published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

This study has examined the uses and gratifications, which fantasy sports users seek for their online participation. Several uses and gratifications were tested to demonstrate whether or not they were motivations for different groups of online fantasy users. A survey instrument was created and disseminated to online fantasy users through fantasy message boards on the Internet. Online fantasy users who are Beginners, have high levels of participation, and participate in monetary prize leagues were groups that were studied. The analyses identified seven motivations that are sought by online fantasy users of those three groups. Descriptive data indicates most of online fantasy users are full-time employees who spend time at work checking their fantasy leagues and teams. / Department of Journalism

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Master of Arts (Psycho!ogy)(By coursework and Research Report). / Despite the well documented advantageous functions of imagery rehearsal as it pertains to sporting performance, the relationship between relaxation, imagery rehearsal ability and brainwave activity has received relatively little attention from sport researchers. With this in mind, the primary purpose of the present study was to invest'gate the possibility of the existence (If such a triadic relationship and consider the implications that this relationship may have on the development of imagery intervention programmes in Sport Psychology. Two male and seven female undergraduate Physical Education students, aged between 18 and 28 years volunteered to participate in the study. The Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (VMIQ) was administered to all subjects in order to assess each subject's imagery ability. The subjects were then randomly assigned to either the control or to the experimental group. Two weeks after completing the VMIQ, the subjects completed the VMIQ for a second tim, During the second administration of the VMIQ all subjects were attached to an EEG ~ojectroencephalograph) machine. The strategically placed EEG electrodes were attached for the purpose of assessing whether or not significant changes in alpha brainwave patterns were evident during imagery rehearsal. The experimental group differed from the control group in that the experimental group took part in a relaxation exercise prior to completing the VMIQ for a second time, whilst the control group did not receive the relaxation intervention. The results of the study indicated that there was enhanced alpha brainwave activity in the right occipital lobe during the imagery conditions. Whilst it could be speculated from the research findings that imagery ability and. brainwave activity differed from individual to individual and from one imagery condition to another, these differences were not statistically significant. Although not statistically significant, the differences observed between the pre and post-test scores for the experimental group were however purported to be meaningful since three of'the four subjects from the experimental group showed an improvement on imagery ability following the relaxation intervention. This finding justifies the need for future research into the relationship between relaxation and imagery rehearsal. It was also concluded that whilst some subjects emitted the greatest alpha activity during the same imagery dimensions for which they reported the highest imagery abilitiy scores, other subjects emitted the greatest alpha activity during the same imagery dimensions for which they reported the lowest scores in imagery abilitiy. As such, it could not be concluded from the present research findings that a correlation between imagery ability and alpha brainwave activity actually exists.

Sport is an avenue for children and adolescents to improve physical skills as well as enhance their psycho-social development. Despite the benefits of sport, numerous children and adolescents choose not to be physically active. Consequently, several investigators have sought to determine why some children choose to participate in sport, while others do not. The perceived importance or value, attached to an activity is one factor that has been considered central to predicting behavioral choices in various settings. Eccles et al. (1983) have proposed a multidimensional, quantitative measure of subjective task value (intrinsic, attainment, and utility). However, qualitative differences in the sources of subjective task value for sport have yet to be investigated. Thus, the primary purpose of this study was to examine self-identified and literature-based sources of intrinsic, attainment, and utility value among male and female adolescents. A sample of 30 male and female eighth grade students, classified into subjective task value groups (high-, medium-, or low value), were selected to participate in the interview portion of this study. In general, the results confirmed the sources of subjective task value identified in the literature by Eccles et al. The results also supported Eccles et al.'s multidimensional approach to value by revealing sources unique to each component (intrinsic, attainment, utility) of value. Sources of value peculiar to the physical domain emerged, as well as gender differences within each level of value. Finally, the process of ranking both self- identified and literature-based sources of value illuminated the most salient sources for each subgroup. In sum, this study both confirmed and expanded upon Eccles's subjective task value work. The results are discussed in terms of conceptual and practical implications as well as recommendations for future research. / Graduation date: 1997

published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

Six experiments were conducted in order to examine the role of movement specific reinvestment in performance of a range of tasks of varying complexity under different performance contexts. The first experiment investigated the role of movement specific reinvestment in performance of a fundamental laparoscopic skill under time pressure. It was found that individuals with a lower propensity for movement specific reinvestment were able to meet task demands by performing faster under time pressure than individuals with a higher propensity for movement specific reinvestment. Although movement specific reinvestment is often treated as a uni-dimensional construct, it is comprised of two dimensions of conscious processing; movement self-consciousness and conscious motor processing. These dimensions appear to exert a differential influence on performance in different contexts. The second experiment therefore investigated the differential influence of the two dimensions of movement specific reinvestment on performance of a fundamental laparoscopic skill early and later in practice and on performance of a more complex, cross-handed laparoscopy task. Movement self-consciousness was found to play a more dominant role early and later in practice of a relatively simple, fundamental, laparoscopic skill than conscious motor processing, which played a more dominant role in performance of a more complex, cross-handed laparoscopic skill. The third and fourth experiments examined the differential influence of the two dimensions of movement specific reinvestment on a complex golf-putting skill early and later in practice (Experiment 3) and under low- and high-anxiety conditions (Experiment 4). Experiments 3 and 4 also examined the kinematic mechanisms underlying the influence of the two dimensions on putting performance. Findings from Experiment 3 revealed that movement self-consciousness and conscious motor processing positively influenced putting performance early in practice, when learners were consciously engaged in the control of movements. However, later in practice movement self-consciousness alone positively influenced putting performance. Analysis of kinematic measures suggested that reduced variability of both impact velocity and putter face angle at impact mediated the positive influence of both movement self-consciousness and conscious motor processing on putting performance. Findings from Experiment 4 revealed that movement self-consciousness positively influenced performance in the low-anxiety condition (and appeared to reduce variability of impact velocity), but not in the high-anxiety condition. It was argued that the attention demanding nature of anxiety (Eysenck & Calvo, 1992) potentially subdued the influence of movement self-consciousness under high-anxiety conditions. The fifth experiment confirmed this proposition as the positive influence of movement self-consciousness on quiet standing performance was no longer evident when an attention demanding dual-task was performed concurrently with a primary quiet standing task. The final experiment examined the unique influence of the two dimensions on laparoscopic performance during practice and under anxiety in a real-world anxiety provoking situation, the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) (Muldoon, Biesty, & Smith, 2014; Nasir et al., in press). The findings of the six experiments are discussed within the framework of the Theory of Reinvestment (e.g., Masters, 1992; Masters & Maxwell, 2008). / published_or_final_version / Human Performance / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This study investigated rowers' cognitive pain coping strategies during a 2,000 metre ergometer race. The concepts of association and dissociation were expanded upon by devising five thought categories: performance dissociation (PerfD), pain association (PaA), pain dissociation (PaD), psychological performance association (PsyA), and technical performance association (TechA). Sixteen rowers, five males and eleven females, between the ages of 19 and 27 years, rowed at maximum intensity for four race segments of 500 m, 1,000 m, and 2,000 m on separate occasions. A forty-one item Thoughts During Rowing Questionnaire was administered upon completion of each distance. Subjects' average thought category scores were analyzed by a 4 x 5 (Distance x Thought category) MANOVA. Results indicated significant (p $<$.005) effects for distance and thought category, and an interaction. Results suggest that while racing, rowers rarely dissociate from their performances. As pain awareness rises, rowers dissociate from pain and associate with the psychological or technical aspects of their performances.

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