The positive aspects of pessimistic cognitive strategies - Defensive Pessimism in the context of competitive sports -

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K16481
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Kurume University (2017-2018); National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: OKUNO MAYU 久留米大学, その他部局等, 助教 (00633215)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 認知的方略 / 悲観的思考 / アスリート / 競技スポーツ / 心理サポート / メンタルトレーニング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examined the positive effects of pessimism in the context of competitive sports, with a focus on the cognitive strategy of “defensive pessimism,” which uses high anxiety to motivate efforts and achieve desirable results. In the practice of psychological support for athletes, there are those who have personally experienced the positive effects of pessimistic thinking and who consciously choose to utilize the cognitive strategy of defensive pessimism. However, there are also athletes who feel guilt at expecting the possibility of failure. It was observed that when these athletes attempted to revise their cognitive strategy to only consider the possibility of success, they experienced discomfort.

Free Research Field

スポーツ心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

アスリートを対象としたメンタルトレーニング講習において、自分自身にあった認知的方略を用いることの肯定的な作用について情報提供を行った。メンタルトレーニング講習を受講したアスリートは、受講後に講習内容の感想を含めた自由記述のアンケートへ回答を行った。防衛的悲観主義の認知的方略に対する「有用性の認識」や「防衛的悲観主義の認知的方略を用いる場面」について着目し、アンケートで得られた記述を整理した。そこから、悲観的認知を動因とし、努力を動機づけているアスリートの存在が確認された。