3. Session Outline
• What is sport and exercise psychology?
• Two objectives of sport and exercise
psychology
• For whom is sport and exercise
psychology intended?
• What do sport and exercise psychology
specialists do? (three roles)
(continued)
4. Session Outline (continued)
• Clinical versus educational sport
psychology specialists
• Relationship of sport science and
psychology knowledge to sport and
exercise psychology
• History of sport and exercise psychology
• Science of sport and exercise psychology
(continued)
5. Session Outline (continued)
• Understanding professional practice
knowledge
• Comparing strengths and limitations of
scientific and professional practice
knowledge
• Sport and exercise psychology orientations
(continued)
6. Session Outline (continued)
• Present and future of sport and exercise
psychology
• Ethical standards for sport and exercise
psychologists
7. Sport and Exercise Psychology
The scientific study of people and their
behaviors in sport and exercise activities and
the practical application of that knowledge
8. Two Objectives of Sport
and Exercise Psychology
1. Understand the effects of psychological
factors on physical and motor
performance.
2. Understand the effects of participation in
physical activity on psychological
development, health, and well-being.
9. Objective 1: Typical Questions Studied
in Sport and Exercise Psychology
• How does anxiety affect a basketball
player’s accuracy in free-throw shooting?
• Does lacking self-confidence influence a
child’s ability to learn to swim?
• How do a coach’s reinforcement and
punishment influence a team’s cohesion?
• Does imagery training facilitate the recovery
process in injured athletes and exercisers?
10. Objective 2: Typical Questions Studied
in Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Does running reduce anxiety and
depression?
• Do young athletes learn to be overly
aggressive from participation in youth
sports?
• Does participation in daily physical
education classes improve a child’s self-
esteem?
11. Sport and Exercise Psychology
Children
Exercisers
Elite athletes
Average athletes
Applies to a Broad Population Base
Seniors Persons who are
physically and
mentally challenged
Coaches, teachers,
and fitness leaders
13. Roles of the Sport and Exercise
Psychologist
Research: Inquiry aimed at advancing
knowledge and sharing it through
professional meetings and journal articles
Teaching: Teaching university courses in
either psychology or exercise and sport
science
Consulting: Working with athletes of all ages
and abilities in the fitness industry and in
sports medicine and physical therapy
15. Clinical Sport Psychologists
• are licensed psychologists
• are trained to work with people with severe
emotional disorders
• are trained to help athletes with problems
such as eating disorders and substance
abuse.
16. Educational Sport Psychology
Specialists
• use mental coach approach—understand
psychology of human movement.
• have training in physical education,
kinesiology, or exercise and sport science.
• educate and increase athletes’ and coaches’
awareness of issues such as anxiety
management and confidence development.
18. History of Sport and Exercise
Psychology
1. Is sport and exercise psychology a relatively
new field or does it have a long history?
2. What time periods exist in the history of
sport and exercise psychology?
3. Who was Coleman Griffith?
4. What are some of the characteristics of
contemporary sport and exercise
psychology?
19. Historical Periods in Sport
and Exercise Psychology
Period 1
Period 2
Period 3
Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
sport psychology
Multidisciplinary science and
practice in sport and exercise
psychology
Contemporary sport and
exercise psychology
The early years 1893 to 1920
The Griffith era 1921 to 1938
Preparation for the future 1939 to 1965
Establishment of academic 1966 to 1967
1978 to 2000
2001 to present
20. Science of Sport
and Exercise Psychology
A process, or method, of learning about the
world through the systematic, controlled,
empirical, and critical filtering of knowledge
acquired through experience.
21. Goals of Science
Theory derives from the following:
• Describing
• Explaining
• Predicting
• Controlling
23. Scientific Study: Theory
• A set of interrelated facts presenting a
systematic view of some phenomenon in
order to describe, explain, and predict its
future occurrences
• Example: Social facilitation theory
24. Studies Versus Experiments
Study: The investigator observes or
assesses without changing the
environment in any way.
Experiment: The investigator
manipulates variables while
observing them, then examines
how changes in one or more
variables affect changes in
25. Example of Study
• A hundred runners complete a survey that
assesses goal setting, imagery, and self-
talk. (However, nothing is changed in the
environment.)
• The 20 fastest runners’ survey responses
are compared against those of the 20
slowest.
26. Example of an Experiment
• Runners are divided into two equal groups.
• Experimental group receives training on
setting goals, using imagery, and using
positive self-talk.
• The second (control) group receives no
psychological skills training.
(continued)
27. Example of an Experiment (continued)
• Running times of both groups are
measured.
• If the experimental group outperforms the
control group (with other factors that might
affect the relation controlled), a cause–
effect relationship is established.
Key: The advantage of an experiment is that
researchers are better able to determine
causal (or cause-and-effect) relationships.
31. Integrating Scientific
and Professional Practice Knowledge
• Apply scientific principles in your
professional work setting.
• Evaluate the utility of scientific principles in
the particular context in which you are
involved.
(continued)
32. Integrating Scientific
and Professional Practice Knowledge
(continued)
• Keep current by updating and modifying
your scientific knowledge base.
• Hold realistic expectations relative to the
strengths and limitations of scientific
principles.
33. Sport and Exercise Psychology as an
Art and a Science
• The science of coaching, teaching, or
leadership focuses on using general
scientific principles.
• The art of coaching, teaching, or leadership
is knowing when and how to individualize
these general principles. Contextual
intelligence is critical.
34. Three Approaches to Sport and
Exercise Psychology
• Psychophysiological orientation
• Social–psychological orientation
• Cognitive–behavioral orientation
35. Psychophysiological Orientation
• Examines underlying psychophysiological
processes of the brain in terms of primary
causes of behavior.
• Example: Biofeedback to trained marksmen
36. Social–Psychological Orientation
• Behavior is determined by a complex
interaction of the social environment and
the personal makeup of the athlete or
exerciser.
• Example: How a leader’s style and
strategies foster group cohesion
37. Cognitive–Behavioral Orientation
• Behavior is determined by both the
environment and thoughts (cognitions).
• Example: Studying differences in
confidence and anxiety among tennis
players with or without burnout
38. The Present and Future of
Sport and Exercise Psychology
1. More people are interested in acquiring
training in psychological skills and applied
work.
2. There is greater emphasis on counseling
and clinical training for sport and exercise
psychologists.
3. Ethics and competence issues are
receiving greater emphasis.
(continued)
39. The Present and Future of
Sport
and Exercise Psychology (continued)
4. Specialization and new
subspecialties are developing.
5. Tension continues to exist
between practitioners of
academic and applied sport
psychology.
6. Qualitative research methods are
(continued)
40. The Present and Future of
Sport
and Exercise Psychology (continued)
7. Applied sport psychologists
have more work opportunities
than ever but only limited
chances for full-time positions.
8. Sport psychology is gaining
increased acceptance and
recognition of its usefulness. (continued)
41. The Present and Future of Sport
and Exercise Psychology (continued)
9. The positive psychology movement in
general psychology helps sport and
exercise psychology expand into new
areas such as business, music, and the
performing arts.
10.Embracing the globalization of sport and
exercise psychology is paramount for
contemporary students of the field and will
increase in years to come.
42. Ethical Standards for Sport
and Exercise Psychologists
1. Competence. Maintain the highest
standards in your work and recognize the
limits of your expertise.
2. Integrity. Clarify roles and do not falsely
advertise.
3. Professional and scientific responsibility.
Always place the interests of clients first.
(continued)
43. Ethical Standards for Sport
and Exercise Psychologists
(continued)
4. Respect for people’s rights and dignity.
Respect such fundamental rights as
privacy and confidentiality among clients.
5. Concern for the welfare of others. Always
contribute to the welfare of those with
whom you work.
6. Social responsibility. Contribute to
knowledge and human welfare while
always protecting participants’ interests.
44. Sport Psychology–Business Link
• Lessons learned in high-performance sport
can be applied to business.
• The corporate athlete notion focuses on
helping people in business reach their ideal
performance states through use of
principles of sport psychology and training.
• Sustain high business performance through
leadership development seminars, team-
building activities, and one-on-one
coaching.
