INTRODUCTION TO

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
BASICS

◼ What is sport psychology?

◼ What do sport psychologists do?

◼ How old is the profession?

◼ What are the key events in the

history of sport psychology?
◼ What career options are
available?
History of Psychology

◼ Psychology is a fairly new science.

◼ Until the 19th century it was not
recognized as a separate field of
study.
◼ The birth of psychology as a formal
science can be traced back to 1879.
◼ It was founded by Wilhelm Wundt in
Leipzig, Germany.
◼ The use of introspection
Defining Psychology

◼ Psychology is the scientific study of

behavior and mental processes
and how they are affected by an
organism’s physical state, mental
state, and external environment.
FIELD AND BRANCHES OF
PSYCHOLOGY
•MAJOR FIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGY
•BRANCHES OF PSYCHOLOGY
Specialties in Psychology

◼ Experimental Psychology
◼ Clinical Psychology
◼ Educational Psychology
◼ Developmental Psychology
◼ Industrial Psychology
◼ Psychometric Psychology
◼ Social Psychology
◼ Sports Psychology
 FIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Broad areas of orientation in psychology
which underlies particular perspective. These
are:
Cognitive psychology: A field that deals with
the way human being processes, combines
and organizes information in the mind which
help to solve problems, memorize,
understand, interpret and create information.
 Psychodynamic: studies the causes of
behavior within the workings of personality.
 It emphasizes the role of unconscious past
processes and unresolved conflicts from the
Humanistic psychology: It emphasizes:
 free will, freedom and choice;
 innate tendencies toward growth;
 the role of internal personality processes;
 the importance of conscious motives.
 Behaviorism: It focuses on the role of
external environment (events, people’s
actions, objects) in shaping and governing
human actions.
 BRANCHES/SUB-FIELDS
OF PSYCHOLOGY
◼ Psychology is divided in to many branches.
◼ Divisions are caused by differences of:
✓ Methods
✓ Aspects of behavior to be studied
✓ Objectives
✓ Interest, training and background of
psychologist.
Branches of Psychology
Some of the important branches of psychology
for our course are:
◼ Developmental psychology
◼ Personality psychology
◼ Social psychology
◼ Industrial /organizational psychology
◼ Clinical and counseling psychology
◼ Experimental and physiological psychology
◼ Educational psychology
Developmental psychology

It studies:
◼ how human being grows and changes
through the life span.
◼ domains of development; physical and
motor, intellectual, personal,
emotional, moral and social.
◼ sequences and rate of maturation, size
and ability in relation to age.
 Personality
A ‘pattern of characteristic The definition
thoughts, feelings and
behaviors that
distinguishes one person
from another and that
persists over time and
situations’.
suggests that
personality is made
up of:
 combination of
characteristics
and behavior.
 uniqueness of
characteristics
 consistency
 Personality psychology
◼ Examples of these traits: thinking,
feeling, acting, believing, self control,
individual organization of behavior,
interpersonal relationship skills and others.
◼ Personality psychology studies human
differences, factors that make the
differences and development.
◼ Understanding of personality is based on
many perspectives; psychoanalytic, social
learning, behavioral, humanistic, cognitive.
 Social psychology
It studies:
◼ How the behavior of a person or a group
influences the behavior of another person
or group.
◼ how people learn attitude and emotions,
skills, actions, new perceptions, new ways
of speaking and of living with others.
◼ These behaviors are learnt through
interaction, communication and
interpersonal relationships.
 Industrial/Organizational
psychology
It studies:
 behavior of workers at working places;
industries, companies, institutions or at any
working situation.
 various aspects of behavior in relation to work
interest, efficiency, satisfaction, diligence and
commitment leading to maximum production and
profit.
 causes of low production as related to human
behavior.
 Industrial/Organizational
psychology
◼ Social, personal and counseling needs of
workers, supervision and training needs
◼ workers’ level of motivation, morale,
working schedules, working routines as
related to their attitudes and values.
◼ how conflicts affect commitment and
diligence of workers and how to resolve
them.
Clinical and Counseling
psychology
Clinical psychology
◼ It deals with behavior problems, emotional
disorders and behavior that indicate that
the person is abnormal.
◼ Specialists in this area are medical doctors
but they use psychotherapy in treating
abnormal behavior.
◼ Psychotherapy: a procedure of treating
abnormal behavior using interview
techniques.
Clinical psychology
Examples of abnormal behavior
◼ Phobic disorder: irrational fear of objects
or situations, fear of water, animals,
insects, darkness or rain.
◼ Mood disorders: depression; sadness,
discouragement, loss of joy, loneliness,
loss of appetite, dizziness. If this situation
persists for a long time it leads to inability
to function in life.
Counseling psychology

◼ It deals with helping people to make

decision about life; work, education or
marriage. This is applied in institutions,
schools or in society.
◼ Clinical and counseling psychology are
interrelated. They tackled almost the
same problems and use the same
methods but differ in degree of
severity.
 Experimental and
Physiological psychology
Experimental:
• Experimental method is used in understanding
behavior, for example perception, sensations,
memory, learning.
• studies basic causes of behavior, biological
and social, that cut across different species.
• formulate theories that can be applied in other
situations.
• Examples; closeness & attachment, pain and
avoidance
Physiological psychology

It studies biological basis of behavior,

the function of the body and behavior.
Example the causes of anger, brain
and memory, secretion of hormones
and emotional arousal, genes and
behavior patterns.
 Educational psychology

◼ Educational Psychology is an applied

branch of psychology because it applies
knowledge of general psychology in
teaching and learning.
◼ Every branch of psychology contributes
something in Educational psychology.
◼ Understanding the scope of other
branches of psychology is important for
the teacher.
Linkage between Educational
psychology and other branches of
psychology
Personality
psychology

Social Organizational
psychology psychology

Educational
psychology
Experimental
Developmental and
psychology Physiological
psychology
Clinical and
Counseling
psychology
 ORIGINS OF SPORT
PSYCHOLOGY
◼ Psychology has a Greek derivation
• Psyche means “mind or spirit”
• Logos means “sayings or speakings of”
• Literally means “speakings of the mind”
◼ Definitions of Psychology
• William James (1890): “The science of mental
life”
• Current Definition: “The study of behavior”
◼ Scope of Discipline
• from animals to humans
• from nerve cells to attitudes and personality
Sport Psychology (SP)

◼ Scientific study of behavior,

affective, and cognitive reactions to
sports settings for both participants
and fans
 ACADEMIC ORIGINS OF
SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Physical Sciences Biological Sciences Social Sciences

Biomechanics Psychology

Exercise Physiology Sport Sociology

Cultural Anthropology

Sports Psychology
Social Psychology of Sport
Motor Learning
Motor Development
Motor Control
 TWO TYPES OF
QUESTIONS
◼ How do psychological factors
impact sport and exercise?
◼ How do sport and exercise
influence psychological
development?
 HOW PSYCHOLOGICAL
FACTORS IMPACT SPORT

◼ How does anxiety affect a basketball

player’s free-throw shooting accuracy?
◼ Does self-confidence influence a child’s
ability to learn to swim?
◼ How does coach reinforcement and
punishment influence team cohesion?
◼ Does imagery training facilitate the
recovery process in injured athletes
and exercisers?
 IMPACT OF SPORT ON
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

◼ Does running reduce anxiety and

depression?
◼ Do young athletes learn aggression
from participating in youth sports?
◼ Does PE class participation facilitate
children’s self-esteem development?
◼ Does participation in college athletics
enhance character development?
 HISTORY OF
SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

◼ Early Years (1895-1924)

◼ Griffith Era (1925-1938)

◼ Dark Ages (1939-1964)

◼ Contemporary Era (1965-

present)
 BASICS OF ACADEMIC
DISCIPLINES
Research

Teaching Consultation
EARLY YEARS (1895-1924)

◼Research
• Triplett (1899): 1st social
psychology experiment,
• lab based procedures,
• topics focused on personality
and motor learning
◼Teaching – none
◼Consultation -- none
GRIFFITH ERA (1925-1938)
◼Research
• conducted a systematic program of
theoretical and applied research
• lab-based
• topics focused on motor learning and
sport performance (e.g., football
stance)
▪ Teaching
• developed sport psychology class and
taught principles in several class
GRIFFITH ERA (1925-1938)

◼Consulting
• wrote books
➢ Psychology of Coaching
➢ Psychology and Athletics
• outlined functions of sport psychologists
• consulted with a wide variety of
Illinois (is the fifth-most populous state of the
United States of America) athletic teams
• consulted with 1938 Chicago Cubs to
improve hitting
 GOALS FOR
SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS

◼ Observe the best coaches and teachers,

record the psychological principles they
use and convey these principles to new
teachers and coaches.
◼ Adapt the information gained in the
psychological lab to sport.
◼ Use the scientific method and the
experimental lab to discover principles
which will aid in answering specific
problems of teachers and coaches.
 DARK AGES (1939-1964)
◼ Research
• Little systematic lab-based research
• Alan Slater-Hammel -- motor learning
• Emma McCloy -- motor abilities
◼ Teaching
• John Lawther (1951) Psychology and
Coaching
▪ Consultation
• Minimal consultation being conducted
 CONTEMPORARY ERA
(1965-PRESENT)
◼ Research
• In 1965, 1st International Congress of
Sport Psychology in Rome
• Research mushroomed to help develop
a strong knowledge base
• In 1967, North American Society for the
Psychology of Sport and Physical
Activity (NASPSPA) founded.
• In 1979, Journal of Sport Psychology
started to publish research
 CONTEMPORARY ERA
(1965-PRESENT)
◼ Research
• In 1981, Martens’ Smocks to Jocks
articles promoted field research
• In 1986, Association for the Advancement
of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP)
founded,
• In 1987, APA Division 47 – Sport &
Exercise Psychology founded
• In 1987, The Sport Psychologist started
 CONTEMPORARY ERA
(1965-PRESENT)
▪ Research
• In 1989, Journal of Applied Sport
Psychology founded
▪ Teaching
• Specialized courses and graduate
programs developed in late 1960’s
• In 1972, 6 grad programs in U.S.
• Today, over 140 grad programs
• Textbooks and supplemental materials
developed (e.g., over 30 texts today)
 CONTEMPORARY ERA
(1965-PRESENT)
▪ Consultation
• In 1967, Ogilvie and Tutko wrote Problem
Athletes & How to Handle Them
• In 1981, Martens pioneered “psychological
skills” concept
• In 1983, USOC developed Sport
Psychology Registry to deal with quality
control
• In 1983, Burton 1st paid sport psychologist
in university athletic program
 CONTEMPORARY ERA
(1965-PRESENT)
▪ Consultation
• In 1984, NASPSPA certification vote
prompted development of AAASP
• In 1989, AAASP approved “certification” of
sport psychology consultants
• Today, most professional and Olympic
teams have sport psychologists
• Only about 20 universities have full-time
sport psychologists.
 EDUCATIONAL VERSUS
CLINICAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY

Clinical Sport Psychology Educational Sport Psychology

Abnormal Normal Supernormal

Behavior Behavior Behavior
solve develop
problems mental skills
FOCUS OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
CONSULTATION

◼ achieve optimal performance or Flow

– play your best when your best is
needed
◼ maximize personal development in
sport and life by optimizing mental
skills – develop the athlete and the
person
◼ promote optimal experiences –
create personal highlights
 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
JOURNALS

▪Journal of Applied Sport

Psychology (JASP)
▪Journal of Sport and Exercise
Psychology (JSEP)
▪The Sport Psychologist (TSP)
 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
JOURNALS
▪ Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
• Begun in 1989, JASP is the official
journal of AASP and publishes applied
sport psychology research and
professional practice articles
▪ Journal of Sport and Exercise
Psychology
• JSEP publishes basic and applied sport
and exercise psychology research.
Begun in 1979, it is the oldest and most-
respected research journal in the field.
 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
JOURNALS

▪ The Sport Psychologist

•TSP began publication in 1987
and publishes both applied
research and professional
practice articles designed to
facilitate the delivery of
psychological services to
coaches and athletes.
 SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
CAREER FIELDS

▪College teaching
▪Performance enhancement
consulting
▪Health and exercise
psychologist
▪Sports medicine psychologist
 COLLEGE TEACHING
▪ Job Responsibilities
• teach grad and undergrad courses
• conduct and publish research
• mentor graduate students
• secure grants to fund research
• consult with coaches & athletes
 COLLEGE TEACHING

▪ Professional Competencies
•Good teaching skills
•Good research skills
•Good helping skills
•Ability to juggle a variety of
projects and roles.
Thank you
QUESTIONS?