Available online at:
https://cc.arcabc.ca/islandora/object/cc%3Apsycjournal

J Camosun Psyc Res. (2022). Vol. 4(1), pp. 287-302.
Submitted Fall 2021; accepted June 2022.

What Factors Influence Sport Performance Consistency?
Authors: Avery Roberts* and Raymark David Rojas Dalafu
Supervising Instructor: Michael Pollock, Psyc 110 (“Experimental Psychology”)
Department of Psychology, Camosun College, 3100 Foul Bay Road, Victoria, BC, Canada V8P 5J2
*Corresponding author email: Spitfire0333@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
In this paper, we sought to understand what the reasons are for why athletes' performance
fluctuates, so that we could learn how to improve our overall performance in our respective
sports. Previous research has predicted athletic performance consistency by variables such as
anxiety, mental conditioning, and confidence. In our first (correlational) study, we tested the
strength of these relationships by examining naturalistic daily changes in their variables
longitudinally over a one-week period. We measured anxiety, focus, and confidence each on a
zero to ten scale, and measured performance consistency by recording our basketball shot
attempts in comparison to shot makes. Based on the strength of correlation found between
mental conditioning and performance consistency in our correlational study, we then conducted a
second (experimental) study to test for a causal relationship between these two variables. Over a
one-week period, we assigned participants on alternate days to either a focused condition or an
unfocused condition and measured the effect this manipulation had upon mental conditioning.
Data pooled across participants in our correlational study showed that performance consistency
was associated with mental conditioning and confidence, but not with anxiety. Data pooled
across participants in our experimental study failed to establish a causal role of mental
conditioning upon performance consistency.
1. Introduction
1.1 Research Problem
We chose to research the consistency of
athletes' performance to help isolate the
variable that will improve our overall
performance in our respective sports. We
wanted to research this problem to improve
our basketball shooting percentage and learn
how to not let the pressure of the game
affect our play. We would like to understand
why athletes have “good days” or “bad
days” when performing in their respective
sports and what factors influence this drastic

change of performance. The importance of
this research is to help us better shape our
mindset to improve our execution of training
during games.
1.2 Literature Review
One factor previously found to predict
sport performance consistency is anxiety.
For example, in an experimental study by
Woodman and Davis (2008), the researchers
collected data via a survey and a heart rate
monitor. The survey was a self-report
measure of anxiety in three areas each rated
on an eleven-point scale: cognitive anxiety,
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somatic anxiety, and self-confidence. The
participants were asked to perform a series
of baseline golf putts and then they put
money on the green to induce anxiety for the
experimental golf putt condition. They
measured the heart rate of the participants
during baseline and experimental golf putts
to measure their psychological response to
anxiety. In the study, high anxiety people
putted best in the final experimental putt
condition compared to people who rated
their anxiety as lower. Based on these
results, the researchers suggested that high
anxiety can help people putt better in final
situations.
Another factor previously found to
predict sport performance consistency is
mental conditioning. For example, in a case
study by Krol and Štěrbová (2020), the
methods used in the case study were the use
of a questionnaire in recording progress
made by the weightlifter and a training
program that had three phases: an
educational phase, a training phrase, and a
practical phase where the techniques taught
were focusing, re-focusing, and anger
coping. The weightlifter was subjected to
integrating these psychological skills in
competitive situations. Results that were
gathered from the study provided the
weightlifter with a good understanding of
the implementation of the psychological
skills in her future endeavours while proving
that the use of mental conditioning can be
fruitful in the improvement of one's own
performance in their respective sports.
Based on these results, the researchers
suggested that that the use of mental
conditioning training can be crucial in an
athlete's development and overall
performance improvement.
A third factor previously found to predict
sport performance consistency is confidence.
For example, in an experimental study by
Grandjean et al. (2002), Olympic gymnast

participants were randomly assigned to two
groups. The gymnasts of the experimental
group vaulted first and second, then the
controls groups went third and fourth. Six
highly trained judges gave the gymnasts
scores on one to ten scales, but the highest
and lowest scores from each group were
removed from the results to reduce any bias
or misperception from the judges. The
results showed that the shortened vault had a
substantial impact on improving confidence.
Based on these results, the researchers
suggested that the more confidence one has,
the better you will perform.
1.3 Hypotheses
Based on the above literature review, we
predicted the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis #1: If anxiety increases then
performance consistency will increase.
Hypothesis #2: If mental conditioning
increases then performance consistency will
increase.
Hypothesis #3: If confidence increases then
performance consistency will increase.
2. Methods
2.1 Participants
The two authors of this paper served as
the participants in its studies. The
participants ranged in age from 18 years old,
with an average age of 18 years, and
included Asian males. The participants were
all undergraduate students at Camosun
College who completed the current studies
as an assignment for Psyc 110-003A
(“Experimental Psychology”) and were
grouped together due to their mutual interest
in sport performance. Both participants are
athletes, one is experienced in basketball and
the other is not.
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2.2 Correlational Study Methods
We first performed a correlational study
to test concurrently all our hypotheses by
examining naturalistic daily changes in their
variables longitudinally. Each participant
kept a study journal with them at all times
over this study’s two-week period to record
self-observations of the following four
variables: (1) anxiety, (2) mental
conditioning, (3) confidence, and (4)
performance consistency. This will be
recorded over seven days, five of which will
be one on ones with my fellow researcher
and two days in games situations.
2.2.1 Anxiety
To measure anxiety, at the end of the day
each participant recorded in their study
journal the amount of anxiety they
experienced that day on a scale of zero to ten
during this study, with zero having low-level
anxiety and ten having high-level anxiety for
that day. We define anxiety as how anxious
said person is while playing the sport.
2.2.2 Mental Conditioning
To measure mental conditioning, at the
end of the day each participant recorded in
their study journal how focused they were
that day on a scale from zero to ten, with
zero having low-level focus and ten having a
high level of focus for that day. We define
focus as how concentrated said person is
when playing the sport.
2.2.3 Confidence
To measure confidence, at the end of the
day each participant recorded in their study
journal how confident they were that day on
a scale from zero to ten, with zero having
low-level confidence and ten having highlevel confidence for that day. We define
confidence as the confidence experienced
while playing the sport.
2.2.4 Performance Consistency
To measure performance consistency, we
recorded our shot attempts compared to our
shot makes, in one-on-one situations and

game situations. The game situations will be
Camosun recreational four on four games
that happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
2.3 Correlational Study Planned Analyses
To assess the strength and statistical
significance of associations between
variables predicted by our three hypotheses,
we performed Pearson product moment
correlations of their predictor variables
anxiety, mental conditioning, and
confidence with their outcome variable
performance consistency. For testing
Hypothesis #1, we correlated scale data on
anxiety with percentage of shots scored. For
testing Hypothesis #2, we correlated scale
data on mental conditioning with percentage
of shots scored. For testing Hypothesis #3,
we correlated scale data on confidence with
percentage of shots scored. We performed
all of the above correlations separately for
each participant as well as using data pooled
across all of the participants. For the
correlations using pooled data, in addition to
using the raw data, we also performed
correlations after we had first transformed
the data from each participant into z-scores
in order to standardize differences in
averages and variability seen between the
participants in their data and thus make them
more comparable. A correlation coefficient
was considered statistically significant if the
probability of its random occurrence (p) was
< .05 (i.e., less than 5% of the time expected
by chance alone).
2.4 Experimental Study Methods
Based on the strength of the correlation
between mental conditioning and
performance consistency found in our
correlational study, we then chose to
conduct an experimental study to test for a
causal relationship between these two
variables from Hypothesis #2.
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We manipulated the independent
variable, mental conditioning, over a oneweek period by assigning participants each
day to either a focused condition or an unfocused condition. Before each experiment
or control day, we used a behavioural scale
from 0 to 10 to measure how focused we
were before commencing said activity, with
0 being a low level of mental conditioning
and 10 being a high level of mental
conditioning. These scales will account for
the manipulation check of the independent
variable. On experimental days we took five
free throws while saying to ourselves using
the mental conditioning technique of selftalk “aim for a swish” during the entirety of
the five free throws. On control days we did
the same thing without using self talk, just
silence. After that we recorded the
percentages of how many shots we made
during both the experimental/control day,
this accounts for the dependent variable.
Since we had no way of achieving a
double-blind procedure, there was no way to
control for placebo effects. To prevent order
effects, we used an alternate design in that if
one day was an experimental day then the
next day was to be a control day, and vice
versa. In order to reduce experimenter
expectancy effects, we used objective
behavioural measurements of the dependent
variable.
2.5 Experimental Study Planned Analyses
To assess the statistical significance of
differences seen in performance consistency
on focused experimental days vs. unfocused
control days, Student’s t-tests were
performed. We performed t-tests separately
for each participant as well as using data
pooled across all of the participants. For the
t-tests using pooled data, in addition to using
the raw data, we also performed t-tests after
we had first transformed the data from each
participant into z-scores in order to

standardize differences in averages and
variability seen between the participants in
their data and thus make them more
comparable. An average difference between
conditions was considered statistically
significant if, using a one-tailed distribution
(i.e., to determine if there is a difference
between groups in a specific direction), the
probability of its random occurrence (p) was
< .05 (i.e., less than 5% of the time expected
by chance alone).
3. Results
3.1 Correlational Study Results
As shown in Table 1, both confidence
and mental conditioning were significantly
correlated with performance consistency
when examining the pooled standardized
data. For anxiety, the data for one participant
was statistically significant (r = -0.82, p =
0.02) and for the other participant they were
not (r = 0.24, p = 0.62). The pooled raw data
(r = 0.11; see Figure 1) and the pooled
standardized data (r = -0.29; see Figure 2)
for anxiety were not statistically significant
(p > 0.32). For mental conditioning, the
data for one participant was statistically
significant (r =0.92, p = 0.001) and for the
other participant they were not (r = 0.73, p =
0.06). Likewise, the pooled standardized
data for mental conditioning was statistically
significant (r = 0.83, p < 0.001; see Figure
4) and the pooled raw data for mental
conditioning were not statistically
significant (r = 0.44, p = 0.16; see Figure 3).
For confidence, the data for one participant
was statistically significant (r =0.80, p =
0.03) and for the other participant they were
not (r = 0.65, p = 0.12). Likewise, the
pooled standardized data for confidence was
statistically significant (r = 0.73, p = 0.002;
see Figure 6) and the pooled raw data for
confidence were not statistically significant
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(r = 0.41, p = 0.15; see Figure 5). Based on a
comparison of the correlation coefficients
using either the pooled raw data or the
pooled standardized data, mental
conditioning and performance consistency
showed the strongest correlation.
3.2 Experimental Study Results
As shown in Table 2, no significant
differences were found in mental
conditioning between the focused and
unfocused conditions. Statistically
significant differences between these
conditions were not seen using any single
participant’s data (all p ≥ 0.42), pooled raw
data (p = 0.38; see Figure 7), or pooled
standardized data (p = 0.36; see Figure 8).
4. Discussion
4.1 Summary of Results
We wanted to test if anxiety, mental
conditioning, or confidence improved our
performance consistency in sports. We
found that confidence and mental
conditioning have were strongly correlated
with performance consistency, with mental
conditioning being the stronger of the two
correlated with performance consistency.
Anxiety was not found to be significantly
correlated with performance consistency. In
our experimental study, mental conditioning
was found to not have a significant causal
relationship upon performance consistency
using either the individual participant data or
the pooled data.
4.2 Relation of Results to Past Research
Our group's findings were not consistent
with past findings that anxiety improves
performance consistency. Woodman &
Davis (2008) had golfers in actual game

situations where pressure can be found to
increase anxiety which then makes the
athlete more aware/calculating, essentially
making them perform better. Our
correlational findings where we played in
games did not exhibit the same amount of
pressure because nothing was at stake,
meaning we only felt anxiety when we were
guarded well by our opponent or when we
performed badly which does not affect us in
a good way to increase our performance
consistency.
We found that mental conditioning is
associated with improvements in
performance consistency, but does not itself
cause these improvements. This is not in
agreement with the Krol & Štěrbová (2020)
article that found that the more focused you
are when participating in a sport then the
better you will perform in general. That
article referenced a bodybuilder who, with
the implementation of mental conditioning
specifically focusing, was able to perform
better in Olympic events than without the
use of mental conditioning techniques. We
speculated that the difference
methodologically between the Krol &
Štěrbová (2020) study and our experimental
study was that the time needed to implement
the mental conditioning techniques in the
article took weeks or months to fully
integrate said mental conditioning
techniques in the article while we never
really practiced self-talk before doing this
project, so time could be taken as a factor.
Another difference that we noticed was that
the bodybuilder was learning through a
program which efficiently taught said person
to develop these mental conditioning
techniques into a daily routine while we
were never taught to do these techniques at
all much less in our daily routines.
Confidence was found to be associated
with improvements in performance
consistency in support of our hypothesis.
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This is in agreement with the Grandjean et
al. (2002) article that found that gymnasts
who experienced ease of difficulty when
performing the first trial had more
confidence and so performed better knowing
they had the capability of doing well on the
second trial. Our study had us play knowing
who we were facing as well in terms of skill
level as with ample warm-up resulting in
better confidence which may have influence
us to perform better under a game situation.

application of this is to not worry about
whether you’re feeling anxious or calm
before a sports event.
Our original rationale for embarking on
this research was the improvement of our
performance consistency in playing sports.
Through our experimental results we have
found that mental conditioning has no
significant effect upon performance
consistency.
References

4.3 Implications of Results
We have noticed from our findings that
having a high level of confidence and the
ability to implement mental conditioning
before participating in a sport can greatly
predict how well you can consistently
perform. Although with our correlational
study mental conditioning was significantly
associated with performance, it was shown
through our experimental study to not have a
significant effect upon performance. One
possible interpretation of this result is that
without proper training and time to
implement mental conditioning this
technique will not have a significant impact
on how you will perform. Anxiety, although
it could be used to help you in certain
situations, had no relationship with our
performance consistency. The practical

Grandjean, B. D., Taylor, P. A., & Weiner,
J. (2002). Confidence, concentration, and
competitive performance of elite athletes:
A natural experiment in olympic
gymnastics. Journal of Sport & Exercise
Psychology, 24(3), 320–327.
Krol, P., & Štěrbová, D. (2020). Mental
training and influence of temperamental
dimensions in preparation of the Czech
Republic weightlifting representative in
junior category under 23 years: Case
study. E-Psychologie, 14(4), 31–42.
https://doi.org/10.29364/epsy.383
Woodman, T., & Davis, P. A. (2008). The
role of repression in the incidence of
ironic errors. Sport Psychologist, 22(2),
183–196.
https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.22.2.183

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Table 1
Correlations for Study Variables

Variables

Participant #1

Participant #2

Pooled raw
data

Pooled
standardized
data

r

n

r

n

r

n

r

n

Anxiety &
Performance
Consistency

-0.82*

7

0.24

7

0.11

14

-0.29

14

Mental
Conditioning
&
Performance
Consistency

0.73

7

0.92*

7

0.44

14

0.83*

14

Confidence &
Performance
Consistency

0.65

7

0.80*

7

0.41

14

0.73*

14

* p < .05.

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Table 2
Descriptive Statistics for Performance Consistency Across Different Mental Conditioning
Conditions

Condition

Statistic

Participant Participant
#1

Focus

Unfocus

#2

Pooled

Pooled

raw

standardized

data

data

M

40

68

54

0.08

SD

20

10.95

21.19

0.62

n

5

5

10

10

M

36

64

50

-0.08

SD

29.66

38.47

35.59

1.27

n

5

5

10

10

Note. M, SD, and n, represent mean, standard deviation, and sample size, respectively. [Type
here what units of measurement were used for the DV values shown above].
* p < .05 for comparison of focused condition with its respective unfocused condition.

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Figure 1
Association Between Anxiety and Performance Consistency Using Pooled Raw Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 2
Association Between Anxiety and Performance Consistency Using Pooled Standardized Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 3
Association Between Mental Conditioning and Performance Consistency Using Pooled Raw
Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 4
Association Between Mental Conditioning and Performance Consistency Using Pooled
Standardized Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 5
Association Between Confidence and Performance Consistency Using Pooled Raw Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 6
Association Between Confidence and Performance Consistency Using Pooled Standardized Data

Notes. Marker colour differentiates participants: red = participant #1 and orange = participant #2.
Some data might not be visible in the figure due to overlapping markers.

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Figure 7
Average Performance Consistency Across Different Mental Conditioning Conditions Using

Performance Consistency (Shots percentage)

Pooled Raw Data
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Focus

Unfoucused
Mental Conditioning

Notes. Performance Consistency scores are shown for focused and unfocused conditions using
pooled raw data from all participants. Error bars show ± 95% confidence levels. The overlapping
scatterplot shows data from each participant. Marker colour differentiates participants: red =
participant #1 and orange = participant #2.

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Figure 8
Average Performance Consistency Across Different Mental Conditioning Conditions Using
Pooled Standardized Data

Performance Consistency (z-score)

2
1.5
1

0.5
0
-0.5
-1

-1.5
-2
-2.5
-3
Focus

Unfoucused
Mental Conditioning

Notes. Performance consistency scores are shown for focused and unfocused conditions using
pooled raw data from all participants. Error bars show ± 95% confidence levels. The overlapping
scatterplot shows data from each participant. Marker colour differentiates participants: red =
participant #1 and orange = participant #2.

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