A1 Journal article (refereed)
Metaphoric Description and Individualized Emotion Profiling of Performance States in Top Karate Athletes (2004)

Ruiz, M. C., & Hanin, Y. L. (2004). Metaphoric Description and Individualized Emotion Profiling of Performance States in Top Karate Athletes. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 16(3), 258-273. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200490498366

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ruiz, Montse C.; Hanin, Yuri L.

Journal or series: Journal of Applied Sport Psychology

ISSN: 1041-3200

eISSN: 1533-1571

Publication year: 2004

Volume: 16

Issue number: 3

Pages range: 258-273

Publisher: Taylor & Francis; Association for Applied Sport Psychology

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200490498366

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/93703

Abstract

This paper reports an investigation extending recent studies of a symbolic representation of performance related states (Hanin, 1997, 2000; Hanin & Stambulova, 2002). Consistent with this theoretical framework, the content and frequency of self-generated metaphors with accompanying interpretative descriptors of feeling states in high-level Spanish karate athletes (N = 16; 12 men and 4 women) were examined. The athletes generated 98 idiosyncratic, symbolic, and functionally meaningful metaphors and 167 interpretative descriptors of feeling states prior to, during, and after their best and worst performances. The metaphoric images included animate (animals, human beings, mythical characters) and inanimate (vehicles, objects, plants, natural phenomena) agents. As predicted, the content of metaphors and interpretative descriptors reflected high action readiness in best performance and low action readiness in worst performance situations. Moreover, content of metaphors was different prior to, during, and after performances (content overlap ranged from 0.06 to 0.15) and across best and worst competitions (from 0 to 0.18). As expected, self-generated interpretative emotion descriptors were idiosyncratic and context-specific. These descriptors were similar to eight basic emotions (happiness, pride, relief, anger, anxiety, fright, sadness, and shame) from the 15 proposed by Lazarus (2000). Interpretative descriptors had multiple connotations with emotion and non-emotion components of psychobiosocial state. In the follow-up (n = 12) after a 5-month interval, the initially generated idiosyncratic metaphors were retained, thus, reflecting stability and consistency of perceived personal meaning of the situation. The findings are contrasted with earlier research and practical implications are suggested.

Keywords: athletes; emotions; performance (capacity); karate

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1