My name is Cassandra Massillon, and I am in the Social Science program in psychology at Ahuntsic College. It is my last semester of college before I can start University. I want to pursue my studies at the University of Ottawa. I don't know yet which customer I want to work with after my PhD, either as a sports psychologist, clinical psychologist in a clinic, or both. I created this glossary about Sports psychology because we hear or talk more about clinical psychology. This glossary will help athletes and future sports psychologists learn and know words in English that can be used in the world of sports. In this glossary, you will also find words that can be used in the clinical psychology system. For each of the 20 words, you will have a definition, an audio pronunciation of the word, and an example of how you can use the word.
anorexia nervosa
noun
An eating disorder in which you restrict the number of calories you consume, resulting in a nutrient deficit. People with anorexia also have an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image.
Example: In the treatment of anorexia nervosa patients are encouraged to understand their thought and behaviour patterns.
fr: Anorexie mentale
Anxiety
noun
An emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased blood pressure.
Example: Sometimes, anxiety in children can be attributed to anxiety in parents.
fr: Anxiété
arousal regulation
noun
Organizing construct for describing the relations between stimulation, stress, and cortical activity and performance.
Example: Effective arousal regulation techniques help athletes maintain optimal levels of excitement and calmness during competitions, enhancing their overall performance.
fr: régulation de l'excitation
Burnout
noun
A state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
Example: Jonathan stopped coming to soccer practice last week because he had a burnout. His Dad and the coach puts too much pressure on him.
fr: Syndrome d'épuisement professionnel
centration
noun
The tendency to focus on only one aspect of a situation, problem or object.
Example: School, propose that the child becomes better at centration as they progress from the former stage to the latter.
fr: centrage
cognitive restructuring
noun
Therapeutic process that helps the client discover, challenge, and modify or replace their negative, irrational thoughts.
Example: Cognitive restructuring allows athlete to transform their negative thoughts in positive and constructive thoughts.
fr: restructuration cognitive
emotional regulation
noun
A process by which individuals modify or controls the duration or intensity of their emotions to best respond to environmental challenges.
Example: Studies have shown that play aids motor skills and emotion regulation.
fr: régulation émotionnelle
extrinsic motivation
noun
A catalyst for action that is driven by external rewards. These can be tangible, such as money or grades, or intangible, such as praise or fame.
Example: Extrinsic motivations, such as winning medals or trophies, are what keep many athletes pushing themselves.
fr: motivation extrinsèque
flow state
noun
A mental state in which a person is completely focused on a single task or activity.
Example: A lot of athletes experience a flow state during their performance in competition.
fr: état de flow
Internal monologue
noun
The result of certain brain mechanisms that cause you to “hear” yourself talk in your head without actually speaking and forming sounds.
Example: At every practice, my internal monologue is active because I am telling myself what technical movement I have to do.
fr: monologue interne
intrinsic Motivation
noun
The drive to engage in activities that are inherently interesting or enjoyable without external incentives or rewards.
Example: Intrinsic motivation is much more complex and relies more on motivation through true job satisfaction, and being motivated by the job itself.
fr: motivation intrinsèque
pygmalion effect
noun
The phenomenon in which the greater the expectation placed upon people, the better they perform.
Example: The Pygmalion Effect emphasizes the deciding influence of perceptions on behavior.
fr: effet pygmalion
resilience
noun
An individual's tendency to cope with stress and adversity.
Example: Resilience allows athletes to bounce back from setbacks and maintain their determination, even after facing tough losses or injuries.
fr: résilience
self-actualization
noun
The realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potentialities, especially considered as a drive or need present in everyone.
Example: After five years of personal growth and overcoming challenges, she finally achieved self-actualization and felt truly fulfilled in her athlete career.
fr: réalisation de soi
self-esteem
noun
A term denoting a person's judgment or assessment of his or her own worth.
Example: Building self-esteem helps athletes feel more confident in their abilities, which can lead to improved performance in competitions.
fr: estime de soi
self-monitoring
noun
A personality trait that involves the ability to monitor and regulate self-presentations, emotions, and behaviors in response to social environments and situations.
Example: I use self-monitoring to track my performance metrics and focus during basketball practice to enhancing my skills.
fr: auto-surveillance
stimulus
noun
Any object or event that elicits a sensory or behavioral response in an organism.
Example: A loud crowd can serve as a stimulus that energizes athletes and enhances their performance during competitions.
fr: stimulus
Survey research
noun
A quantitative method that collects standardized data from a sample of individuals or groups through questionnaires or interviews.
Example: Lucy made a survey research to know how many of her athletes have difficulties eating the morning before their competition.
fr: recherche par sondage
unconscious mind
noun
A reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness.
Example: The unconscious mind often influences our decisions and behaviors without us even realizing it.
fr: esprit inconscient
variables
noun
Things that can be changed or altered, such as a characteristic or value.
Example: Different variables can cause an athlete to perform below is actual potential, like the absence of his coach.
