SALEM COMMUNITY COLLEGE COURSE SYLLABUS SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY Course Code: HPE 145 Lecture Hours: 3 Lab Hours: 0 Credits: 3 Course Description: This course examines psychological theories and research related to sport and exercise behavior. The course is designed to introduce students to the field of sport and exercise psychology by providing a broad overview of the major topics in the area. Prerequisite: Co-Requisite: None None Place in College Curriculum: This course is required in the Sports Management Program at Salem Community College. Sports Psychology may be used as a three credit social science or open elective.
Course Content Outline: HPE 145 / Page 2 I. Getting Started 1. Welcome to Sport and Exercise Psychology II. Understanding Participants 1. Personality and Sport 2. Motivation 3. Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety III. Understanding Sport and Exercise Environments 1. Competition and Cooperation 2. Feedback, Reinforcement, and Intrinsic Motivation IV. Understanding Group Processes 1. Group and Team Dynamics 2. Group Cohesion 3. Leadership 4. Communication V. Enhancing Performance 1. Introduction to Psychological Skills Training 2. Arousal Regulation 3. Imagery 4. Self-Confidence 5. Goal Setting 6. Concentration VI. Enhancing Health and Well-Being 1. Exercise and Psychological Well-Being 2. Exercise Behavior and Adherence 3. Athletic Injuries and Psychology 4. Addictive and Unhealthy Behaviors 5. Burnout and Overtraining VII. Facilitating Psychological Growth and Development 1. Children s Psychological Development Through Sport 2. Aggression in Sport 3. Character Development and Sportspersonship
Course Performance Objective #1 The student will develop a fundamental understanding of the Sport Psychology field. HPE 145 / Page 3 1. The student will define sport psychology. 2. The student will describe the role of sport psychologists and the required training necessary to become one. 3. The student will explain major developments in the history of sport psychology. 4. The student will distinguish between scientific and practical knowledge. 5. The student will describe career opportunities and future directions in the field. Course Performance Objective #2 The student will develop an understanding of motivation in sport psychology. 1. The student will define motivation and its components. 2. The student will compare and contrast a variety of views of motivation. 3. The student will explain useful guideline for building motivation. 4. The student will define achievement motivation and how it develops. 5. The student will explain how achievement motivation can be effective in guiding practice. Course Performance Objective #3 The student will develop an understanding of how stress and anxiety affects athletics performance. 1. The student will explain the nature of stress and anxiety and how they are measured. 2. The student will identify the major sources of anxiety and stress. 3. The student will explain how and why arousal and anxiety-related emotions affect performance. 4. The student will compare and contrast ways to regulate arousal, stress and anxiety. Course Performance Objective #4 The student will develop an understanding of competition and cooperation. 1. The student will explain the difference and detail studies of competition and cooperation. 2. The student will discuss the social factors influencing competition and cooperation. 3. The student will explain the positive and negative aspects of competition. 4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of how to balance competitive and cooperative efforts and the benefits of doing so.
Course Performance Objective #5 The student will explain principles of reinforcement and effective communication. HPE 145 / Page 4 1. The student will explain how positive and negative feedback influence behavior. 2. The student will discuss different types of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. 3. The student will describe how such factors as scholarships, coaching behaviors, competition and feedback influence intrinsic motivation. 4. The student will describe how to send and receive messages more effectively. 5. The student will identify the causes of breakdowns in communication. 6. The student will explain how to offer constructive criticism. Course Performance Objective #6 The student will develop an understanding of group and team dynamics and group cohesion. 1. The student will explain the difference between a group and a team. 2. The student will describe how to create an effective team climate. 3. The student will explain how to maximize individual performance in team sports. 4. The student will define the cohesion-performance relationship. 5. The student will identify guidelines for building team cohesion. Course Performance Objective #7 The student will examine the benefits of leadership and self-confidence in sport. 1. The student will define leadership and self-confidence. 2. The student will explain the Multidimensional Model of Sport Leadership. 3. The student will describe the four components of effective leadership. 4. The student will describe strategies for building self-confidence. 5. The student will explain how expectations affect performance and behavior. Course Performance Objective #8 The student will examine the effectiveness of imagery and goal setting in sport. 1. The student will define imagery and goals. 2. The student will identify factors affecting the effectiveness of imagery. 3. The student will explain how and when to use imagery. 4. The student will describe principles of goal setting. 5. The student will identify common problems in goal setting. Course Performance Objective #9 The student will develop an understanding of the affects of athletic injuries, burnout and overtraining on athletic performance.
HPE 145 / Page 5 1. The student will identify psychological factors in athletic injuries. 2. The student will explain the role of sport psychology in injury rehabilitation. 3. The student will define over-training and burnout. 4. The student will identify factors leading to and symptoms of over-training and burnout. 5. The student will describe the treatment and prevention of burnout. Course Performance Objective #10 The student will examine aggression in sport along with character development and sportsmanship. 1. The student will define and identify causes of aggression. 2. The student will explain special consideration relative to aggression and sport. 3. The student will define character development and sportsmanship. 4. The student will describe how character and sportsmanship can be influenced. 5. The student will describe the effects of winning on character development and sportsmanship. General Education Requirements: This course covers the following general education requirements: 1. communication 2. critical thinking and problem solving 3. ethical dimension 4. society and human behavior Course Activities: This course will incorporate lecture along with individual and small group assignments. Activities will be designed to strengthen the student s critical thinking and problem solving skills. Additional assignments may include, but are not limited to, student presentations, journaling activities, writing assignments and research activities. Course Requirements and Means of Evaluation: This information will be determined by the individual instructor for each class and will be distributed at the beginning of the semester.
Final grades will be determined using the following scale: HPE 145 / Page 6 Letter grade Numerical Value Grade Points A 93-100 4.0 A- 90-92 3.7 B+ 88-89 3.3 B 83-87 3.0 B- 80-82 2.7 C+ 78-79 2.3 C 73-77 2.0 C- 70-72 1.7 D+ 68-69 1.3 D 60-67 1.0 F 59 and below 0 FA* 59 and below 0 *The FA grade is given for failing the course and missing 30 percent or more of the course. Attendance: Students are expected to attend all classes. Academic Honesty Policy: Students found to have committed an act of academic dishonesty may be subject to failure in this course, academic probation, and/or suspension from the college. See the Student Handbook for additional details. Required Text: Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3 rd Edition Robert S. Weinberg, Daniel Gould Copyright 2003, Human Kinetics, 608 pp