Dr Steve Peters - Is he really just a confidence trickster?

[zebedee]

I don't recall saying that sport is caught up in nefarious doping practices?

Have I ever said you did?

Paranoid feelings, perhaps?

 

[mastersracer]

You have a good point regard promoting your professional success, if you are an engineer etc. However, Peters is a psychiatrist and in the context of sport is applying a methodology to sports psychology and enhanced performance. He has a handful of successful endorsements, that are subjective and it's value cannot be proven either way. So therefore is faith based. You have to take it on face value.
...

That's not correct - there's no reason why his approach is untestable. There are numerous studies on psychological intervention effects on athletic performance, including pre-event motivational strategies, stress response, etc. Not only can performance be a direct variable, but it is also possible to measure the intervention effect in terms of free hormonal state (testosterone and cortisol, for example). Both can vary rapidly in response to pre-event preparations and have peer-reviewed literatures showing these interventions are effective.

I've examined these issues in a number of professional cyclists and am struck by the degree of pre-event anxiety, stress, and self-doubt even national champions have. Although Peters underlying model is wrong (e.g., self-doubt is a paradigmatically pre-frontal process) the strategies he utilizes could nonetheless be effective and likely reduce stress response (which could be measured via cortisol).

 

[horsinabout]

That's not correct - there's no reason why his approach is untestable. There are numerous studies on psychological intervention effects on athletic performance, including pre-event motivational strategies, stress response, etc. Not only can performance be a direct variable, but it is also possible to measure the intervention effect in terms of free hormonal state (testosterone and cortisol, for example). Both can vary rapidly in response to pre-event preparations and have peer-reviewed literatures showing these interventions are effective.

I've examined these issues in a number of professional cyclists and am struck by the degree of pre-event anxiety, stress, and self-doubt even national champions have. Although Peters underlying model is wrong (e.g., self-doubt is a paradigmatically pre-frontal process) the strategies he utilizes could nonetheless be effective and likely reduce stress response (which could be measured via cortisol).

I agree that psychological process can be tested, physiologically, I'm not denied this point. However, with interpreting of any data there is always going to be subjectivety in psychology, people are individuals.

In the case of Peters he is expecting us to take his methods and use of those methods with a particular performer - on face value. If Peters produces peer reviewed papers, then I will have more evidence and be less sceptical. Likewise with Brailsfords marginal gains, I have requested more scientific evidence so I am less sceptical of their outstanding performance domination in recent years.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

I've examined these issues in a number of professional cyclists and am struck by the degree of pre-event anxiety, stress, and self-doubt even national champions have.

First-hand? Or reading about it somewhere?

 

[B_Ugli]

I have requested more scientific evidence so I am less sceptical of their outstanding performance domination in recent years.

If you were a highly successful business would you reveal to your competitors the secret of your success?

 

[thehog]

First-hand? Or reading about it somewhere?

One handed perhaps?

 

[simo1733]

My football team Liverpool FC have been using him...

Basically its up to the players and staff if they want to speak to him... no-one has to speak to him if they dont want to.

2 players last season bought in for big fees during the previous summer - Stuart Downing (£20mill) and Jordan Henderson(£16mill) both had utterly torrid first seasons at the club, they were both hopeless, Downing is an experienced pro whilst Henderson was/is just a youngster.

Both are clearly confidence players... i have no idea why any club is interested in this type of player unless they are hugely talented which Downing isn't, hes never shown the ability to be a top tier player the crazy money paid for him suggests he is, Henderson is young and does at least have the potential to be one i guess.

Anyway both have had much better seasons this season, you could say they couldn't of gotton any worse, but still they have been so much better especially Henderson, they were both rightfully out of favour at the start of this season but now are regulars in the first team, guaranteed if any of the Liverpool players have spoken to Peters these 2 would of been top of the list.

I agree with the OP, he is a confidence trickster in a way, a better way of putting it is a confidence manipulator from what i can see, certainly not a bad thing, if he can get certain Liverpool players playing better then im happy.

I don,t suppose Suarez needed his services.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

I don,t suppose Suarez needed his services.

Rooney is now more chimp then human.

 

[mastersracer]

First-hand? Or reading about it somewhere?

first hand, and in preparation stages of a longitudinal study on emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal) and cognitive behavioral interventions in elite athletes.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

first hand, and in preparation stages of a longitudinal study on emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal) and cognitive behavioral interventions in elite athletes.

Testosterone is not good for ones psyche.

Anti - depressants are well known in the peloton.

 

[horsinabout]

If you were a highly successful business would you reveal to your competitors the secret of your success?

Not if I was a cheating Mother F...er

 

[horsinabout]

first hand, and in preparation stages of a longitudinal study on emotional regulation (cognitive reappraisal) and cognitive behavioral interventions in elite athletes.

In training cyclists and doing studies consider three things....

1.The Mind ............get anxious on start line of an important race (important value based, social pressure etc), rise in adrenaline/cortison levels - self talk "I need the sh*ter"

2. The Body..........Responds by moves toward the sh*ter, complete task, back to the start line. The Mind - self-talk - "what a load off". More self talk - "right then, lets kick some major ars*"

3. The Spirit..........more complex, this is the third dimention. Can't be studied. It is when you have more balls than the scientist/psychologist/physiologist in combo.

 

[B_Ugli]

Not if I was a cheating Mother F...er

Now is that an evidence based statement? I think you probably need to back that up with some peer reviewed papers and scientific research!!

 

[horsinabout]

Marginal Gains Confidence Trick

http://youtu.be/a8ikZzbYLJ0

 

[simo1733]

Rooney is now more chimp then human.

I have noticed that in my professional and sporting life, I am motivated much more by fear of failure than desire for success.I don't think it's a good attribute and May be monkey related.
I wouln't mind a few sessions with the good Dr to sort me out.

 

[horsinabout]

I have noticed that in my professional and sporting life, I am motivated much more by fear of failure than desire for success.I don't think it's a good attribute and May be monkey related.
I wouln't mind a few sessions with the good Dr to sort me out.

Vics said this is a baiting thread.

Pedro accused me of being a troll!

And I think the dodgy Dr Peters just caught another big one!

 

[Parrot23]

 

[blackcat]

^not dignified post

 

[Parrot23]

 

[Cavendash]

I don,t suppose Suarez needed his services.

Doubt it, hes steel willed and iron skinned, all the **** thats been thrown at him and he just gives it back as a big FU with his exceptional performances.

Outstanding player.

 

[simo1733]

Doubt it, hes steel willed and iron skinned, all the **** thats been thrown at him and he just gives it back as a big FU with his exceptional performances.

Outstanding player.

I like his don't give a f#*% attitude.He reminds me of Vinokourov.

 

[Dear Wiggo]

Despite the BC cyclist's success, I think the answer to this thread is a resounding, "Yes".

"Beard" would have been a good word for it too.

I'm not sure if Peters was even in the Liverpool dug-out at Turf Moor yesterday because football has, largely, decided he's not worth following now that his aura has, well, receded. The idea that he might have been capable of psychologically manipulating a team into winning their club's first title in 24 years was hopelessly seductive.

Delivering British cyclists, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, to the top of the Olympic podium was one thing, but restoring Liverpool to the summit of English football would have taken Peters's reputation into another galaxy.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...-guru-to-footballs-mr-invisible-30864411.html

 

[BradCantona]

A sports physiologist can only do so much; blatantly Liverpool were greater than the sum of their parts last season and their confidence was off the scale. I'm not convinced the manager was the source of that either. But then you sell your one world class player and no amount of psychology can make up for it

 

[Berzin]

I was going to close this thread, but the article is recent and gives an accounting of this clown as a "mind guru" charlatan.

 

[blackcat]

Despite the BC cyclist's success, I think the answer to this thread is a resounding, "Yes".

"Beard" would have been a good word for it too.

Australian Aths coach is now going to one of the Melbourne Soccer clubs, think the red one, is it "Heart" who had Aloisi as coach, doubt he would still be coach, they usually last about 18months per is fudbol in Australia.