1. INTRODUCTION TO SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Damon Burton & Andy Gillham
University of Idaho

2. 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?

3. 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

4. ACADEMIC ORIGINS OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Biological Sciences
Social Sciences
Physical Sciences
Biomechanics
Psychology
Exercise Physiology
Sport Sociology Cultural Anthropology
Sport Psychology Social Psychology of Sport Motor Learning Motor Development Motor Control

5. TWO TYPES OF QUESTIONS
How do psychological factors impact sport and exercise?
How do sport and exercise influence psychological development?

6. 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?

7. 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?

8. HISTORY OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Early Years ( )
Griffith Era ( )
Dark Ages ( )
Contemporary Era (1965-present)

9. BASICS OF ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES
Research
Consultation
Teaching

10. 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

11. GRIFFITH ERA (1925-1938) Research Teaching
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 classes

12. 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 athletic teams
consulted with 1938 Chicago Cubs to improve hitting

13. 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.

14. DARK AGES (1939-1964) Research Teaching Consultation
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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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)

18. 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

19. 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.

20. EDUCATIONAL VERSUS CLINICAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Educational Sport Psychology X
Normal Behavior
Supernormal Behavior
Abnormal Behavior
develop mental skills
solve problems

21. CLINICAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS (CSP)
Trained as clinical or counseling psychologists (i.e., licensed by state).
CSPs deal with clients who have some type of psychological problem (i.e., neuroses & psychoses),
Their goal is to help person function normally in daily life by overcoming psychological problem(s).
Therapy often lasts months, and even years, using intense, one-on-one psychotherapy sessions to identify and correct problems (i.e., psychoanalysis).

22. EDUCATIONAL SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS (ESP)
Trained in sport/exercise science programs to teach “mental skills,”
Deal with clients who are psychologically normal but have to perform in ultra intense, pressure-packed situations (i.e., Superbowl, Olympics, Masters or Wimbleton),
ESPs are “mental coaches” whose goal is to help athletes develop “super normal” mental skills necessary to (a) perform optimally in challenging situations, (b) experience personal highlights and (c) develop to their full potential.

23. 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 23

24. SPORT PSYCHOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS
Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP)
APA Division 47 – Sport & Exercise Psychology (DIV-47)
North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)

25. ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF APPLIED SPORT PSYCHOLOGY (AAASP)
This organization is designed to promote research and practice in applied sport and exercise psychology. Three specialty areas focus on
health/ exercise psychology,
intervention-performance enhancement,
social psychology

26. APA DIVISION 47 - SPORT & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGY
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest professional psychology organization in the U.S. Division 47 is one of the newest of APA’s almost 50 divisions. Division 47 emphasizes both research and practice in sport psychology.

27. NORTH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT & PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
NASPSPA is the oldest organization focusing on the psychological aspects of sport and physical activity. The organization’s main focus is on research in the sub-disciplines of
motor development,
motor learning and control, and
sport and exercise psychology.

28. SPORT PSYCHOLOGY JOURNALS
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology (JASP)
Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (JSEP)
The Sport Psychologist (TSP)

29. SPORT PSYCHOLOGY JOURNALS
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology
Begun in 1989, JASP is the official journal of AAASP 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.

30. 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.

31. SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CAREER FIELDS
college teaching
performance enhancement consulting
health and exercise psychologist
sports medicine psychologist

32. COLLEGE TEACHING Position Availability - 200+ positions in U.S.
Salary Range - $35-100,000
Job Responsibilities
teach grad and undergrad courses
conduct and publish research
mentor graduate students
secure grants to fund research
consult with coaches & athletes

33. COLLEGE TEACHING Professional Competencies good teaching skills
good research skills
good helping skills
ability to juggle a variety of projects and roles.

34. PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT CONSULTANT
Position Availability – 3-5,000 PE consultants in U.S.
Salary Range - $35-300,000
Job Responsibilities
see clinical patients 6-8 hours daily
be on call for clients in crisis
may travel with junior players
consult with high school, college and pro athletes and teams (50% practice)

35. PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT CONSULTANT
Professional Competencies
good helping skills
enjoy helping others solve their problems
independence & self-sufficiency
business skills to run practice

36. HEALTH & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGIST
Position Availability – 1000’s of private and corporate fitness facilities in U.S.
Salary Range - $20-200,000
Job Responsibilities
develop programs to attract new clients
modify existing programs to minimize dropouts
provide workshops on psych factors that influence exercise & health

37. HEALTH & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGIST
Job Responsibilities (cont’d)
train other personnel to enhance sensitivity of psych factors
conduct applied exercise psych research
consult with high school, college and pro athletes and teams (50% practice)

38. HEALTH & EXERCISE PSYCHOLOGIST
Professional Competencies
good teaching skills
well-developed consultation and helping skills,
skill to develop programs that will appeal to a broad range of clients
ability to juggle a variety of projects and roles

39. SPORT MEDICINE PSYCHOLOGIST
Position Availability – 1000’s of private clinics and hospitals in U.S.
Salary Range - $25-250,000
Job Responsibilities
promote psych aspects of rehabilitation
teach clients the value of health and exercise in quality of life
teach pain management strategies
promote injury and disease prevention

40. SPORTS MEDICINE PSYCHOLOGIST
Professional Competencies
good consultation & helping skills
ability to work with other members of sports medicine team
understanding of how mental factors influence illness & injury
strong desire to help others

41. BEST SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
likeable and perceived as having something very applied and concrete to offer
flexible and knowledgeable enough to meet individual needs by providing athlete input
accessible enough to establish a rapport with individual athletes and to care about what happened to them

42. BEST SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
stared working with a team at least 9 months prior to the Olympics and most had begun an ongoing mental training program 2-3 years prior
had multiple contacts with individual athletes, usually beginning with the first training camp of the year
conducted several follow-up sessions with individual athletes before and during the competitive season

43. WORST SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
poor interpersonal skills (e.g., not liked by athletes, viewed as wimpy or domineering, wanted the athlete to carry their bags, turned people off with their personality, didn’t fit in)
ineffectively applied psychology to sport (e.g., not applied enough or didn’t fit the sport or situation in training or competition)

44. POOR SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
lacked sensitivity or flexibility to individual needs (did not adapt input to meet the needs of different individuals on the team, weren’t flexible to individual needs, imposed own methodology on everyone)
limited contact with athletes (too much group work, too many lectures, not enough one-on-one time)

45. POOR SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
demonstrated inappropriate application of consulting skills on-site at a competition or inappropriate behavior on site (e.g., crowding athlete, staring at athletes, getting athlete to fill out forms or answer questions just before competing), thereby altering the athlete’s familiar pre-event preparation pattern

46. POOR SPORT PSYCHOLOGY CONSULTANTS
had bad timing (i.e., their involvement began too close to major international event, or in some cases even at an international event, without knowing athletes beforehand)
did not provide enough consultant input or feedback (i.e., contact with athlete was too infrequent, particularly ongoing feedback was too limited to make a difference)

47. SPORT PSYCHOLOGY BASICS
What type of training is required to become a sport psychologist?
masters
Ph.D.
How do students find out about graduate school?
AASP Graduate Directory
How do I find out more about sport psychology?
Books, journals, conferences