Untitled Flashcards Set

Overview of Sport Exercise and Performance Psychology

Review key terms from the text, especially those explicitly covered in class*

What is sport, exercise, and performance psychology?

The scientific study of people and their behaviors in sport and exercise contexts and the practical application of that knowledge. 

 What are the two main questions (or objectives) addressed by sport, exercise, and performance psychologists?

1. To understand how psychological factors affect an individual’s physical performance

2. To understand how participation in sports and exercise affects a person’s psychological development, health, and well-being

What are the three roles sport, exercise, and performance psychologists can have? How do these often relate to one another?

The three primary roles include research role, teaching role, and the consulting role. These roles often relate to each other in multiple ways. Research is often found to inform teaching which is key in helping individuals provide current, evidence based information. Teaching is obvious in the fact that it prepares students if taught effectively. In many circumstances, they apply psychological principles, then influencing consulting practices. Lastly, consulting gives us a real life perception that can spark interest and action into research and theory of Sports and Exercise Psychology. 

What are the differences between clinical and educational sport, exercise, and performance psychologists?

•Clinical Sports Psychologists: Have extensive training in psychology, so they can detect and treat individuals with emotional disorders (ex: depression, suicidal tendencies, etc.)

•Educational Sports Psychologists:Have extensive training in sport and exercise science, physical education, and kinesiology. They also understand the psychology of human movement, particularly as it relates to sport and exercise contexts. 

•Difference between the two:CLinical psychologists tend to treat psychological disorders, whereas educational psychologists focus on enhancing mental performance. Clinical psychologists are licensed therapists, while educational psychologists have specialized training in sport psychology but do not often tend to offer clinical therapy. 

Be familiar with the key developments during the 7 periods of the history of sport, exercise, and performance psychology.

•Early Years (1893-1920)

-Focuses on understanding human behavior in physical activity, but without a formal field of psychology. 

-Norman Triplett=conducted the first experimental research in 1897. He studied how the presence of others influences performance. In his studies, specifically cycling.

•The Development of Laboratories and Psychological Testing 

-Establishment of sport psychology as a separate area within psychology 

-Coleman Griffith (THE FATHER OF AMERICAN SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY) had conducted pioneering research on athletic performance. He also founded the first sport psychology laboratory at the University of Illinois in 1925. 

•Preparation for the Future(1939-1965)

-Early professional interest in applying psychology to athletic performance and training 

-Franklin Henry at the University of California, Berkeley, Was responsible for the field's scientific development. Henry trained many energetic physical educators who later became university professors, initiated research programs, and even some became administrators who went to reshape curriculums and develop sport and exercise science as the field of kinesiology as we know it today. 

•Establishment of Academic Sport Psychology (1966-1977)

-the field begins to gain recognition and legitimacy 

-researchers like Bruce Ogilvie and Thomas Tutko focused on psychological aspects of athletic performance on psychological aspects of athletic performance, more specifically the mental training and psychological evaluation. The International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) was founded in 1965, marking formal recognition of the field.

•Multidisciplinary Sciences and Practice in Sport and Exercise Psychology (1978-1999)

-Field is now starting to become more recognizable and respected by the public. Sport and exercise are now separated from related exercise and sport science specializations of motor learning and control. Dororthy Harris in this period advanced the cause of both women and sport psychology by helping establish the PSU graduate program in sport psychology. 

•Contemporary Sport and Exercise Psychology (2000-present)

-The field of Sport and Exercise Psychology has continued to grow and diversify focusing on mental health, positive psychology, and using technology to enhance performance/well being.

Children and Sports Psychology

What are the main reasons children participate in, and drop out of, sport?

Participate in: Because it's fun or bc they are good at it, improve their skills, be with friends, exercise, etc. 

Drop out: other things to do and a change of interest

What role do peers/friends play in youth sport?

•Influences a child's experience, motivation, and development in several ways

•Affirmation Motive: a major motive that children have for sport participation. Because of the opportunities sports provide for being with friends as well as making new ones. 

Examples: companionship, help and guidance, enhancement of self-esteem, emotional support, conflict, betrayal,

What are some evidence-based recommendations you would make for youth sports coaches? What about parents?

Coaches:

• Creating a positive and supportive environment 

• Promote teamwork and Cooperation 

• Skill development focus

• Good role model 

• Constructive feedback 

Parents:

• Supportive and encouraging 

• Be involved, but respect boundaries 

• Good sportsmanship behavior

• Open communication 

• Encourage balance

Describe the “professionalization” of youth sport.

Sports have a number of benefits for athletes that are young. Youth sports are becoming extremely professionalized in the sense that focus is shifting from physical, social, and psychological development to more extrinsic goals such as winning, rankings, renown, and earning college athletic scholarships. 

What are some of the sport specialization guidelines provided by the International Society of Sport Psychology?

•Sampling a number of different sports does not hinder elite sport participation in sports in which peak performance is reached after maturing. 

•sampling a number of different sports is linked to a longer sport career and has positive implications for long-term sport involvement. 

•High amt of intentional play during sample years build a solid foundation of motivation through involvement in activities that are enjoyable and promote intrinsic regulation. 

•Around the age of 13, children should have the opportunity to either choose to specialize in their favorite sport or to continue in sport at a recreational level. 

Explain the long-term athlete development (LTAD) model and how this is different from the model used in the United States.

•LTAD model: designed to guide the development of athletes from childhood to adulthood. That can maximize potential for performance while also promoting well being and health long term.

• Different from the US model: The approach in the US focuses more on early specialization and intense competition at young ages. (The U.S. model is often more focused on producing elite athletes and achieving high performance in competitions at an early age, sometimes sacrificing the athlete’s long-term health for short-term success.) This can lead to burnout and overuse injuries. 

Character Development

*What are the three components of morality in sport? Explain each in your own words.

•Fair Play: Playing fair and not cheating. Respecting the sport, making sure everyone has an equal opportunity. 

•Character:How an athlete acts such as their honesty, respect, and responsibility as an athlete. Having good morals. 

•Sportsmanship:How an athlete's attitude is such as how they act towards their teammates and opponents. This takes self control and shows a positive attitude whether you win or lose, have a bad day or good day, etc. 

Explain the social learning approach (also covered in aggression) to developing character.

•Social Learning approach: Refers to character development of an individual in sports. It suggests that athletes learn moral behaviors through observation, modeling, and reinforcement. It is also important to include that coaches, parents, and peers also play a significant role in modeling positive behaviors as well as reinforcing them. Emphasis on character being learned not automatic. 

Explain the structural-developmental approach to developing character.

•The structural-developmental approach to developing character focuses on how one's moral reasoning and understanding of right vs wrong development overtime. This suggests as people grow/mature, they move through different stages of moral reasoning. 

Provide examples for the 5 stages of moral reasoning.

1.An athlete follows the rules just to avoid being punished (punishment and obedience)

2.An athlete passes a ball not because it is the best decision, but bc they believe it will increase the chance of scoring or getting a reward (individualism and Exchange)

3.A player follows the team strategy to gain approval from the coach as well as teammates(Interpersonal relationships)

4.A player follows game rules to maintain fairness and order in the competition (law and order)

5.A player goes against a rule/decision because it conflicts with their sense of justice or fairness perspective. (Social contract & Individual Rights)

Why is the connection between moral reasoning and moral behavior not perfect?

The connection between moral reasoning and moral behavior is not perfect bc of things like situational influences, peer pressure, emotional states, moral disengagement, and lack of immediate consequences. All of these reasons can lead to the way individuals act that can go against their moral reasoning. 

How can we enhance character development in sport and physical activity programs?

Enhancement of character development in sports/ physical activity can be done by teaching moral and good sporting behavior which involve systemic use of certain strategies. Using certain treatment programs that are based both on structural development and social learning theories that are aimed toward increasing respect for rules, officials, and participants aswellk as maintaining self control. 

Explain the dilemma, dialogue, and balance approach to character development and be able to use it.

•This approach helps athletes recognize ethical challenges, engage in convos to explore challenges, and find balance between competing moral values and practical realities. 

Dilemma example: A player is faced w moral dilemma; continue playing aggressively to win or play fair and risk losing 

Dialogue Example: A coach makes a meeting where the team discusses fair play and sportsmanship as well as how aggressive behavior can harm the team in the long run. The player has an opportunity to express reasoning and share the team's perspective.

Balance: The coach helps the player understand they can be competitive as well as passionate without restoring to unfair practices 

Aggression in Sport

What is aggression?  How is it different from assertive behavior?

•Good Aggression:lowering your shoulder in a drive toward the basket

•Bad Aggression:commiting a bad foul in a sport

•Aggression involves harm with intent while assertiveness is about healthy competitiveness without the desire to hurt others. 

Aggression=harmful/destructive Assertive Behavior=goal-directed and competitive yet respectful 

What is catharsis?  What has catharsis research found?

•Catharsis is where aggression is released or “blown off” through socially acceptable means such as sports. 

•Catharsis research has found that there is no support for the notion of catharsis, meaning we can not show supporting evidence that physical education and sports programs provide an acceptable release of natural aggressive urges. 

Be familiar the following theories of aggression covered in class:

 • Instinct theories: people have an instinct to be aggressive that builds up until inevitably expressed. 

•Revised frustration-aggression hypothesis:( drive theory) aggression is the direct result of a frustration that occurs because of goal blockage or failure. 

• Social learning theory: explains aggression as behavior that people learn through observing others who model a particular behavior as well as receiving reinforcement for exhibiting similar actions. 

What are some of the situational and personal factors that contribute to aggressive behavior?

•Situational Factors: stress, provocation, group dynamics, perceived inequities, and audience pressure 

•Personal Factors: Individual personality traits, past experiences, emotional regulation, perceived role in team, how events are interpreted, etc. 

What is moral disengagement and what techniques are used to morally disengage? How does moral disengagement relate to aggression/character development?

•Moral disengagement=allows individuals to engage in aggressive or unethical behavior without feeling morally responsible 

•Techniques: Moral justification (player justifying a foul), Euphemistic labeling (calling a foul a hard hit rather than illegal tackle) Displacement of responsibility ( player blames coach for instruction “I was just being told what to do”) Dehumanization (referring to opponents as animals or enemies) 

•Moral disengagement relates to aggression/character development because in sports it helps athletes justify unacceptable behavior and character development wise it promotes unethical behavior and lack of accountability. 

What are some key consequences of aggression in sport?

•Consequences of aggression in sports can include physical harm, damage to reputation, strain on relationships, increased tension and conflicts, decreased enjoyment and motivation, negative impact on performance, possible legal and ethical consequences.