Spectators\u27 Perceptions of Momentum and Personal Control: Exploring the Antecedents-Consequences Model

The Antecedents-Consequences Model (ACM) (Vallerand, Colavecchio, & Pelletier, 1988) is a theoretical model dealing with individuals\u27 perceptions of momentum. A basic premise of the model states there are situational and personal variables involved in the perception of momentum. Situational variables may include momentum starters, such as a steal or a dunk in basketball. Momentum starters may lead to feelings and perceptions of greater psychological momentum. In order for these variables to enhance perceptions of control, the events must be attributed to the self and not to external sources (Weiner, 1985). This personal control in the situation and/or need for control of the individual is a fundamental psychological variable that establishes whether psychological momentum is perceived. The need for control plays a vital role in one\u27s understanding of the environment and of important achievements, such as sport (Vallerand et al., 1988). While the ACM suggests that personal control is a factor in perceiving momentum, no supporting literature was found. The purpose of the present study was to explore the spectator aspect of the ACM by determining the relationship between levels of personal control and numbers of perceptions of positive momentum. Data were collected at ten men\u27s and women\u27s intercollegiate basketball games. Participants consisted of basketball knowledgeable graduate and undergraduate students (N = 68) at an NCAA Division I university. Each participant observed one-half of a basketball game. Participants offered individualized definitions of momentum, and personal control was assessed using the Belief in Personal Control Scale (BPCS) (Berrenberg, 1987). A momentum inventory (Burke, Aoyagi, Joyner, & Burke, 2003) was also used to establish perceptions of momentum during games. The inventory required that participants denote game times and scores when momentum occurred, as well as events that initiated, occurred during, and ended momentum. Results showed a significant negative correlation between numbers of perceived momentum sequences and personal control scores, which suggests that an individual who scored higher on the BPCS perceived less momentum sequences, supporting the ACM. No gender differences were found for numbers of perceived momentum sequences or personal control

Psychological momentum: The phenomenology of goal pursuit

Psychological momentum (PM) is thought to be a force that influences judgment, emotion, and performance. Based on a review of the extant literature, we elucidate two distinct approaches that researchers have adopted in their study of PM: the input-centered approach and the output-centered approach. Consistent with the input-centered approach, we conceptualize PM as a process whereby temporal and contextual PM-like stimuli (i.e., perceptual velocity, perceptual mass, perceptual historicity, and perceptually interconnected timescales)—initially perceived as an impetus—are extrapolated to imagined future outcomes through mental simulation. In turn, and consistent with the output-centered approach, we posit that mental simulation elicits experiential (e.g., perceptual, cognitive, emotional) and behavioral states that govern goal pursuit, and that the pursuit of goals further influences perceptions of self, environment, and action quality. In all, we suggest that PM is interdependently linked to perceptions and behaviors in the sense that PM both influences and is influenced by changes in self-perceptions, environmental perceptions, and behavior, and we conclude by linking the PM construct to recent work on prospection