Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (read: Chapter II)

1. Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity(read: Chapter II) • Definition: Study of people and their behavior in sport and exercise contexts. Focus on helping adults and children to derive benefits from sport and exercise (p. 24)

2. Social Sciences • Psychology: focus on individual, social interaction, human emotions, cognition, motivation, (motor) behavior • Sociology: focus on social roles and institutions • Anthropology: patterns across cultures • Political Science: political structures, government, rules, laws

3. Studies in Sp/Ex Psychology • A. understanding how participation factors effect an individual’s physical performance • B. understanding how participation in sport and exercise effect a person’s psychological development

4. Questions: • 1. How healthy/well do you want to be? • 2. How has your sense of self been influenced by fitness and /or sport? • 3. What messages/feedback have you received from/about your (not) participation in sport and fitness activities?

5. What does a Sp/Ex Psych. Do? (pp. 24-25) • 1. conducting research • 2. teaching • 3. consulting: clinical or counseling sp/ex psychology

6. Development of Sp/Ex Psychology – USA (P. 25) • Field developed within physical education departments • Already in 1895 it was found that regular exercise has psychological benefits: health, intellect, cheerfulness • After 1960 integration of motor learning into sport psychology • Eastern Europe: focus on performance enhancement, especially elite athletes • Recently exercise and fitness included

7. Sp/Ex Psychology around the World • Japan: developed since 1960s, problems still to include knowledge in recreation • China: since 1978 psycholog. selection of athletes, applied to top-level sports • France: increase since 1980s, mostly elite athletes, also personality tests, motor learning, pedagogy • Germany: since 1990, applied to sp performance, many diff theoretical+ methodological approaches • Australia: since 1990s, including stress management, relaxation, flotation

8. A. Behavioral Orientation--> focus on the behavior Behaviorism: John Watson: what we can see Ivan Pavlow: clinical conditioning B.F. Skinner: radical behaviorism Sp/Ex Psychology Orientations: (PP. 28-9)

9. B. Psycho-Physiological Orientation Studies the physiological processes of the brain and their influences on the physical activity. Ex: biofeedback techniques Orientations continued:

10. C. Cognitive-Behavioral Orientation: assumes that behavior is determined by environment and cognition (thoughts) Social Learning Theory: Albert Bandura: observational learning Julian Rotter: internal vsexternal observations Orientations continued:

11. Bandura’s Theory: • Observational learning: • observing others behaving in certain ways • observing others being rewarded/reinforced/punished for certain behaviors • engaging in those behaviors themselves and being rewarded or punished

12. economic support/money opportunity social values/political support social support education need environment socialization What social conditions effect participation?

13. Sp/Ex Psychology Consultation (PP. 28-29) • Stress relief, goal setting, time management, discipline, motivation – attitude dependent • Cross-cultural issues: athletes have different cultural backgrounds, lack of sport specific knowledge and sport environment • Potential conflicts b/w coaches + sp psych. • Racial differences and needs: sp consultants need to speak the athletes’ languages • Sp psych is still changing

14. What is socialization? • The process by which a person learns to be a participating member in his/her culture. To behave in socially appropriate ways and to meet one’s needs.

15. Process of becoming socialized into sport and exercise • 1. Habits and positive experiences in life -- active children usually become active adults • 2. Social Learning Paradigm: • personal attributes: perceived competence, abilities • socializing agents: parents, peers • socializing situations: availability of sport’s facilities, equipment