Stress And Motivation Essay

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According to bull (1991) stress is a stimulus, which is present in the form of demands placed upon the individual by the environment. A crucial component in the equations is the individual’s thought process or cognitive appraisal of the stressor, which forms a mediator between the stimulus and the response. Competition, for example is one such stressor. Whether the competitive environment causes an anxiety response depends upon sports performers’ appraisal of their ability to meet the demands of the situation. According to Bull (1991), the stress of a competition can be perceived in two ways;

• Negatively this leads to somatic anxiety symptoms.
• Or positively, in which case the performer is coping with the stress.

A snooker player’s appraisal …show more content…

• Hypostress: Caused by a lack of sensory stimulation
• Eustress: Forms positive responses joy, exhilaration, and happiness
• Distress: Forms responses of tension, worry and anxiety

Compare methods of motivation that could be used for improving performance

The force that underlines behavior is known as motivation. Motivation comes from the Latin word ‘movere’ that means to move. The force has three effects.

1. Selection of behavior – determines your enthusiasm, drive
2. Intensity – persistence or how hard you are willing to work
3. Persistence – how long you work

According to Williams (2006), motivation is a passion to work for reasons that go beyond money or status and a propensity to pursue goals with energy and persistence.

Two methods of motivation that can be compared are intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. When people are engaged in an activity for its own sake they are said to be intrinsically motivated. Intrinsic motivation is said to be when an athlete is competing out of personal choice without an external factor instigating him/her to take part, it is said the motivation for sport primarily revolves around the inherit pleasure of doing a activity. Sport is a achievement activity, intrinsic motivation in sport is associated with achieving a positive effect and having maximal engagement (Vallerand & Loiser,

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