The Impact of Competition Location and Gender on Individual Perception of Team Emotion, Control, and Collective Efficacy

This study investigated the effects of location, gender, and team win percentage, on perceived team anxiety, dejection, excitement, anger, happiness, team control, external control, environmental factors control, ability, effort, persistence, preparation, unity, and total collective efficacy (TCE), for field hockey (N=34), soccer (N=12), and lacrosse athletes (N=19). Data was collected ninety minutes before home and away competitions. Athletes reported more team anxiety, anger, and excitement before home games, and more team ability, persistence, preparation, unity, and TCE before away games. Women had more similar home/away ratings than men for effort, persistence, preparation, unity, and TCE. For women, team win percentage was predictive of dejection, excitement, happiness, effort, persistence, preparation, and TCE. For men, it was predictive of team control, external control, and environmental factors control. Location, gender, and team success affect the psychology of athletes before competition, but not always as expected.