Imagery Intervention to Increase Flow State and Performance in Competition

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an imagery intervention for enhancing the experience of flow state and performance in junior athletes. On the basis of previous results, a tailored imagery script was developed to target critical flow dimensions, namely challenge-skills balance, clear goals, concentration on the task, and sense of control. It was hypothesised that the use of cognitive and motivational imagery would increase specific flow dimensions, which, in turn, would enhance flow state and competition performance. Participants in a single-case, multiple baseline A-B design study were four nationally ranked athletes. Following a 6-week baseline phase monitoring flow state and performance and a 6-week intervention phase, three participants showed a sustained increase in flow experiences, and all four participants improved their service performance, groundstroke performance, and ranking-list position

Flow State and Performance Patterns in Tennis Competition

Flow experiences have important implications for performances in both sport and everyday life. Several studies have shown correlational links between flow and subjective performance assessments, and flow and objective performance outcomes. One limitation of previous investigations was the overall assessment of flow state, measuring flow retrospectively after the end of the training or competition performance. In this study, flow was measured repeatedly during a two-set tennis-training match. Participants reported on their flow state during the frequent match breaks when changing ends. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between flow and performance outcomes. Results revealed similar patterns between flow and performance measurements. The conclusion drawn is that there is a positive association between flow state and performance; that is stronger flow experiences are linked to better performances

Reliability, validity, and gender invariance of the exercise benefits/barriers scale: An emerging evidence for a more concise research tool

© 2021 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18073516The Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale (EBBS) research instrument has been extensively used to investigate the perceived benefits and barriers of exercise in a range of settings. In order to examine theoretical contentions and translate the findings, it is imperative to implement measurement tools that operationalize the constructs in an accurate and reliable way. The original validation of the EBBS proposed a nine-factor structure for the research tool, examined the EBBS factor structure, and suggested that various factors are important for the testing of the perception of exercise benefits and barriers, whereas a few items and factors may not be vital. The current study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using hierarchical testing in 565 participants from the northwest region of the United Kingdom, the results of which provided evidence for a four-factor structure of the benefits measure, with the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.943, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.933, and root means square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.051, namely life enhancement, physical performance, psychological outlook, and social interaction, as well as a two-factor structure of the barrier measures, with the CFI = 0.953, TLI = 0.931, and RMSEA = 0.063, including exercise milieu and time expenditure. Our findings showed that for a six-factor correlated model, the CFI = 0.930, TLI = 0.919, and RMSEA = 0.046. The multi-group CFA provided support for gender invariance. The results indicated that after three decades of the original validation of the EBBS, many of the core factors and items are still relevant for the assessment of higher-order factors; however, the 26-item concise tool proposed in the current study displays a better parsimony in comparison with the original 43-item questionnaire. Overall, the current study provides support for a reliable, cross-culturally valid EBBS within the UK adult population, however, it proposes a shorter and more concise version compared with the original tool, and gives direction for future research to focus on the content validity for assessing the perception of the barriers to physical activity.Published versio

Antecedents of Flow and the Flow-Performance Relationship in Cricket

The present study aspires to elaborate on the conceptual framework of flow by further elucidating integration and conceptualisation of a relationship between flow and objective and subjective measures of performance. The aims of the study were twofold: (1) to examine the relationship between flow and its key correlates, anxiety, motivation, and perceived ability; (2) to assess whether the relationship between these measures and performance is direct or mediated. Participant sample included a group of cricketers with varying performance level (n = 40) and a group of 20 non-cricket team athletes; all were between 18 and 35 years of age. Their performance was assessed objectively by batting average, along with administering the Dispositional Flow Scale (DFS), Sport Anxiety Scale (SAS), Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), and Perceived Sport Ability (PSA) questionnaires. Results show that the three flow correlates accounted for 77% of dispositional flow variance; individual correlates varied, however, in their predicting power, anxiety: 0%; motivation: 1%; perceived ability: 57%. In addition, total flow and flow correlates accounted for a total of 54% of variance in performance, whereas unique variance of 8% was accounted for by anxiety and perceived ability, each. Notably, flow and two correlates, anxiety and perceived ability, were found to have a direct impact on performance; in contrast, a weak partial mediation of flow was found between motivation and performance. Based on the findings on the flow-performance relationship, expansion of the flow theory is suggested; benefits for advancing intervention research in sport psychology are discussed

Relationships Between Flow, Mental Toughness, and Subjective Performance Perception in Various Triathletes

The current study examined the relationship between mental toughness, subjective performance and dispositional flow in high performing triathletes. A sample of 114 Iron men and triathletes (Mage=28.81 years, SD=3.45), taken from triathlon clubs, completed self-report questionnaires measuring mental toughness, subjective performance and dispositional flow. Pearson’s correlations revealed a significant and positive relationship between global mental toughness and subjective performance rating (r=0.62, p <0.01) and between global mental toughness and all dispositional flow subscales (r= 0.67 – 0.81, p<0.05). Linear regression analyses found mental toughness subscales accounted for 64% of the variance in dispositional flow. Subjective performance rating did not add significantly to the model. Overall, the findings suggest that mental toughness may allow iron man competitors and triathletes to exert the cognitive and emotional control necessary to experience flow and therefore perform better. The findings are discussed in the context of competitive ironman and triathlon

Life Transitions and Relevance of Healthy Living in Late Adolescence

Using a cross-sectional qualitative design involving focus groups and interviews, we sought to gain a more detailed understanding of adolescents’ physical activity, eating habits, and health perceptions during the transition from secondary school (or high school) to work. Based on thematic analyses, three themes were extracted; (i) perceptions of lifestyle and health; (ii) changes in priorities; and (iii) passive acceptance of internal and external influences on physical activity and diet. Poor diet and physical inactivity appeared to reflect participants’ amotivation towards health behaviours, reluctance to divert from perceived peer norms, and efforts to assert independence from parents

Commensurate and incommensurate 1D interacting quantum systems

Single-atom imaging resolution of many-body quantum systems in optical lattices is routinely achieved with quantum-gas microscopes. Key to their great versatility as quantum simulators is the ability to use engineered light potentials at the microscopic level. Here, we employ dynamically varying microscopic light potentials in a quantum-gas microscope to study commensurate and incommensurate 1D systems of interacting bosonic Rb atoms. Such incommensurate systems are analogous to doped insulating states that exhibit atom transport and compressibility. Initially, a commensurate system with unit filling and fixed atom number is prepared between two potential barriers. We deterministically create an incommensurate system by dynamically changing the position of the barriers such that the number of available lattice sites is reduced while retaining the atom number. Our systems are characterised by measuring the distribution of particles and holes as a function of the lattice filling, and interaction strength, and we probe the particle mobility by applying a bias potential. Our work provides the foundation for preparation of low-entropy states with controlled filling in optical-lattice experiments

Blue Food Demand Across Geographic and Temporal Scales

Numerous studies have focused on the need to expand production of ‘blue foods’, defined as aquatic foods captured or cultivated in marine and freshwater systems, to meet rising population- and income-driven demand. Here we analyze the roles of economic, demographic, and geographic factors and preferences in shaping blue food demand, using secondary data from FAO and The World Bank, parameters from published models, and case studies at national to sub-national scales. Our results show a weak cross-sectional relationship between per capita income and consumption globally when using an aggregate fish metric. Disaggregation by fish species group reveals distinct geographic patterns; for example, high consumption of freshwater fish in China and pelagic fish in Ghana and Peru where these fish are widely available, affordable, and traditionally eaten. We project a near doubling of global fish demand by mid-century assuming continued growth in aquaculture production and constant real prices for fish. Our study concludes that nutritional and environmental consequences of rising demand will depend on substitution among fish groups and other animal source foods in national diets

Rights and representation support justice across aquatic food systems

Injustices are prevalent in food systems, where the accumulation of vast wealth is possible for a few, yet one in ten people remain hungry. Here, for 194 countries we combine aquatic food production, distribution and consumption data with corresponding national policy documents and, drawing on theories of social justice, explore whether barriers to participation explain unequal distributions of benefits. Using Bayesian models, we find economic and political barriers are associated with lower wealth-based benefits; countries produce and consume less when wealth, formal education and voice and accountability are lacking. In contrast, social barriers are associated with lower welfare-based benefits; aquatic foods are less affordable where gender inequality is greater. Our analyses of policy documents reveal a frequent failure to address political and gender-based barriers. However, policies linked to more just food system outcomes centre principles of human rights, specify inclusive decision-making processes and identify and challenge drivers of injustice