Ping Pong: An Analysis of Flow Theory, Achievement Goal Theory, and Cultural Traditions in

Japan

9/27/11

Psychology of Sport

Stephanie Simpson

Optimal performance is a major focus in sports psychology. Psychologists have

conducted many studies to determine how several factors lead to optimal performance: player

orientation, the influence of the coach and the environment, and preparatory elements before as

well as during a game. In this paper, I will examine two major psychological theories, the Flow

Theory and the Achievement Goal Theory, in the Japanese film, “Ping Pong,” and the cultural

differences between Western philosophies on coaching, sports psychology and Japanese

coaching traditions.

The Flow Theory, developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is defined as a positive

psychological state allowing athletes to fully concentrate on the task at hand and to feel a rhythm

that enables them to reach and maintain a state of optimal performance. There are nine elements

necessary to complete the state of Flow: challenge-skill balance, concentration on task,

transformation of time, merging of action awareness, sense of control, autotelic experience, clear

goals, loss of self-consciousness, and unambiguous feedback (Jackson, Ford, Kimiecik, &

Marsh, 1998). Examination of two characters from “Ping Pong” demonstrated the states of being

both in Flow and out of Flow.

In the first game between Peco and Dragon during the final tournament, Peco never fully

obtained a state of Flow (1:27:53). As he prepares to serve the ball, he says, “I need to take a

piss.” Clearly, Peco was lacking a concentration on the task and felt self-conscious. Instead of

mentally preparing himself, he bates the opponent through trash talking exchanges. As the game

continues, he becomes increasingly more self-conscious and begins to doubt his ability and skill.

A significant blow to his ego happens when Dragon returns his backhand shot, which Peco

considered his secret weapon (1:31:03). His knee injury becomes a physical obstacle to

overcome. As the game continues, he questions his ability to complete the match (1:33:12-

1:33:37). However, Peco is able to stop and center himself. He takes a few moments and finds

the “hero” with in. Realizing he can stop worrying about his knee and focus on having fun and

playing the game, he walks back to the table. His change in mental attitude is evident to

everyone. From that moment on, he has found his Flow (1:35:22). Cinematically, the use of

freeze frames depicts the sense of power and control Peco has achieved. When we hear his inner

monologue again, it is filled with positive thoughts including “the speed of sound and light”

(1:35:35). We see a merging of action awareness and a transformation of time, both key elements

to experiencing Flow.

Analyzing the same match but from Peco’s opponent, Dragon, we see other moments of

Flow and lack of Flow. At the match’s beginning, Dragon is clearly focused on the task at hand;

he has set goals and is in control. The close-up on his eyes and the strong athletic stance he

assumes (1:27:46-1:27:56) are visual examples of this power. Through the use of juxtaposing

slow motion with the quickness of the ball in real time (1:28:13), we see that time has been

transformed. Dragon finds a rhythm that allows him to perform at his highest potential; he is

even able to get a full turn in before returning Peco’s powerful backhand. Cinematically, the

faster paced music adds to this sense of rhythm (1:29:24). Unfortunately for Dragon, when Peco

finds his inner “hero,” changing his performance, Dragon’s rhythm is interrupted. He is not able

to maintain his sense of Flow (1:35:47). He begins to lose control, becomes more self-conscious,

and loses concentration. He even sees the image of the “hero” in Peco’s pupil coming to attack

him (1:37:03). The game is now in Peco’s rhythm and Dragon is trying to keep up.

In the third game, both players reach a state of Flow. Their controlled playing

underscores their focus, and most importantly they are playing with passion. Cinematically, this

high state of Flow is when the screen goes completely white, and all that remains is the table, the

ball, and the two players (1:39:32). Unfortunately, there is only one winner in ping-pong despite

the fact that both players have reached that desirous state of Flow. The continuous level of

playing becomes an autotelic experience (Jackson, 1998). No matter what their orientation may

be, athletes will always perform better when they reach their optimal Flow state. Regardless of

the outcome, they will feel accomplished.

According to the Achievement Goal Theory, athletes’ achievements are based on both

their internal and external motivations. There are two distinct orientations in which athletes and

their environments are categorized: ego orientation and task orientation. Ego orientation focuses

on the outcome and having a winning attitude. Ego orientated athletes typically have little

interest in practicing for improvement only, even though satisfaction is achieved only when they

are considered the best. Task orientation focuses more on the process than that of the outcome.

Task oriented athletes are still competitive players, but they find satisfaction through improving

skills and being challenged to grow (Harwood & Biddle, 2002). An athlete’s environment,

whether it is an ego or task oriented one, can have an effect on the athlete. Both the individual

orientation and the environment will influence the athletes overall behavior in terms of

responding to obstacles throughout their career. Athletes can experience both adaptive and

maladaptive behavior. Ego oriented athletes experience more maladaptive behavior because their

high perception of self-skill is compromised every time they do not win. Therefore, they

experience an unhappiness that can lead to poor motivation. Conversely, task oriented athletes in

a task oriented environment display adaptive behavior. They maintain satisfaction even in a loss

because they are more focused on self-improvement. Psychologists argue that a task-oriented

athlete experiences more optimal performance situations (Weinberg & Gould, 2011).

Examples of both ego orientation and task orientation are evident in the examination of

the previous two athletes. Peco is a prime example of an ego-oriented athlete. From the

beginning of the film, his ego-oriented traits are obvious in his always wanting to be the best,

telling people to call him “Mr.” Peco, and not wanting to go to practice (9:33, 2:07, 18:18). He is

surrounded by an ego-oriented environment. When he loses the first time to China and comes

back to his Granny’s ping-pong hall, a little boy makes fun of him (14:05). Because of his

orientation and the environment, his behavior is maladaptive. A good representation is when he

throws a temper tantrum on the train with Smile after he loses to China (13:30). He even decides

to quit playing ping-pong for a while when he doesn’t win as often as he thinks he should.

However, with the help of his Granny, he learns to be more task-oriented.

Granny is a task-oriented coach. She wants Peco to succeed and knows that he needs to

put more work into his training. When Peco decides to return to ping-pong, she won’t allow him

to hold a bat until he does the proper physical training (1:05:00). During the final tournament,

she even tells Peco that he shouldn’t continue playing due to his knee. She explains that he can

still obtain his dream of world champion down the line without playing this match, but if he

injuries himself again now, there may never be another chance (1:24:30). In the final game

against Smile, she doesn’t watch the match and instead talks with the high school coach. She

states that it is not important which boy wins. They both have worked hard and have grown

(1:45:10). Because of granny’s influence, Peco learns to enjoy the playing of ping-pong, rather

than just the winning. This shift in his orientation allows him to play more effectively and reach

his optimal performance (1:38:37).

Dragon, on the other hand, is a task-oriented athlete in the midst of an ego-oriented

environment. His teammates are very driven by winning, creating an environment of pressure

(1:38:10). However, when asked why and whom he plays ping-pong for, he firmly replies that he

does it for himself (1:21:16). He takes practicing, preparing, and pre-game meditation very

seriously. Even in his ego-oriented environment, his behavior is adaptive. When he knows he is

losing the final game to Peco, he thanks Peco for bringing him to such a high level of playing

and asks Peco to bring him there again because of the sheer joy he experienced (1:40:10-

1:40:32).

“Ping Pong” shows clear examples of both the Flow and Achievement Goal Theories, but

it also highlights the differences between Japanese and western cultures in respect to coaching,

training, and the use of sports psychology. Japanese culture and their ancient traditions influence

their sports greatly. The ideas of Bushido, or the way of the warrior, and Konjo, or guts, are key

elements in the training of the Japanese athlete (Kozuma, 2009). The film contains examples of

both ideas. When Dragon’s team first walks in, they are in a regimented, army-like group,

appearing frighteningly similar with shaved heads and serious facial expressions (21:06). The

other athletes make way for them, knowing they are a force to be reckoned with. Throughout the

film, Peco’s inner “hero” is depicted as a young warrior (3:54). This young warrior is a strong

presence not only to Peco, but also to Smile in finding strength and confidence when they are

playing in a game. The idea of Konjo is seen through Smile’s and Peco’s training. Each character

is shown working hard; Smile is even referred to as a machine (45:20). The training is

considered to be so important that Peco isn’t allowed to practice playing ping-pong until he has

met Granny’s physical expectations (1:05:52).

Another important aspect of Japanese culture is meditation. We see several examples of

how meditation is used throughout the film. Dragon always stands in the corner of a stall in the

bathroom before a match (1:19:02). Smile is constantly playing with his Rubik’s cube, especially

before and in between matches during the last tournament (1:26:22). Being able to concentrate

on the task of the Rubik’s cube allows him to center himself.

Many Japanese coaches are people who were once players themselves. Therefore, they

rely on their own experiences for coaching techniques instead of using theories developed by

sports psychologists. There is a clear hierarchy within the team. The coach is on top and

followed by the players with the highest skill. Several constructs of respect within this hierarchy

are evident in the movie such as bowing to higher ranked players, not making eye contact with

authority figures, not outdoing a teammate, and following the coach no matter what his tactics

may be (Kozuma, 2009). Dragon is the highest ranked player of his team. Other players refer to

him as “sir,” bow to him when they approach him, and many times stand behind him when

engaging in conversation (22:47). On Peco and Smile’s team, we see the ultimate respect of the

coach no matter what his tactics. When the coach is unhappy with Smile’s performance, he slaps

him to get his point across (39:48). Smile is a good example of a player who does not want to

outdo his teammate. Whenever he plays against Peco, he doesn’t play to win. One can infer that

he even let Peco win the final match in the tournament because it was not in him to outdo his

teammate and friend (1:49:03).

Through the analysis of different characters, events, and the film as a whole, we are able

to clearly see the characteristics of different types of athletes, their orientations, and the influence

of environment. We are also able to see the effects these different orientations have on achieving

optimal performance. In addition, we see what ideologies of the Japanese culture prove to be

effective and those that may be improved with the developments made in Western sports

psychology.

References

Harwood, C & Biddle, S. (2002). The application of achievement goal theory in youth sport. In I. M. Cockerill (Ed.), Solutions in Sport Psychology (pp. 58-64). International Thomson Business. 

Jackson, S. A., Ford, S. K., Kimiecik, J. C., & Marsh, H. W. (1998). Psychological correlates of flow in sport. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20, 358-378.

Kozuma, Y. (2009). Samurai & science:  Sport psychology in Japan. In R. J. Schinke, & S. J. Hanrahan (Eds.), Cultural Sport Psychology (pp. 205-217). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Sori, F. (2002). “Ping Pong.” Viz Pictures.

Weinberg, R.S. & Gould, D. (2011). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Appendix

Outline

Introduction

- Introduce the Flow Theory

- Introduce Achievement Goal Theory

- Introduce how different cultures have different views on sports psychology

- Introduce the film “Ping Pong”

Analysis of Film using said Theories and Characters

Define Flow Theory

- Introduce the character Peco

o Talk about when he is in Flow in relationship to the flow

characteristics: challenge-skill balance, concentration, transformation

of time, etc.

Give the example of one of his final matches against Dragon

and analyze it.

o Talk about when his Flow is disrupted and/or prevented: lack of

concentration, too much awareness of self, etc

Give the example of his match against Dragon and analyze it.

- Introduce the character Dragon

o Talk about when he is in Flow: concentration in eyes, suspension of

time, etc

Give the example of his match against Peco

o Talk about when his Flow was disrupted: change in rhythm, sense of

control, etc.

Give the example of his last match of the film

- TRANSITION

Define Achievement Goal Theory

- Discuss Peco’s orientation

o Ego Oriented and maladaptive behavior

Give examples from the film and discuss

o Ego oriented environment except from his Granny

Give examples throughout the film

- Discuss Dragon’s orientation

o Task oriented and adaptive behavior

Give examples from the film

o Ego oriented environment

Give examples regarding his teammates

- Discuss Peco’s coach, Granny

o Task orientated and trying to create a task environment amidst all the

competition

Give examples from throughout the film

- TRANSITION

Cultural Aspects

- Talk about the Japanese culture and the ancient tradition that effects the sports

world

o Bushido, Konjo, meditation, and motivation

Give examples of each

- Talk about the hierarchy that is present in the culture

o Respect for coaches, outdoing teammate, eye contact

Give examples of each

- TRANSITION

Conclusion/Summary