PSYC1210 Sports Psychology Exam 1

Purposes of sports psychology

1. Understand effects of psychological factors on performance

2. Understand effects of participating in physical activity on psychological development, health, and well-being

Strengths of sports psych research

reliable, controlled, unbiased

Weaknesses of sports psych research

slow to evolve, lacks practicality

Professional practice knowledge

experience you gain from working with an athlete - learned through observation, communicating with athletes/coaches

Sports Psych Period 1

1895-1920

• Norman Triplett, Indiana University (1897)

  • Conducted 1st sport psychology experiment - audience effects on cycling

    • More motivated when they worked with other people (cyclists performed faster etc)

Sports Psych Period 2

1921-1938

• Coleman Griffith, U of illinois

  • Father or american sport psychology 

  • Developed 1st lab in sport psych, helped initiate one of the first coaching schools in America

  • Wrote 2 books → psychology of coaching + psychology of athletics

  • Conducted studies with chicago cubs, worked with knute rockne (Notre Dame Football Coach)

Sports Psych Period 3

1939-1965

• Franklin Henry, UC Berkeley 

  • Developed scientific aspect, created discipline of exercise + sport science 

  • Trained many young physical educators who reshaped curriculums and developed sport & exercise science 

Sports Psych Period 4

1966-1977

• Bruce Ogilvie, San Jose State

  • Father of applied sports psychology

  • 1st sport psych society was established

  • Became its own field of study + applied consultants began working with teams

Sports Psych Period 5

1978-2000

• Highlights = acceptance/respect, multidisciplinary 

  • 1980 - USOC develops Sport Psych Advisory Board

  • 1985 - USOC hires first full-time sport psychologist

  • 1986- AASP established - journals/book publications

  • 1988 - US Olympic team accompanied by MPC for first time

  • 1991 - AASP established criteria for Certified Consultants 

Sports Psych Period 6

2000-current

• Increased interest in applied sport psychology

• remote/online programs being created

• APA Division 47

• AASP CMPC Certification

Future of the field

• Increased interest in applied training

• Increased emphasis on counseling/clinical training

• More full-time positions and specializations being created

• Recognition of application beyond sports

Personality make-up

1. Psychological core

• internalized, unable to see, constant/beliefs rarely change, hardest part of understanding an athlete’s personality

2. Typical responses —> e.g. outgoing, shyness, “typical” responses not all the time

3. Role-related behavior

   1. Most external, dynamic - can see how they are acting in certain situations, constantly changing

Psychodynamic approach

Personality is characterized by two themes

1. How the unconscious conflicts with one’s conscience 

2. Understanding the person as a whole than by traits

• Emphasis on how adult personality is shaped by the resolution of conflicts in childhood

Psychodynamic approach impacts

• Current impact → little influence

• Weakness → focus on internal determinants of behavior, little attention to social environment

• Contribution → increased awareness to the subconscious

Trait approach

• Personality determined by relatively stable traits which are fundamental units to one’s personality

• Causes of behavior resides within the person - traits predispose us to act a certain way

Trait approach impacts

• Current impact → little influence 

• Weakness → traits won’t always predict situational behavior

• Contribution → emphasis on traits/dispositions

Situational approach

• Personality determined by situation/environment - it shapes the way we behave

  • Football players act aggressively on field, but may be completely different people off the field

Situational approach impacts

• Current impact → little influence

• Weakness → situations won’t always influence behavior

• Contribution → emphasis on situations

Interactional approach

• Behaviour determined by both the person and the situation - the interaction of the two

  • A generally hostile person may not act hostile in all situations, unless the situation calls for it

Interactional approach impacts

• Current impact → adopted by most MPCs

• Contribution → emphasis on interaction of who you are and where you are