Impact of Arousal, Aggression and Mood States on Sports Performance among Novice and Elite Athletes

Abstract

This research discusses about features of psychological influence on the performance of novice and elite athletes: arousal, aggression, and mood states. A comparative, quantitative and a cross-sectional research design was used whereby a sample of 100 athletes representing different forms of sports was used. Psychological variables were measured using standardized instruments and analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests and regression. The result showed considerable differences in arousal and aggression levels between novice and elite athletes, with the latter having higher levels of both variables. None of the major differences in mood states were however observed. Regression shows that only arousal has been a significant predictor of performance with a negative relationship established as well as that the aggression and mood states were not significant predictors of performance outcomes. The outcomes support the role of psychological regulation especially arousal control in attaining optimal performance in sport. The research adds to the body of current literature in sports psychology as it presents a set of empirical data on a half-soccer setting. The findings highlight the importance of having psychological training strategies included in the athletic development programs in order to promote improved performance and emotional control in the athletes.