not given)

W.A. Evans' Advertising Today and Tomorrow (London: Allen & Unwin, 1974—about $15.00)

Robin Wright's The Day the Pigs Refused to Be Driven to Market: Advertising and the Counter Revolution (New York: Random House, 1974—$7.95)     

Mapping the classroom emotional environment

Harvey and Evans (2003) have proposed that teachers’ emotional skills, as required in the classroom, can be organized into a five-dimensional model. Further research is necessary to validate this model and evaluate the importance of each dimension of teacher emotion competence for educational practice. Using a statistical method for mapping psychological constructs, teachers’ emotional practices were transformed into a ‘map’ with three spatial dimensions, which was supported by comparative validity checks. The nature of emotional practice was further investigated by administering a Q-Sort of emotional practice items to 100 teachers. Ten highly applicable clusters of emotional behavior across six profile patterns with teachers were identified. Authors’ model and the applicability of emotions were generally supported.     

Shock and impact reduction in moderate and strenuous landing activities

Shock reduction has been well studied in moderate activities such as walking and running. However, there is a clear lack of research concerning shock wave transmission and reduction in more strenuous landing activities. In this study, we examined the impact of shock transmission and reduction in landing activities with varied mechanical demands. Ten active males were recruited for the study. They performed five successful step-off landing trials from each of five heights: 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 cm. Right sagittal kinematics, ground reaction forces, and acceleration were recorded simultaneously. Impact frequencies were analysed using a discrete Fast Fourier Transform and power spectral density was computed. Increased range of motion for the ankle, knee, and hip joints was observed at higher landing heights. The peaks of the vertical ground reaction force, forehead and tibial accelerations, and eccentric muscle work by lower extremity joints were increased with increased landing heights. The peak head power spectral density was severely attenuated at higher frequencies but the peak tibia power spectral density did not demonstrate this trend. Shock reduction showed increased reduction at higher frequencies, but minimal changes across five landing heights. Unlike the responses observed for walking and running, the shock reduction did not show significant improvement with elevated mechanical demands.