Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the present study the psychological skills of professional and social basketball players were compared. A literature review has highlighted the need for domain specific and sport specific psychological skills research, from countries outside the United States of America. The Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) was administered to professional (n=60) and social (n=67) basketball players. The ACSI-28 is a multidimensional scale that measures seven specific psychological skills and also yields a global psychological skills score. The results showed that professional basketball players rated their global psychological skills significantly higher than social basketball players. The results also showed that the professional basketball players scored significantly higher on five of the seven specific psychological skills namely: coping with adversity, peaking under pressure, goal setting, concentration and self-confidence. Cross-cultural differences were found between South African and Greek basketball players. The assumption that psychological skills is domain specific was not verified as baseball and basketball players from different countries showed remarkably similar ACSI-28 profiles. The results can be used to develop a psychological skills training programme which is relevant for elite and pre-elite basketball players in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die sielkundige vaardighede van professionele- en sosiale basketbalspelers is in die huidige studie onderling vergelyk. 'n Literatuurstudie het die behoefte aan domeinspesifieke, sowel as sport-spesifieke sielkundige-vaardigheidsnavorsing beklemtoom, veral vir lande buite die Verenigde State van Amerika. Die Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28 (ACSI-28) is toegepas op professionele (n=60) en sosiale (n=67) basketbalspelers. Die ACSI-28 is 'n multidimensionele skaal wat sewe spesifiek sielkundige vaardighede meet. Hierdie vaardighede kan gekombineer word om 'n globale sielkundige vaardigheidstelling te kry. Volgens die resultate het die professionele basketbalspelers hul globale sielkundige vaardighede beduidend hoër as sosiale basketbalspelers geëvalueer. Die professionele basketbalspelers het hoër tellings as sosiale basketbalspelers behaal op vyf van die sewe spesifiek sielkundige vaardighede naamlik: hantering van terugslae, prestasie onder druk, doelwitstelling, konsentrasie vermoë en self vertroue. Kruis-kulturele verskille is gevind tussen Suid-Afrikaanse en Griekse basketbalspelers. Die aanname, dat sielkundige vaardighede domein-spesifiek is, is nie ondersteun nie, aangesien bofbal en basketbalspelers van verskillende lande ooreenstemmende ACSI-28 profiele getoon het. Die resultate kan aangewend word om 'n sielkundige vaardigheidsopleidingsprogram te ontwikkel wat relevant vir elite and preelite basketbalspelers in Suid Afrika is.

The present study examined Garland's cognitive mediation theory of goal setting in a three-minute basketball shooting task. The effects of different goal conditions were also investigated along with achievement motivation and self-motivation as mediating constructs of performance. Subjects (N=150) were males and females, assigned to one of five goal conditions: "do your best", easy, moderate, hard, and improbable. Results indicated no performance differences between the different goal conditions, with subjects in the "do your best" condition performing as well as subjects in the other goal conditions. Results also yielded partial support for Garland's cognitive mediation theory with task goals influencing performance through its influence on performance expectancy. Furthermore, a negative correlation between achievement motivation and performance was found for females in the improbable goal condition and a positive correlation was found between self-motivation and performance for females in the easy goal condition.