Nature and History

Question 1

Sport and exercise psychology definition

Answer 1

An interdisciplinary scientific and applied field that embraces the integration of sport science and psychological knowledge.

*many definitions; some emphasize exercise science, performance enhancement, or psychological principles applied to physical activity

Question 2

3 Career Options

Answer 2

1. Teaching
2. Research
3. Consulting

Question 3

Purpose of research in sport and exercise psychology

Answer 3

Much of research is directed toward enhancing performance, social and physical well-being, and positive emotion.

*focus on changing emotions, mindset, and behaviours

Question 4

Dr. Albert Carron

Answer 4

Recognized as one of the modern founders of sport and exercise psychology in Canada.

Question 5

Soviet Union

Answer 5

One of the first sport psychology programs in the world.

Question 6

5 historical moments in history

Answer 6

1. Early Years (1895-1920)
2. Griffith Era (1921-1938)
3. Preparation for Future (1938-1965)
4. Establishment of Academic Sport Psychology (1966-1977)
5. Contemporary Sport and Exercise Psychology (1978-present)

Question 7

Early years (1895-1920)

Answer 7

Norman Triplett found social facilitation theory- experiment with cyclists found better performance in groups

*first sport psychologist

Question 8

Griffith Era (1921-1938)

Answer 8

Coleman Griffith first lab in sport psychology, published many of first articles and books

Question 9

Preparation for Future (1938-1965)

Answer 9

-Beginning of the academic discipline of exercise and sport science
– International development of Sport Psychology
– Establishment of ISSP (International Society of Sport Psychology)

Question 10

Establishment of Academic Sport Psychology (1966-1977)

Answer 10

-Beginning of Applied Sport Psychology
-Establishment of NASPSPA (North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity )
-Establishment of Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology (CSPLSP or SCAPPS- French version)

Question 11

Contemporary Sport and Exercise Psychology (1978-present)

Answer 11

-Establishment of JSEP, TSP, JASP…
-Creation of AASP (Association for Applied Sport Psychology)

*many more associations and people studying it, growing field

Question 12

3 philosophical underpinnings of research

Answer 12

• Ontology
• Epistemology
• Paradigms

Question 13

Ontology

Answer 13

-What is there that can be known?
-Nature of reality
-Realism: external world exists independently of human perception, -Relativism: external world exists as mental constructs

Question 14

Epistemology

Answer 14

-How can we be sure that we know what we know? *validity
-Origin, nature and limits of human knowledge

-Objectivist (evidence), Constructionist (individuals constructing knowledge), Subjectivist (relative)

Question 15

Paradigms

Answer 15

-Framework a scientific discipline uses to reason

Question 16

2 major research paradigms +1

Answer 16

-Quantitative (Positivist): formal, deductive, cause and effect, validity and reliability

-Qualitative (Interpretivist): informal, inductive, theories, verification

-Post-Positivist: belief that objective reality can never be fully achieved, because human intellectual mechanisms are flawed. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches valid.

Question 17

Methodology

Answer 17

-How can we go about finding out things?
-Objective vs. Subjective

Question 18

Quantitative approaches to sport and exercise psychology research

Answer 18

-Focuses on quantifying or counting the amount of a particular variable or set of variables

-Advantages: allow researchers to sample large number of participants, apply results in a general way or to support a theory/model, and test multiple variables

Question 19

Qualitative approaches to sport and exercise psychology research (4 examples)

Answer 19

-Focuses on understanding the meanings people assign to their experiences through the collection and interpretation of non-numerical data

-Advantages: allows you to ask questions that cannot be easily put into numbers to understand human experience.

Methods:
(1) Interviews
(2) Observations
(3) Written documents
(4) Visual data

*The most common data collection methods used in sport and exercise psychology are interviews