The Inner Voice of the Athlete: Exploring the Researched and Applied Nature of Self-Talk Directed and Undirected towards Sport Performance

Solomon-Turay, Philip (2023) The Inner Voice of the Athlete: Exploring the Researched and Applied Nature of Self-Talk Directed and Undirected towards Sport Performance. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

The present thesis explored sport self-talk and provided considerations within the growing self-talk literature. Self-talk is a cognitive process which encompasses the self-statements addressed to oneself. The value of athletes understanding and developing their use of self-talk lies in athlete’s using self-talk to help better manage performance challenges and produce the desired performance outcome.

The advancement of the understanding of self-talk has recently occurred through the introduction of self-talk models, new research on the performance effects of self-talk inside and outside of sport performance and new self-talk intervention tools (Galanis et al., 2022; Latinjak et al., 2023; Latinjak et al., 2019). New self-talk research has provided a better understanding of how self-talk can be researched, packaged into intervention programs for athletes and how this all fits within a theoretical framework. Despite these advancements, further investigation is needed, as it is one thing to introduce these new models, research and tools and another thing to understand how these work in practice. Without exploring the application of new self-talk models, research and intervention tools, the value of athletes understanding and developing their self-talk may not translate from theory into practice.

The present thesis explored the workings of new research within the self-talk literature. This was conducted by investigating three perspectives within the self-talk literature. The present thesis explored (1) self-talk cue words and the self-regulatory strategies of two control groups when executing performance tasks. (2) The application of a new self-talk intervention tool to athletes of various ages, sports and levels of playing experience. (3) The performance impacts of the self-talk which does not relate to sport performance, and which occurs outside of sport performance, known as mind wandering. The present thesis provides value to present and future researchers and applied practitioners within the field of sport and exercise psychology, specifically when researching self-talk and applying self-talk intervention programs to athletes.

The study findings within the present thesis have made an original contribution to knowledge and has progressed the understanding of self-talk in sport. Study 1 revealed the self-regulation strategies attempted by participants within the experimental and control groups when executing the two performance tasks. In addition, the implication for these attempts to self-regulate in the context of a strategic self-talk study have been revealed. Study 2 progressed the knowledge of a new self-talk intervention by exploring the intervention's effects on athletes of various ages, sports and levels of playing experience and the application of a new intervention tool (RSTI board game). Lastly, study 3 progressed the understanding of self-talk that is not related to the present sporting task, revealing further information on the mind wandering tendencies of elite and amateur athletes and the subsequent performance impacts of mind wandering experiences

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	Chris White
Date Deposited:	29 Aug 2024 13:39
Last Modified:	29 Aug 2024 13:39
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/96396
DOI:

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