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Psychology

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MENTAL SCIENCE -- 4Ps -- PSYCHOLOGY

 

General Issues

Developmental Neuropsychology

The human body develops its nervous system during gestation and then afterwards at all stages of life, but the most critical period for growth and development is between ages 1 and 20. As the brain and body matures, patterns of perception and movement take shape that allow coordinated behavior and the attainment of skill levels in physical activity. The emotional, intellectual, and social self is also developing along with the physical self, and this period of change and growth requires understanding the stages for purposes of learning putting at different stages of life. Combining a knowledge of the developing neuropsychology with corresponding theories of learning and education with the specific content of skill and knowledge for putting makes for a powerful combination in the training of junior golfers. The accompanying webpage explores these issues in greater detail: Junior Training.

Here's an interesting story of how junior golfers go through changes between ages 12 and 18:

Arousal-Performance Relations

Limited Mental Resources

The Anxiety System

Stress

Choking

The Yips

     

The Many Dimensions of Ritual

Brain States and Optimal Putting Consciousness

Nutritional Influences upon Putting Consciousness

Relaxation Techniques

Visualization

Mental Practice / Putt Simulation

Visual and Attention Control

The Superiority of the Body over the Eyes for Space Knowledge

For purposes of action, the body is what acts, not the eyes. Putting is action. The eyes are simply handmaids to the body in action. Once the eyes have performed their function of relating the head and body to an external target in space, the body incorporates this information into its "feel" and action system. The action system of the body has other sources of information pertinent to action other than vision, such as the proprioceptive awareness of body parts in relation and in motion and the kinetic awareness of external space from balance and locomotion. The neck-turn that pivots the head to the target feeds the brain information from the angle of turn and the pace of turn. This information calibrates distance to the target, sets the plane of the stroke motion, and teaches the body the amplitude and pace of the stroke in plane that sends the ball on line the right distance. In this process, the eyes are overrated and provide much information that is irrelevant and distracting. Once you are looking back down at the ball preparing to make a stroke, the eyes are only helpful to let you know whether your pivot is remaining still, and the MAIN ACTION is how your body feels and moves.

Right-Brain Notions

Mind-Body Integration in Putting Action / Flow

The Psychology of Timing for Body Action

Competence Makes Confidence

Confidence is functionally the absence of distraction or worry. Freedom from distraction is the same as focus. The two basic ways to get clear of worry are competence in what you are doing so you KNOW that what you are doing is the best you know how to do to make the putt successful, and self-delusion. Competence comes from intelligent analysis of what to do and intelligent learning how to do this. Self-delusion is useful if you don't have confidence from your competence, but it is obviously not the preferred route. To learn more about self-delusion, read some of Bob Rotella's books and look into "positive self-talk" and "selective amnesia." To learn about "self-efficacy" -- how it forms, how to advance it, and what it means for you -- see Dr Frank Pajares' website "Self-Efficacy Information" or Dr Gio Valiante's outline of "Albert Bandura's Self-efficacy in Athletic Functioning."

The Zone is Always with You

Western Mind-Body Integration Techniques

HYPNOSIS

EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques

NLP - Neuro-Linguistic Programming

OTHER

Eastern Mind-Body Integration Techniques

The Neurophysiology of Meditative Brain States

Teaching & Learning

Updated Monday, July 7, 2008 6:12 AM
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