Psychological Momentum During and Across Sports Matches: Evidence for Interconnected Time Scales

J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2016 Feb;38(1):82-92. doi: 10.1123/jsep.2015-0162.

Abstract

This study on psychological momentum (PM) in sports provides the first experimental test of an interconnection between short-term PM (during a match) and long-term PM (across a series of matches). Twenty-two competitive athletes were striving to win a prize during a rowing-ergometer tournament, consisting of manipulated races. As hypothesized, athletes who had developed long-term positive PM after two successful races were less sensitive to a negative momentum scenario in the third race, compared with athletes who had developed long-term negative PM after two unsuccessful races. More specifically, the exerted efforts, perceptions of momentum, and self-efficacy were higher for participants who had developed long-term positive PM, and their perceptions of momentum and self-efficacy decreased less rapidly. These results illustrate a typical complex dynamical systems property, namely interconnected time scales, and provide deeper insights into the dynamical nature of PM.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Athletes / psychology*
  • Competitive Behavior*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Motivation*
  • Physical Exertion
  • Self Efficacy
  • Sports / psychology*
  • Time Factors
  • Young Adult