Sport and Exercise Psychology March 30, 2009 What is sport and exercise The scientific study of the behavior of people engaged g in sport and exercise activities and the application of the knowledge gained (Gill, 2000). Why study sport and exercise 1. to understand how psychological factors affect a person s motor performance. How does anxiety affect a b-ball ball 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 recovery in injured athletes and exercisers? 1
Why study sport and exercise 2. to understand how participating in physical activity affects a person s psychological development. Does running reduce anxiety and depression? Do young athletes learn to be overly aggressive from participating in youth sport? Does participation in daily physical education classes improve a child s self- esteem. Does participation in college athletics enhance personality development? Who do sport and exercise psychologists work with? Elite athletes Children Persons who are physically or mentally disabled Seniors Average participants Goal: to achieve maximum participation, peak performance, personal satisfaction, and development through participation. Research Role Advance knowledge within the field Motivation and children and youth sport Imagery influences on golf putting Running program and anxiety reduction Share findings with colleagues and participants in the field. Allows for advances, discussion, and debate at professional meetings and in journals. 2
Teaching Role Teach university courses Exercise Psychology Applied Sport Psychology Social Psychology of Sport Personality Psychology Developmental Psychology Motor Learning and Control Sport Sociology Consulting Role Individuals or teams Develop psychological skills to enhance performance and training. U.S. Olympic Committee Major universities to small colleges Coaching clinics and workshops Fitness industry Sports medicine or PT clinic What do I need to do to become a certified consultant? AAASP certification Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology www.aaasponline.org Advanced coursework in psychology and sport sciences 400 hours of supervised consultation 3
What topics would I work with athletes/exercisers on? Personality Motivation Arousal/Anxiety Team Dynamics Group Cohesion Leadership Communication Imagery Self-Confidence Goal Setting Concentration Exercise Adherence Athletic Injuries Addictions Burnout Youth Sport Aggression Character Development What type of sport and exercise psychology suits you? Clinical sport psychologists extensive psychology training treat athletes and exercisers with emotional disorders (severe depression, suicidal tendencies, eating disorders, substance abuse, etc.) licensed by state boards to treat emotional disorders also have training in sport psychology and sport sciences 4
What type of sport and exercise psychology suits you? Educational sport psychology specialist extensive training in sport and exercise science, PE, kinesiology and the psychology of movement. advanced training in psychology/counseling NOT licensed psychologists mental coach What s new? Growing interest in acquiring training in psychological skills/applied work. Greater emphasis on counseling and clinical training. Ethics and competence issues are hot issues. Specializations and subspecialties are developing (Exercise psych and life skills development through sport) Tension between academic versus applied sport psychologists. What s new? Qualitative research is on the rise. Applied sport psychology opportunities on the rise part-timetime Sport psychology is being recognized as very useful for more than just athletes (PE, coaches, fitness, AT) Sport psychology is a form of positive psychology (business, artists, dancers, musicians, surgeons) 5