The interrelation of social facilitation theory and training age: An initial analysis of psychological perspectives across a diverse population of competitive runners

2^nd International Conference on Sports Medicine and Fitness

April 18-20, 2016 Dubai, UAE

Ciara Delgado

Charlotte Athletic Club- Duke Energy Center, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Sports Med Doping Stud

Abstract :

The social facilitation theory states that performances can improve with the presence of a crowd. The information on this theory suggests that with a crowd/spectators present, an athlete will perform better. This survey aims to define the connection between an athlete�s experience and their psychological disposition towards spectators. Training age is defined as the number of years an athlete has spent within a specific sport. Research suggests that athletes of a higher training age will outperform those of a lower training age. Within a sport, such as running, the concept of training age could be questioned due to performance situations where athletes with a higher training age have been outperformed by athletes with a lower training age. Depending on the level of psychological arousal an athlete experiences during competition, performance could increase or decrease regardless of training age.

Biography :

Email: cdelgado@charlotteathleticclub.com