Abstract
The purpose of the study was to examine the validity of core action elements and feeling states in ice hockey players in the prediction of performance. A second aim of the study was to explore the effectiveness of a 30-day program targeting action and emotion regulation. Participants were male ice hockey players drawn from two teams competing at the highest level of the junior Finnish ice hockey league. They were assigned to a self-regulation (n = 24) and a control (n = 19) group. The self-regulation program focused on the recreation of optimal execution of core action elements and functional feeling states. Separate repeated measures MANOVAs indicated significant differences in ratings of perceived control and execution accuracy ratings of self-selected visual and behavioral components of the action (critical for optimal performance) and psychobiosocial (feeling) states across recalled best and worst games. Results support the use of both action- and emotion-centered strategies for performance enhancement. Future research including psychophysiological markers is warranted.
Highlights
Substantial literature indicates that athletes’ subjective experiences influence their performance [1,2,3,4,5], and that they use several strategies to regulate emotions in order to attain sporting achievements [6,7]
The MuSt theory accounts for the multiple performance states of athletes which derive from the interaction between valence and functionality of their subjective experiences, and the level of attention monitoring/control they exert on task execution
There were no significant differences in the ratings of action components in recalled best and worst games across groups
Summary
Substantial literature indicates that athletes’ subjective experiences influence their performance [1,2,3,4,5], and that they use several strategies to regulate emotions in order to attain sporting achievements [6,7]. Similar to previous theoretical frameworks [12,13], the MuSt theory acknowledges the importance of athletes’ evaluation of their interaction with the environment, which determines their experiences and the perceived functional impact on performances. The MuSt theory accounts for the multiple performance states of athletes which derive from the interaction between valence (pleasant–unpleasant) and functionality (functional–dysfunctional) of their subjective experiences, and the level of attention monitoring/control they exert on task execution. High level performance can be characterized by unpleasant experiences and high action monitoring, a more effortful ‘clutch’ state than flow [15]. In this case, directing one’s attention only to relevant key elements of the action
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