Lecture # 1

SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
Definition Of Sport Psychology
 Sport Psychology is a science in which the
principles of psychology are applied in a
sport and exercise setting.
 An exciting subject dedicated to the
enhancement of both athletic
performance and the social-psychological
aspects of human enrichment.
 Athletic performance is influenced by
psychological and emotional factors that
can be fine-tuned and learned.
 History Of
Sport Psychology
 Sport psychology as a distinct field of
study is extremely young and evolving.
The first clear historical example of
research being conducted in the area of
sport psychology was in 1897.

 Griffith is credited with establishing the

first sport psychology laboratory at the
University of Illinois in 1925.
 History Of
Sport Psychology
 1950 to 1980 were the "formative years"
for sports psychology.

 Some of the early text books included

Psychology of Coaching by John D.
Lawther 1951, Problem Athletes and How
to Handle Them, by Bruce Ogilvie and
Tom Tutko (1966).
 History Of
Sport Psychology
 Some initiatives in research were Warren
Johnson’s work with hypnosis and athletic
performance (1960s) and The
Development and Testing of Anxiety
inventories by Rainer Martens in (1970s
and 1980s).

 Albert Carron and P.Chelladurai's work

with sport leadership and team cohesion
(1970s and 1980s) is also important.
Development Of Professional
Organizations

 A number of professional organizations

have evolved since the 1960s. In 1965
the International Society of Sport
Psychology (ISSP) was formed in Rome
to promote and disseminate information
about the practice of sport psychology
throughout the world.
 Development Of Professional
Organizations

 The efforts of some other small groups in US

came to fruition in 1966 when they were
recognized by the ISSP. The name of new
organization was the North American
Society for the Psychology of Sport and
Physical Activity (NASPSPA).
Development Of Professional
Organizations
 In Canada an organization was formed
in1969. This organization was named
the Canadian Society for
Psychomotor Learning and Sport
Psychology (CSPLSP).
 Development of professional
Organizations
 The Association for the Advancement of
Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) was
formed in the fall of 1985. AAASP has
emerged in the 1990s as the dominant
association for the advancement of Applied
Sport Psychology as well as research in
North America.
 Development Of Professional
Organizations

 The American Psychological Association

(APA) established a separate Division#
47in 1968; named Exercise & Sport
Psychology.
 Issue Of Certification
 Historically Sport Psychology emerged
as a discipline from physical education.

 Who are those qualified to call

themselves psychologists and to provide
services to athletes?
 Issue Of Certification
 AAAPA a certification document outlines
the process that an individual must take
to be given the title of “Certified
Consultant, Association for the
Advancement of Applied Sport
Psychology”.
 Issue Of Certification
 As one of the certification criteria, the
applicant is required to hold a doctorate in
an area related to sport psychology
(e.g. psychology, sport science, or physical
education).

 It requires both licensed and unlicensed

psychologists to meet minimum standards
in order to be certified by AAASP.
 What Do The
Sport Psychologist Do?

 Roles and functions of a sport

psychologist are described in the
categories of clinician, educator and
researcher.
The Clinical/ Counseling Sport
Psychologist
 The Clinical/Counseling Sport
Psychologist is a person trained in
clinical or counseling psychology and
may be a licensed psychologist.
 The Educational Sport
Psychologist
 Most sport psychologist who received
their academic training through
department of physical education fall in
this category.

 They use the medium of education to

teach correct principle of sport to
athletes.
 The Research Sport
Psychologist
 For sport and exercise psychology to be
a recognized and respected science, the
knowledge must continue to grow.

 It is the scientist and the scholar who

serves this important role. For the
practicing sports psychologist to enjoy
professional credibility there must exist a
credible scientific body of knowledge.
 Accreditation Issue In Sport
Psychology
 The issue of who is qualified to deliver sport
psychology services?

 Students graduating from accredited

colleges in sport psychology and are
certified by AAAPA.
 Multicultural Training Issue In
Sport Psychology
 Graduates of sport psychology program
need to be adequately trained in issues
that relate to culture and race.

 Multicultural counseling is defined as

counseling that takes place among
individuals from different cultures/ racial
backgrounds.