The Effects of Pre-Game Rituals on Athletes

Pre-game Rituals1

The Effects of Pre-game Rituals on Athletes

Brita Berger

Lethbridge College

Effects of Pre-game Rituals on Athletes

Pre-game rituals that many athletes practice can be both superstitious behaviours and self-fulfilling prophesies. Are pre-game rituals that many athletes practice nothing more than superstitious behaviours and self-fulfilling prophesies? There are many pre-game rituals some help the athlete to calm themselves down, while others get that athlete in the “zone”. Pre-game rituals are not only practiced by professional or semi-professional athletes; but also by many local competitive or non-competitive athletes do practice pre-game rituals. When going to any sporting event it is common to observe some athletes practice pre-game rituals, for example a competitive curling team may have their own pre-game rituals that they practice before each game.It is possible as young athletes start talking to their favorite athlete, the subject of pre-game rituals and what rituals the athlete uses can come up in conversation. This may be the beginning stage of when young and up-and-coming athletes start to practice pre-game rituals. To decide whether pre-game rituals are superstitious behaviours and self-fulfilling, the science aspect and the personal anecdotes are important to consider. But that is just one side of the equation; people also should look at the various assumptions made by people to make their final decisions.

Effects of Pre-game Rituals on Athletes in Sports

There may be many assumptions made by people that pre-game rituals are useless. For the athletes that use these pre-game rituals they may believe that these rituals help to get them mentally fit for the game. The mental fitness of athletes is important for success. Athletes who practice pre-game rituals may believe that their performance during a game is affected. The mental fitness is only one aspect that many athletes believe is what makes them successful. The relaxation aspect of practicing pre-game rituals is also essential. After athletes practice pre-game rituals could believe that they are mentally and physically ready for the game, butsuperstition may arise during the game can arise. How athletes deal with this situation is different for every athlete but some may repeat their pre-game ritual. The mental effect that pre-game rituals have on a person is discussed in the corresponding articles.

Mental Effects

How do practising pre-game rituals affect the mental state of an athlete? For many athletes, whether professional or not, practising of pre-game rituals is important; in terms of copping with many factors that come about before and during a game.An article that gives insight is written by Damien Brevers et al., (2011).

Brevers, D., Dan, B., Nils, F., Noel, X. (2011). Sports superstition: mediation of psychological tension on non-professional sportsmen’s superstitious rituals. Journal of Sport Behavior, 34(1), 4-6. Retrieved from

In the journal article Damien Brevers, et al., (2011) describes the practice of pre-game as an illusion of control. The basic idea of illusion of control is that the athlete can attempt to control the outcome or at least influence the outcome. Along with the idea of illusion control Damien Brevers et al. also describe that pre-game rituals can also be an extension related to Lerner’s Just World Hypothesis (Lerner, 1965, as cited in Brevers et al, 2011). This theory is basically describes the effect that occurs when not only athletes but individuals in general have a need to believe that their environment has to be equal and stable (Lerner, 1965, as cited in Brevers et al., 2011). As Damien Brevers, et al., (2011) describe the different explanations of why athletes use pre-game rituals; while Jared L. Bleak, et al., (1998) describe the effectiveness of using superstitious behaviours. The basic idea presented in the research in this article is to explain if pre-game rituals do indeed affect the results of a game or if they are just an illusion that athletes have adopted.

Bleak, J.L., & Frederick, C.M. (1998) Superstitious behavior in sport: levels of effectiveness and determinants of use in three collegiate sports. Journal of Sport Behavior, 21(1), 1-2. Retrieved from

Jared Bleak, et al. (1998) describe pre-game rituals as a superstitious ritual to lower anxiety levels and effect the measure of control over luck. Furthermore pre-game rituals do not just lower anxiety, and also the measure of control over luck but also the chance of success (Womack, 1992, as cited in Bleak. 1998). Many athletes can use superstition to maintain and emotion balance which can affect the performance of the athlete (Womack, 1998, as cited in Bleak, 1998).

Ability to Perform

How do pre-game rituals affect an athlete’s ability to perform to their potential?As mentioned in the previous section pre-game rituals have the ability to mentally affect an athlete. In the article by Daniel L. Wann (2012) the effects of pre-game rituals on Olympic athletes is studied.

Wann, D.L. (2012). The head and shoulders psychology of success project: an examination of perceptions of Olympic athletes. North American Journal of Psychology, 14(1), 123-124. Retrieved from

Pre-game rituals can benefit the athlete in ways such as athletic performance and many other ways (Bull, Albinson, & Shambrook, 1996; Murphy & Jowdy, 1992; Wann, 1997, as cited in Wann, 2012). Many of the superstitious actions used by athletes were an attempt to increase a sense of control (Keinan, 2002; Langer, 1975; Schippers & Van Lange, 2006, as cited in Wann, 2012). When these athletes gained a sense of control, this sense of control also boosted their confidence. This in turn has the ability to boost the confidence of the athlete which can affect the athlete’s performance. The article by Tiffanye M. Vargas-Tonsing (2009) describes the effects that a coaches’ pre-game speech might have on the athletes.The participants for this study involved many competitive athletes from various sports teams.

Vargas-Tonsing, T.M. (2009). An exploratory examination of the effects of coaches’ pre-game speeches on athletes’ perceptions of self-efficacy and emotion. Journal of Sports Behavior, 32(1), 94-96. Retrieved from

Tiffanye M. Vargas-Tonsing described that athletes do use the coach’s feedback as information but source that helps them to determine future expectations for success (Amorose &Weiss, 1998, as cited in Vargas-Tonsing, 2009). Tiffanye M. Vargas-Tonsing (2009) extrapolated the idea from various sources that a pre-game speech from a coach may have the ability to increase an athlete’s efficacy. It is also important to remember that while a coach’s pre-game speech may have effect on players, research findings have found that when athletes have a positive affective states, this in turn makes athletes have a desire to preform and exert effort (Scanlan, Stein, & Ravizza, 1989, as cited in Vargas-Tonsing, 2009).

Superstition Affects Athletic Performance

How does superstition affect an athlete’s performance? Superstition during a game can arise, especially if the game is at a crucial point. Stress can arise during this point too; many athletes begin to experience superstition then. An article byChris Brown et al., (2003)describes how superstition and superstitious practices can affect and athletes’ performance during a game (Neil, 1980, as cited in Brown, 2003).

Brown, C., & Todd, M. (2003). Characteristics associated with superstitious behavior in track and field athletes: are there NCAA divisional level differences?Journal of Sport Behavior, 26(2), 168-170. Retrieved from

Chris Brown et al. (2003) states that practicing superstition is just one way in which athletes deal with the uncertainty of sports competitions.Chris Brown et al. (2003) concluded from research that an athlete performance can be affected by a strong sense of athletic identification. Along with strong identification, the athletic role may have a positive effect on athlete’s performance which can lead to the development of self, build confidence, and improve athletic skill (Brewer et al., 1993, as cited in Brown, 2003). In a study it was assumed that when superstitious practices affected their ability to maintain all of the hard work that they have achieved in a positive way (Buhrmann & Zaugg, 1982, p. 171, as cited in Brown, 2003). The element of chance in sports also plays a role in contributing to an athlete’s feelings toward the sense of lack of control and uncertainty (Brown et al., 2003). In four studies (Becker, 1975; Dunleavy & Miracle, 1979; Wornack, 1979, as cited in Brown et al., 2003) suggested thatmany athletes practice different forms of superstition to allow themselves to feel a sense of certainty and to provide a feeling of control in many competitive situationsPerry B. Wright et al., (2008) remarked that observations from Ciborowski’s (1997) study, described that superstitious behaviour came from situation that held great risk and uncertainty.

Wright, P.B., & Erdal, K.J. (2008) Sport superstition as a function of skill level and task difficulty. Journal of Sport Behavior, 31(2), 188-189,191. Retrieved from

Perry B. Wright et al., (2008) remarked that observations from Ciborowski’s (1997) study, described that superstitious behaviour came from situation that held great risk and uncertainty. Perry B. Wright et al., (2008) concluded from a study done by Rudski, Lischner, and Albert (1999) that development of superstitious behaviours may be different reinforcement schedules, which can cause people to create superstitions that are based on success or failure of a task. Individuals who are put into situations that have an element to uncertainty could try to get control by investing in actions or objects that are irrelevant (Wright et al., 2008). Some people may start to believe that there is a link between those objects or actions to a particular result (Wright et al., 2008). To provide physical and mental relive athletes may carry around objects which to a point can directly affect performance may seem self-contradictory (Brown, 2003). Since human beings are labelled as rational, it can be normal that humans try to gain control in situations that have a factor of uncertainty, which could be seen as a display of superstitious behaviour (Vyse, 1997, as cited in Wright et al., 2008).

Conclusion

From the research presented above, it would appear that the effects of pre-game rituals are dependent on whether the person uses and believes in them, and that the psychological effects of pre-game rituals can potentially play a role in the success of an athlete. Further research should be done to bring to explore the confidence of sports teams that have a team pre-game ritual as to the individual who practise pre-game rituals or whether it is more effective to have a team pre-game ritual or just individual pre-game rituals. It is still important to realize that pre-game rituals are important to people who do believe in them. Thus, when studying the effectiveness of team pre-game rituals to individual pre-game rituals, it is important to remember that not every team member will believe that the pre-game ritual is useful.

References

Brown, C., & Todd, M. (2003). Characteristics associated with superstitious behavior in track and field athletes: are there NCAA divisional level differences?. Journal of Sport Behavior, 26(2), 168-170. Retrieved from

Wann, D.L. (2012). The head and shoulders psychology of success project: an examination of perceptions of Olympic athletes. North American Journal of Psychology,14(1), 123-124. Retrieved from

Wright, P.B., & Erdal, K.J. (2008) Sport superstition as a function of skill level and task difficulty. Journal of Sport Behavior,31(2), 188-189, 191. Retrieved from