Idiosyncratic description of anger states in skilled Spanish karate athletes : an application of the IZOF model

This study examined content and intensity of anger prior to, during, and after best ever and worst ever performances in 43 high-level Spanish karate athletes using individualized anger profiling. Optimal and dysfunctional anger intensities were assessed using a modified version of Borg's Category Ratio (CR-10) scale. Anger profiling was supplemented with positive and negative emotion profiling. As expected, content of anger descriptors was highly idiosyncratic. Moreover, great variability in optimal and dysfunctional anger intensities was found at individual and group levels. In best performances, anger was related to the generation of additional energy, whereas in worst performances, anger resulted from a perceived lack of resources or low readiness to perform. Athletes generated different anger descriptors in performance and in non-sport performance situations (overlap ranged from 0 to .35). The results support the use of an idiographic approach in the study of anger states.El estudio examina el contenido e intensidad de estados de ira antes, durante, y después de los mejores y peores rendimientos en 43 karatekas españoles de alto nivel mediante perfiles de ira individuales. Las intensidades de ira óptima y disfuncional se midieron con la escala modificada de Borg (CR-10). Perfiles de emociones positivas y negativas complementaron los perfiles de ira. Como se creía, el contenido de los descriptores de ira fue altamente idiosincrático. Asimismo, hubo gran variabilidad en las intensidades de ira óptima y disfuncional a nivel individual y de grupo. La ira estaba relacionada con la generación de energía en los mejores rendimientos, pero fue el resultado de una falta percibida de recursos o preparación en los peores rendimientos. Los karatekas utilizaron distintos descriptores de ira en situaciones de rendimiento deportivo y fuera del deporte (solapamiento 0 a .35). Los resultados sustentan el uso de un enfoque idiográfico en el estudio de los estados de ira

Athlete's self perceptionsof optimal states in karate : an application of the IZOF model

El estudio examinó las percepciones sobre los estados óptimos de 63 karatekas espanoles de alto nivel. Se utilizaron preguntas abiertas para examinar las experiencias situacionales (estados), los patrones emocionales relativamente stables y las meta-experiencias de los karatekas. Como se esperaba, los estados óptimos estuvieron caracterizados por estados positivos (confianza, tranquilidad), además de negativos (ansiedad, ira). Las descripciones de los karatekas reflejaron los siete componentes de un estado psicobiosocial siendo el afectivo y el cognitivo los componentes más salientes de sus estados óptimos. Los karatekas percibieron sus estados óptimos como transitorios y dinámicos, y utilizaron distintas estrategias para producir y mantener estos estados. Los resultados sugieren que las intervenciones individualizadas no sólo deben limitarse a la reducción de la ansiedad. Se sugieren futuras líneas de investigación e implicaciones prácticas.This study examined self-perceptions of optimal states in 63 high-level Spanish karate athletes. Open-ended questions were used to examine athletes' situational experiences (states), relatively stable emotional patterns and metaexperiences. As expected, optimal states were characterized by pleasant (confidence, calmness) and unpleasant (anxiety, anger) emotions. Athletes' self-descriptions reflected all seven form-components of a psycho-biosocial state with affective and cognitive modalities being the most salient components of their optimal states. Athletes perceived their optimal states as temporary and dynamic and actively used different strategies to produce and maintain these states. The results suggest that individualized interventions should not be limited to the reduction of anxiety. Directions for future research and practical implications are suggested

Organizational Psychology in Sports Setting

New perspectives for research and applied work in top level sports are discussed within the context of organizational psychology (OP). First, the basic concepts of OP are briefly considered: management process, kinds and levels of managers and their roles and functions, organizational environments. Second, manager problems in transition to managerial roles are examined with the special reference ro the concepts of Inner Game of Management (E. Flamholrz) and psychological readiness for change (Y.L.Hanin). Third, the ways to assist sports managers and administrators to cope with their stresses are described with the special emphasis on the strategies of bridging the gaps in their communication with top athletes and coaches. Organizational psychology and spon psychology can definitely enrich each other by enhancing the performance level of both athletes (coaches, operators and managers) . Special problems of application of the best assessment instruments from organizational psychology are also discussedSe discuten en este estudio nuevas perspectivas para la investigación y el trabajo aplicado en los deportes de alto rendimiento, dentro del contexto de la Psicología de las Organizaciones (PO). En primer lugar, se consideran brevemente los principios básicos de la PO: proceso de gerencia; tipos y niveles de gerentes, administradores o directores, así como sus roles y funciones; y los ambientes organizativos. En segundo lugar, se examinan los problemas de los gerentes en transición a su papel de administardores, con especial referencia a los conceptos derivados del Juego Interno de la Gerencia (E. Flamholtz), y de la preparación psicológica para el cambio (Y.L. Hanin). En tercer lugar, se describen las diferentes formas de asesorar a los gerentes deportivos para enfrentarse con sus problemas, poniendo especial énfasis en las estrategias para salvar las brechas en su comunicación con atletas y entrenadores de élite. La P.O y la Psicología del Deporte pueden definitivamente enriquecerse una a otra al mejorar el nivel de rendimiento tanto de atletas y entrenadores como de administradores y gerentes. Se discuten asimismo problemas específicos en la aplicación de los mejores instrumentos de evaluación provenientes de la P.

Interactive effects of emotions on performance: an exploratory study in elite skeet shooters

Este estudio investiga los efectos interactivos de múltiples emociones en el rendimiento (resultado) de tres tiradores de skeet de elite. La escala de emociones agregadas Emotional State Profile-40 (ESP-40; Hanin, 2010b) evalúa las experiencias emocionales recordadas asociadas con rendimientos exitosos y pobres y con rendimientos actuales. El rendimiento actual consiste en 20 series de 25 tiros. Los resultados confirman la utilidad práctica de la escala ESP-40 en la evaluación de los efectos interactivos de cuatro categorías de emoción en el rendimiento deportivo. Las emociones recordadas fueron instrumentales en la predicción de los resultados actuales. Se discute la utilidad de la regresión logística ordinal en la predicción del rendimiento.This study explored interactive effects of multiple emotions on performance (outcomes) in three male elite skeet shooters. Recalled emotional experiences associated to successful and poor performances and to current (actual) performances were measured using the aggregated Emotional State Profile-40 scale (ESP-40; Hanin, 2010b). Current performance involved 20 series of 25 shots. The results provide support for the practical utility of ESP-40 in the assessment of interactive effects of four emotion categories on performance. Recalled measures were instrumental in the prediction of current performances. The utility of ordinal logistic regression-based estimation is discussed.Este estudo investiga os efeitos interactivos de múltiplas emoções no rendimento (resultado) de três atiradores de skeet de elite. A escala de emoções agregadas Emotional State Profile-40 (ESP-40; Hanin, 2010b) avalia as experiências emocionais recordadas associadas com rendimento de sucesso e fracasso e com rendimentos actuais. O rendimento actual consiste em 20 séries de 25 tiros. Os resultados confirmam a utilidade prática da escala ESP-40 na avaliação dos efeitos interactivos de quatro categorias de emoção no rendimento desportivo. As emoções recordadas foram instrumentais na predição dos resultados actuais. É discutida a utilidade da regressão logística ordinal na predição do rendiment

Fast Optimal Transport Averaging of Neuroimaging Data

Knowing how the Human brain is anatomically and functionally organized at the level of a group of healthy individuals or patients is the primary goal of neuroimaging research. Yet computing an average of brain imaging data defined over a voxel grid or a triangulation remains a challenge. Data are large, the geometry of the brain is complex and the between subjects variability leads to spatially or temporally non-overlapping effects of interest. To address the problem of variability, data are commonly smoothed before group linear averaging. In this work we build on ideas originally introduced by Kantorovich to propose a new algorithm that can average efficiently non-normalized data defined over arbitrary discrete domains using transportation metrics. We show how Kantorovich means can be linked to Wasserstein barycenters in order to take advantage of an entropic smoothing approach. It leads to a smooth convex optimization problem and an algorithm with strong convergence guarantees. We illustrate the versatility of this tool and its empirical behavior on functional neuroimaging data, functional MRI and magnetoencephalography (MEG) source estimates, defined on voxel grids and triangulations of the folded cortical surface.Comment: Information Processing in Medical Imaging (IPMI), Jun 2015, Isle of Skye, United Kingdom. Springer, 201

Effects of precompetition state anxiety interventions on performance time and accuracy among amateur soccer players: Revisiting the matching hypothesis

In this study, we tested the matching ypothesis, which contends that administration of a cognitive or somatic anxiety intervention should be matched to a participant's dominant anxiety response. Sixty-one male soccer players (mean age 31.6 years, s=6.3) were assigned to one of four groups based on their responses to the Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, which was modified to include a directional scale. Interventions were randomly administered in a counterbalanced order 10 min before each performance trial on a soccer skill test. The dominantly cognitive anxious group (n=17), the dominantly somatic anxious group (n=17), and the non-anxious control intervention group (n=14) completed a baseline performance trial. The second and third trials were completed with random administration of brief cognitive and somatic interventions. The non-anxious control group (n=13) completed three trials with no intervention. A mixed-model, GroupTreatment multivariate analysis of variance indicated significant (P0.05), or performance time or accuracy (P>0.05). The present findings do not provide support for the matching hypothesis for state anxiety intensity and direction, or for performance

Mathematical modeling of the metastatic process

Mathematical modeling in cancer has been growing in popularity and impact since its inception in 1932. The first theoretical mathematical modeling in cancer research was focused on understanding tumor growth laws and has grown to include the competition between healthy and normal tissue, carcinogenesis, therapy and metastasis. It is the latter topic, metastasis, on which we will focus this short review, specifically discussing various computational and mathematical models of different portions of the metastatic process, including: the emergence of the metastatic phenotype, the timing and size distribution of metastases, the factors that influence the dormancy of micrometastases and patterns of spread from a given primary tumor.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, Revie

The sport value framework - a new fundamental logic for analyses in sport management

Research question: Sports economic theory and management models have frequently been criticised for not sufficiently explaining phenomena in sport management. This article addresses this gap by proposing a conceptual framework that can be used to understand sport management problems and derive appropriate strategies. Research methods: The framework proposed in this conceptual article has been developed through a critical review of existing literature on sport management and theoretical considerations based on the service-dominant logic. Results and findings: The sport value framework (SVF) provides 10 foundational premises on value co-creation in sport management and suggests three levels for its analysis. The main contribution is a new and better theoretical basis for explaining phenomena in sport management compared with traditional sport economic thinking. Moreover, the SVF provides guidance in structuring research in sport management. Implications: The framework encourages researchers and practitioners to rethink their strategies by applying a different logic that captures the complexity of sport management. © 2014 © 2014 European Association for Sport Management