A Comprehensive Report: Self-Confidence, Anxiety, and Athletic Success

This report delves into the crucial roles of self-confidence and anxiety in sports performance. It begins by defining self-confidence and its impact on an individual's approach to challenges, emphasizing problem-solving and positive attitudes. The report then explores Vealey's model of sports confidence, analyzing research on athletes to demonstrate the link between self-confidence and performance. Following this, the report transitions to the topic of anxiety, defining it as a key factor in sports and discussing its appraisal. Jones' model is applied to understand anxiety patterns, highlighting the varied effects of anxiety on athletes and the importance of coping strategies. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of self-evaluation and self-control, illustrating how self-confidence and competency can mediate the effects of anxiety, enhancing performance and goal achievement. The report uses literature from Bandura, Jones, and Carver and Scheier to support its findings, offering a comprehensive view of these psychological factors in sports.

Self Confidence
Introduction
Self confidence is a positive outlook towards life where a person lives on the basis of self assurance
taking the entire responsibility of whatever happens to the individual in course of life. The self
confident person is usually a problem solver who has a solution to every problem and a positive
answer to every question rather than presenting excuses. A self confident person happens to shares the
fruits of success with others but never blames someone else for the failure. Every failure seems to be a
new beginning to him/her to try a different mode of action in order to change the failure into a
success.
Definition of terms
The term self-confidence is in itself self explanatory and it is an individual’s faith in own capacity,
skill, judgement and decision while facing the challenges of life and also how the person handles the
hurdles faced in day to day activity. It brings immense self satisfaction and mental peace as the person
encounter the obstacles on the basis of self faith and overcomes it to achieve the goal and fulfil the
dream or desire. Hence, self confidence can be equated with self efficacy as it puts significance on the
future performance of the individual already focussing on the prior performances as well. Yet, there is
a slight difference between the two terms which means that self efficacy is applicable in case of a
fixed or specific task while self confidence is a broader outlook considering the overall personality of
the individual.
Evaluation of appropriate theory
Applying Vealey’s( 2001) model of sports confidence as the basis of the concept, fourteen(14)
athletes were interviewed among whom 7 were male and 7 were female to reach to the judgement of
the research. It was found that athletes with higher levels of self confidence displayed better
performance and positive development was noticed in their behaviour, thoughts and feelings
altogether. Although each of them had their different debilitating factors as well as each of them had
different sources which provided them with the self confidence and sometimes it also contained the
gender factor.
Addressing the question
It is a fact that self-confidence has been shown to be an important discriminating factor between
successful and less successful performances in sport. The part played by self-confidence according to
cognitive, behavioural and affective responses that it evokes and judging these factors that are
responsible for weakening or curbing the confident within the organizational subculture of
international sports.
Use of literature
Applying Vealey’s( 2001) model of sports confidence as the basis of the concept, fourteen(14)
athletes were interviewed among whom 7 were male and 7 were female to reach to the judgement of
the research.
Conclusion

The self confident person is usually a problem solver who has a solution to every problem and a
positive answer to every question rather than presenting excuses. A self confident person happens to
shares the fruits of success with others but never blames someone else for the failure. Every failure
seems to be a new beginning to him/her to try a different mode of action in order to change the failure
into a success.
Anxiety Appraisal
Introduction
Anxiety or stress is a pivotal part of any sports person and management of stress is an important factor
that should be addressed at the earliest and handled with care and patience.
Definition of terms
The word anxiety is explained by the emotional, psychological and sometimes physical discomfort
that one experiences primarily due to fear. In case of sports people, the fear of failure and losing fame
plays a catalyst to generate fear and anxiety. The appraisal of anxiety is the coping strategy with such
stressful condition.
Evaluation of appropriate theory
Following Jones (1995) model to find out the patterns of anxiety and stress in the pre competition
period, it was examined thrice. The number of participants had been 91, mostly from high schools and
colleges competing in soccer, swimming and field. Jones revealed that having a positive and confident
attitude towards goal setting offers enhanced control over behaviour and furthermore coping ability in
the environment where the achievement has to be performed. He gives a more facilitative
interpretation of goal attainment rather than the debilitating interpretation.
Addressing the question
Winning is the ultimate goal that any athlete set for themselves. Jones showed that various athletes
acted absolutely differently under anxiety. Undoubtedly, anxiety is a negative attitude that can
debilitate performance and also affect behaviour yet in some cases, it was found that anxiety worked
as a stimulant and facilitated better performance. Jones proved that anxiety has a multidimensional
facet that might work differently to different people. In response to the conventional CSAI-2
( Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2), Jones modified the CSAI-2 by collaborating the directional
scale to find out the intensity level of anxiety and detect the response. Hence the intensity could be
measured while studying the symptoms that reveal the presence of anxiety. The research of Carver
and Scheier ( 1998), reported that the ability of an athlete to cope with stress is directly proportional to
the competency of the athlete and his/her self confidence in self.
Use of literature
Jones’ (1995) model of anxiety coping strategy examined on 91 athletes who were engaged in various
sports, be it on the field or in water, and stress level was measured by examining the levels in the pre-
competitive sessions three times.
Conclusion

Self evaluation is the only method by which self control of behaviour can be managed. The self
confident individuals are “predominantly proactive in their self-reactions to goal accomplishment” –
Bandura, 1991. Anxiety works as a facilitator among the goal oriented swimmers while it worked
negatively in case of athletes who had least control over their behaviour under the stressor of anxiety.
Still self confidence sometimes works as a mediator along with the associates like motivation,
concentration and perceived control, between goal setting and positive interpretations of anxiety. Thus
anxiety management can be performed smoothly by enhancing the level of self confidence and
competency.