Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
Lessen 1 – Introduction
1 Practical information
2 Introduction in sport & performance psychology
2.1 Warming up
What do you know about sport psychology?
o Sport and exercise psychology is a relatively new field; its roots are in the late 1970s.
o Regardless of the form of motivation, the more motivated an athlete is the better
o Success always builds confidence.
o Relaxation is not the primary tool or technique used by today’s sport psychology specialist,
2.2 What is sport psychology?
2.2.1 Sport psychology
o Scientific study of people and their behaviours in sport context and the practical application of
that knowledge.
o 2 objectives:
· Understand how psychological factors affect one’s performance
· Understand how participating in sport affects one’s psychological development, and well-
being
→ Understanding the mutual influence of participation in a performance environment and psychological
factors.
2.2.2 Getting insight in
o Situation
o Thoughts
o Feelings
o Behaviour
2.3 History of sport psychology
2.3.1 Sport psychology as a separate discipline?
1
,Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
2.3.2 Sport & Performance psychology as a separate discipline?
2.3.3 History of sport psychology
» Period 1 - Eary years (1895-1920)
o North America
o Norman Triplett: cyclist experiment
o Beginning of exploring psychological aspects of sport and motor learning
o Some research, but little application in the field
» Period 2 - The Griffith era (1921-1938)
o Characterized by the development of sport psychology laboratories in Germany, Japan, Russia,
USA
o Increased psychological testing: concentration, personality, reaction times, aggression
o Father of American sport psychology: Coleman Griffith
· Research, articles, books, consulting
» Period 3 - Preparation of the future (1939-1965)
o Academic discipline of exercise and sport science
· Franklin Henry:
- Scientific research on psychological aspects
- Responsible for the scientific development
o Limited applied work:
· Dorothy Yates, consulting & intervention research!
o First World Congress of Sport Psychology: 1965
» Period 4 – The Establishment of Academic sport psychology (1966-1977)
o Sport psychology became separate component within sport science
o Applied sport psychology consultants emerge
· Bruce Ogilvie: father of North American applied SP
o 2 groups of practitioners:
· Kinesiology department that focuses on performance enhancement and enjoyment in sport
· Psychologists working with athletes with psychological problems
» Period 5: Multidisciplinary science and practice in sport and exercise psychology (1978-
2000)
o Growth: research & application
o More accepted and respected by the public
o 1979: Journal of Sport Psychology
o 1985: First sport psychologist in US Olympic Committee
o 1986: Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP)
o 2 groups together
2
,Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
» Period 6: contemporary sport and exercise psychology (2000-…)
o Growth continues
o Journal of Sport and Exercise is developed and published in Europe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Challenges
o Need for interdisciplinary curriculum
o Need for profession: minimum qualifications, education, experiences
Future direction
o Performance aspect is unique for sport psychology
o Performance psychology
o Training: in performance excellence, mental health, counseling, consulting psychology and
performance specific
2.3.4 Peak performance model
3 Understanding your athletes: personality and
sport
3.1 Since 60’s and 70’s: thousands of articles on aspects of sport
personality
Is there a relationship between personality and sport performance?
o Yes, there is, but it is far from perfect
o E.g. long-distance runners exhibit introverted personalities, but a long-distance runner needs not to
be introverted to be successful
3.2 Atheletes and non-athletes
o Schurr, Ashley & Joy (1977)
o 2000 male college students; Cattell’s personality inventory
→ No single personality profile that distinguished between athletes and non-athletes
→ Differences according to sport
3
, Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
· Team sport: less abstract reasoning, more extravert
· Individual sports: more abstract thinking, higher objectivity, less anxiety
3.3 Individual sport athletes vs. team-sport athletes
o Less dependent & anxious, more introverted & imaginative
3.4 Female athletes compared to non-athletes
o More achievement oriented, independent, ‘aggressive’, emotionally stable, assertive
3.5 More successful and less successful athletes
Morgan (1980): Mental health model
o Positive mental health: Iceberg profile
4
Lessen 1 – Introduction
1 Practical information
2 Introduction in sport & performance psychology
2.1 Warming up
What do you know about sport psychology?
o Sport and exercise psychology is a relatively new field; its roots are in the late 1970s.
o Regardless of the form of motivation, the more motivated an athlete is the better
o Success always builds confidence.
o Relaxation is not the primary tool or technique used by today’s sport psychology specialist,
2.2 What is sport psychology?
2.2.1 Sport psychology
o Scientific study of people and their behaviours in sport context and the practical application of
that knowledge.
o 2 objectives:
· Understand how psychological factors affect one’s performance
· Understand how participating in sport affects one’s psychological development, and well-
being
→ Understanding the mutual influence of participation in a performance environment and psychological
factors.
2.2.2 Getting insight in
o Situation
o Thoughts
o Feelings
o Behaviour
2.3 History of sport psychology
2.3.1 Sport psychology as a separate discipline?
1
,Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
2.3.2 Sport & Performance psychology as a separate discipline?
2.3.3 History of sport psychology
» Period 1 - Eary years (1895-1920)
o North America
o Norman Triplett: cyclist experiment
o Beginning of exploring psychological aspects of sport and motor learning
o Some research, but little application in the field
» Period 2 - The Griffith era (1921-1938)
o Characterized by the development of sport psychology laboratories in Germany, Japan, Russia,
USA
o Increased psychological testing: concentration, personality, reaction times, aggression
o Father of American sport psychology: Coleman Griffith
· Research, articles, books, consulting
» Period 3 - Preparation of the future (1939-1965)
o Academic discipline of exercise and sport science
· Franklin Henry:
- Scientific research on psychological aspects
- Responsible for the scientific development
o Limited applied work:
· Dorothy Yates, consulting & intervention research!
o First World Congress of Sport Psychology: 1965
» Period 4 – The Establishment of Academic sport psychology (1966-1977)
o Sport psychology became separate component within sport science
o Applied sport psychology consultants emerge
· Bruce Ogilvie: father of North American applied SP
o 2 groups of practitioners:
· Kinesiology department that focuses on performance enhancement and enjoyment in sport
· Psychologists working with athletes with psychological problems
» Period 5: Multidisciplinary science and practice in sport and exercise psychology (1978-
2000)
o Growth: research & application
o More accepted and respected by the public
o 1979: Journal of Sport Psychology
o 1985: First sport psychologist in US Olympic Committee
o 1986: Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP)
o 2 groups together
2
,Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
» Period 6: contemporary sport and exercise psychology (2000-…)
o Growth continues
o Journal of Sport and Exercise is developed and published in Europe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Challenges
o Need for interdisciplinary curriculum
o Need for profession: minimum qualifications, education, experiences
Future direction
o Performance aspect is unique for sport psychology
o Performance psychology
o Training: in performance excellence, mental health, counseling, consulting psychology and
performance specific
2.3.4 Peak performance model
3 Understanding your athletes: personality and
sport
3.1 Since 60’s and 70’s: thousands of articles on aspects of sport
personality
Is there a relationship between personality and sport performance?
o Yes, there is, but it is far from perfect
o E.g. long-distance runners exhibit introverted personalities, but a long-distance runner needs not to
be introverted to be successful
3.2 Atheletes and non-athletes
o Schurr, Ashley & Joy (1977)
o 2000 male college students; Cattell’s personality inventory
→ No single personality profile that distinguished between athletes and non-athletes
→ Differences according to sport
3
, Sport & Performance Psychology (Y03723)
· Team sport: less abstract reasoning, more extravert
· Individual sports: more abstract thinking, higher objectivity, less anxiety
3.3 Individual sport athletes vs. team-sport athletes
o Less dependent & anxious, more introverted & imaginative
3.4 Female athletes compared to non-athletes
o More achievement oriented, independent, ‘aggressive’, emotionally stable, assertive
3.5 More successful and less successful athletes
Morgan (1980): Mental health model
o Positive mental health: Iceberg profile
4
