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Brief Contents
1 Introducing Sport and Exercise 8 Leadership in Sport and Exercise 157
Psychology1 Mark R. Beauchamp, Mark Eys
Peter R. E. Crocker, David Scott,
Melanie Gregg, Erica Bennett 9 Group Cohesion in Sport and
Exercise179
2 Personality in Sport and Exercise 22 Kevin S. Spink
Peter R. E. Crocker, Whitney A.
Sedgwick, Ryan E. Rhodes 10 Youth Involvement and Positive
Development in Sport 200
3 Motivation and Behavioural
Jean Côté, Jessica Fraser-Thomas
Change42
Diane E. Mack, Catherine M. Sabiston, 11 Coaching Psychology 225
Meghan H. McDonough, Philip M. Wilson,
Gordon A. Bloom
David M. Paskevich
12 Aging and Involvement in Sport
4 Stress, Emotion, and Coping and Physical Activity 247
in Sport and Exercise 66
Patricia L. Weir, Paula M. van Wyk, Kristy L.
Katherine A. Tamminen, Amber D. Mosewich, Smith, Jordan Deneau, Sean Horton
Kent C. Kowalski, Patrick Gaudreau
13 Physical Activity and Mental
5 Anxiety in Sport and Exercise 91 Health269
Kimberley L. Gammage, Guy E. Faulkner, Linda Trinh,
Sharleen D. Hoar Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos
6 Aggression and Moral Behaviour 14 Body Image in Sport and Exercise 293
in Sport 110 Catherine M. Sabiston, Jennifer
Todd M. Loughead, Kim D. Dorsch Brunet
v
xii About the Editors
Dr. Guy Faulkner is currently a professor in the School involved in research related to children’s development of
of Kinesiology at the University of British Columbia and physical literacy. She also does applied work with athletes
a Canadian Institutes of Health Research–Public Health from a variety of sports and coaches track and field.
Agency of Canada Chair in Applied Public Health. His
Dr. Craig Hall is a professor in the School of Kinesiology
research has focused on two interrelated themes: the
at Western University. His research primarily focuses on
effectiveness of physical activity promotion interventions,
imagery use in sport, exercise, and athletic injury reha-
and physical activity and mental health. He is the found-
bilitation. He has also investigated other topics, includ-
ing co-editor of the Elsevier journal Mental Health and
ing self-efficacy, self-talk, motivation, and observational
Physical Activity and co-editor of the book Exercise, Health
learning. He is a co-author of Psychological Interventions in
and Mental Health.
Sport, Exercise & Injury Rehabilitation. Family and squash
Dr. Jessica Fraser-Thomas is an associate professor in take up most of his non-academic time.
the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York
Dr. Sharleen Hoar is a performance psychology consul-
University. Her research focuses on children and youths’
tant with the Canadian Sport Institute, working with high-
development through sport, with a particular interest in
performance athletes, coaches, and support staff within
positive youth development, psychosocial influences, and
the sports of mountain bike/cross country, para-triathlon,
sport trajectories. Currently, she is working on a SSHRC-
and swimming. A former competitive figure skater, she is
funded project exploring young children’s earliest intro-
also an adjunct associate professor with the Department
ductions to organized sport and characteristics of sport
of Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of
programs that facilitate optimal youth development. She
Lethbridge and has published research on stress, coping,
is a recipient of the Canadian Society for Psychomotor
and emotional control in sport.
Learning and Sport Psychology Young Scientist Award
(2007), the Province of Ontario Volunteer Service Award Dr. Sean Horton is a professor in the Department of
(2012), and recently (2017) served as the chair of the Kinesiology at the University of Windsor. His research
YMCA Strong Kids Campaign (Northumberland). focus is on skill acquisition and expert performance
throughout the lifespan, as well as how stereotypes of
Dr. Kimberley L. Gammage is an associate professor in aging affect seniors’ participation in exercise.
the Department of Kinesiology at Brock University and
the director of the Brock SeniorFit Exercise Program. Her Dr. Kent C. Kowalski is a professor at the College of
research focuses on social–psychological factors related Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. His gen-
to exercise and health behaviours across the lifespan and eral area of interest includes exploring the role of self-
in diverse populations, with a focus on body image. In compassion in the lives of athletes, as well as coping with
particular, her lab is currently conducting a series of stud- stress and emotion in sport and physical activity. He is
ies examining the relationship between physical activity also currently an assistant coach with the University of
and positive body image. In addition, her lab investigates Saskatchewan Huskie Men’s soccer program.
shame and cortisol responses to social-evaluative body Dr. Todd M. Loughead is a professor in the Department
image threats. of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor. His current
Dr. Patrick Gaudreau is a full professor in the School research interests include group dynamics in sport with
of Psychology at the University of Ottawa. His research a personal interest in aggression. Specifically, his interests
interests are in the self-regulation of achievement-related are the development of athlete leadership skills in all ath-
behaviours, with research projects on coping, goal man- letes, the importance of developing cohesion in sport, and
agement, and motivation in sport, education, and exer- the influence of peer-to-peer mentoring in sport and its
cise. The overarching goal of his research program is impact on team functioning. As a coach in several sports,
to uncover the role of self-regulatory processes in goal he understands the importance of reducing aggression to
attainment and psychological adjustment of individu- ensure not only player safety but continued enjoyment of
als in performance-related activities. In his spare time, sport. Dr. Loughead teaches courses in group dynamics,
he enjoys coaching baseball for the teams of Olivier and leadership, and applied sport psychology.
Antoine, and offers workshops and training to coaches, Dr. Diane E. Mack is a professor in the Department of
parents, and sport administrators. Kinesiology at Brock University. Her research interests
include the role of health-enhancing physical activity as a
Dr. Melanie Gregg is a professor in the Department of
mechanism to promote well-being.
Kinesiology and Applied Health at the University of
Winnipeg. Her research interests focus on athletes’ moti- Dr. Amber Mosewich is an assistant professor in the
vational imagery ability, psychological skill use by ath- Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the
letes with intellectual disability, and recently has become University of Alberta. Her research interests focus on
About the Contributors xv
the examination of stress, coping, emotion, and resultant Dr. Whitney A. Sedgwick is a registered psychologist at
cognitive and behavioural responses within the sport the University of British Columbia’s Counselling Services
domain. A key directive of her work is to understand the as well as the mental performance lead for UBC varsity
psychological skills and resources necessary to facilitate athletes. She has taught undergraduate and graduate
successful and positive sport experiences and how best to sport psychology courses at three Canadian universities
foster their development. and has co-authored a mental training book for triath-
letes. Dr. Sedgwick has also been consulting with ath-
Dr. Krista Munroe-Chandler is recognized for her work
letes/coaches/sport organizations for the past 20 years,
in the psychology of sport and exercise. She is a profes-
including a year in Paris, France, where she worked with
sor in the Faculty of Human Kinetics at the University of
national and Olympic athletes.
Windsor. Her research interests include imagery use by
performers (sport, exercise, dance) as well as youth sport Kristy Smith is a PhD candidate in the Department of
development. She works with able-bodied athletes as well Kinesiology at the University of Windsor. Her previous
as athletes with a disability of all ages, levels, and sports, research has focused on sport and physical activity par-
helping them achieve their personal performance goals. ticipation for children, adolescents, and older adults. Her
current work examines the impact of relative age on sport
Dr. David Paskevich is an associate professor and associ-
participation and factors contributing to positive sport
ate dean (academic) in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the
experiences for young females.
University of Calgary. His research interests centre on
the integration of the science–practitioner model, bring- Dr. Kevin S. Spink is a professor in the College of
ing the science of sport psychology into practical/applied Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan, specializ-
settings, particularly in regard to the leadership, mental ing in group dynamics, specifically cohesion. He teaches
skills, and toughness required for “performance con- courses involving the application of social psychology to
sistency” and “performance on demand” competitions. exercise and sport behaviour. One focus of his research
Dr. Paskevich has worked with Canadian athletes at involves examining the effect of social norms on the
a number of Olympic Games and has also consulted behaviours of exercisers/athletes. Other research inter-
with professional and other high-performance athletes ests include examining the effects of group factors such as
in a variety of sports, including hockey, football, soccer, groupness, cohesion, and psychological climate on exer-
lacrosse, golf, rodeo, and volleyball. cise/sport outcomes.
Dr. Ryan E. Rhodes is a professor in the School of Exercise Dr. Katherine A. Tamminen is an associate professor
Science, Physical & Health Education at the University of in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education at
Victoria and is director of the UVic Behavioural Medicine the University of Toronto. Her areas of research include
Laboratory. He has research expertise in physical activ- stress, coping, and emotion in sport, psychosocial aspects
ity and social cognition theories, personality theory, of youth sport participation, and interpersonal processes
psychometric measurement, analysis, and design, with and social psychology in sport.
an applied focus on physical activity and early family
Dr. Linda Trinh is an assistant professor in the Faculty of
development.
Kinesiology and Physical Education at the University of
Dr. Jennifer Robertson-Wilson is an associate professor Toronto. Her research interests are focused on the devel-
in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education opment of evidence-based and theoretically driven physi-
at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her academic interests per- cal activity and sedentary behaviour interventions for
tain to the psychology of physical activity. Her research cancer control and survivorship.
applies a social ecological lens to understand individual,
Dr. Paula M. van Wyk is an assistant professor in the
environmental (social and physical), and policy influences
Department of Kinesiology at the University of Windsor.
on physical activity across a variety of settings, including
Her research focuses on using motor control, physiology,
schools.
and ergonomics/biomechanics as tools to enable popula-
Dr. David Scott is an associate professor of sport psy- tions such as individuals with a disability or older adults
chology in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of to be physically active. More recently, she has been inves-
New Brunswick in Fredericton. He teaches and researches tigating the roles that physical literacy and health literacy
in the area of sport and exercise psychology, focusing play in motivation among older adults to remain physi-
primarily on performance enhancement, and physical cally active, and how older adults understand informa-
activity and mental health. He has been a psychological tion related to their various potential interactions with the
consultant with a number of national teams in addition to health care system. Her passions are drawn from her own
working with teams in the National Hockey League. athletic achievements in ballet and track, as well as her
xvi About the Contributors
family members who have proven that (dis)ability is in Dr. Philip M. Wilson is a professor in the Department
the eye of the beholder. of Kinesiology at Brock University. His research interests
focus on the interplay between measurement and theory
Dr. Patricia Weir is a professor of Kinesiology and Dean
for understanding motivational processes responsible
of the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of
for health behaviours. In his spare time, Dr. Wilson can
Windsor. Her research focuses on the development and
be found enjoying active living with Diane (and Portia)
maintenance of skilled performance across the lifespan
while finding time to follow his two favourite football
and factors influencing patterns of engagement in older
teams (Liverpool F.C. and England) and spoiling a good
adults. Dr. Weir enjoys spending time with family, a great
outdoor walk by “trying” to play golf.
book, and a long walk.
Preface
M
ost people are familiar with the term sport psy- educators may wish to cover psychological interven-
chology from popular media, which frequently tions (Chapter 7) before covering the chapters on group
refer to elite athletes working with sport psy- processes, leadership, aging, exercise and mental health,
chologists to enhance performance. However, this is only body image, and physical activity interventions.
a small part of sport and exercise psychology. Involving
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the field. Topics in-
the study of psychological factors in physical activity set-
clude the diverse nature of sport and exercise psychology,
tings, this field includes diverse areas, such as the men-
positive psychology in sport and exercise psychology, dif-
tal health benefits of physical activity, motivation, aging
ferences in career orientations and educational training
well, group dynamics, leadership, the benefits of youth
opportunities, a brief history of sport and exercise psy-
sport, effective coaching, emotional and self-regulation,
chology in Canada and the world, ethics in sport and ex-
and body image, just to name a few.
ercise psychology, and a basic primer in research methods
Research and practice has a significant impact on the
and the importance of evidence-based practice.
lives of exercisers, athletes, coaches, health professionals,
and scholars in the field. Today, many Canadian schol- Chapter 2 examines personality perspectives in sport and
ars are recognized as world leaders in this research and exercise. It covers conceptions of personality, ethics related
practice, and their important work influences the lives of to measuring personality, and the limitations of personal-
many involved in physical activity in Canada. ity in explaining athletic behaviour and performance as
Developed for an introductory undergraduate course well as exercise behaviour. The chapter also emphasizes
in sport and exercise psychology taught at Canadian insti- contemporary topics in sport and exercise personality, in-
tutions, the Fourth Edition of Sport and Exercise Psychology: cluding the five-factor model, competitiveness, sensation
A Canadian Perspective presents an overview of the disci- seeking, passion, perfectionism, and mental toughness.
pline while building a solid foundation in core concepts.
Chapter 3 focuses on models and principles of motivation
and behavioural change in sport and exercise. It provides
Approach and Philosophy students with a brief review of behavioural, cognitive,
and cognitive–behavioural principles. Understanding
Three unique features characterize this resource. First,
motivation within the context of sport and exercise spans
Canadian scholars who are all active teachers of under-
cognitive (the transtheoretical model, theory of planned
graduate sport and exercise psychology courses have
behaviour, social cognitive theory), humanistic (self-
written the chapters. Second, this resource illustrates
determination theory), and non-conscious models.
important concepts by showcasing many Canadian ex-
amples. Third, the text not only highlights research by Chapter 4 discusses stress, emotion, and coping in sport
Canadian scholars, but also recognizes the contributions and exercise. The chapter emphasizes types of cognitive
of distinguished academics around the world. evaluations, types of coping, individual and group (team)
level coping, and the relationship between appraisal,
stress, and diverse emotions, such as anger, happiness,
New to the Fourth Edition anxiety, and fear. Major modifications include increased
Based on feedback from peer reviewers, educators, and emphasis on individual and interpersonal emotional reg-
authors, we made several changes to the Fourth Edition: ulation, neurophysiological effects of stress, coping effec-
tiveness and outcomes, and intervention strategies.
• Incorporated a new chapter on aging and physical ac-
tivity behaviour Chapter 5 concentrates on anxiety in sport and exercise. It
• Updated all chapters to reflect the latest develop- defines types and dimensions of anxiety, personal sources
ments in theory, research, and practice of anxiety in sport and exercise settings, the specificity
of anxiety to competitive and exercise settings, and how
• Increased the number of case studies
anxiety affects exercise and sport behaviour. Changes to
this chapter include increased coverage of factors in the
Organization exercise environment contributing to anxiety and the phe-
nomenon of choking in sport. It also explains mechanisms
The 15 chapters of this text present the key topics cov-
underlying the effects of anxiety and arousal on performance.
ered in a typical introductory course. While educators
may wish to vary the sequence of coverage, we recom- Chapter 6 focuses on moral development and aggres-
mend covering the first six foundational chapters in sion in sport. Important additions to this chapter include
order. Depending on the needs of specific courses, some bullying and hazing, as well as fan violence. It reviews
xvii
xviii Preface
various perspectives on how youth learn moral behaviour involvement in this group, the proliferation of masters
in sport and the role of the environment and personal- athletes, and the impact of societal perceptions of aging
ity factors, such as motivational climate, team and sport on physical and cognitive performance—this chapter of-
norms, and motivational orientation. Discussing key the- fers strategies for increasing sport and exercise involve-
ories useful for understanding why athletes (and specta- ment in older adult populations.
tors) behave aggressively, this chapter also explores how
Chapter 13 explores the relationship between exercise
personal, situational, and group factors influence aggres-
and mental health. The chapter has been rewritten to
sive behaviour while also examining ways to reduce this
distinguish between mental health and mental illness.
type of conduct in sport.
Examining how and why physical activity might be an
Chapter 7 discusses how to enhance performance and effective mental health promotion strategy, this chapter
well-being in sporting populations. Addressing specific in- showcases evidence about how physical activity may per-
tervention techniques for arousal, cognitive, and emotional form a preventive function, a treatment function, a qual-
self-regulation, this chapter features many applied examples ity of life function, and a feel-good function for emotional
and exercises. Specific topics include relaxation procedures, well-being among healthy populations and those with ex-
psyching strategies, attention control, self-talk, imagery, isting mental or chronic illness. It also covers the different
performance profiling, goal setting, and mindfulness. mechanisms that could explain the relationship between
exercise and mental health, while providing a framework
Chapter 8 explores the factors associated with leadership
for understanding physical activity and mental health
in sport and exercise settings. The chapter covers the vari-
relationships. A new focus considers the relationship be-
ous ways to study leadership, including personality, situ-
tween sedentary behaviour and mental health.
ational, and interactional approaches. Highlighting key
processes of effective leadership within sport and exercise, Chapter 14 details the multidimensional nature of body
this chapter focuses on transactional and transformational image and its link to motivated behaviour in sport and
leadership styles and their application to various physical exercise. The chapter discusses key factors in the devel-
activity settings. It concludes with a list of best practices. opment of body image and the association between body
image and mental health, emotions, stress, and cardio-
Chapter 9 offers a comprehensive review of group cohe- metabolic outcomes. Practical strategies are identified
sion in sport and exercise. Students will learn about group to help reduce negative body image or enhance positive
dynamics, group cohesion and its measurement, how and body image in sport and exercise settings.
why cohesion affects behaviour in both sport and exercise
settings, a conceptual model of cohesion, and team-building Chapter 15 outlines exercise interventions and builds
concepts. The chapter also covers the relationship between upon concepts from previous chapters related to exercise
cohesion and correlates such as group size, activity setting psychology while highlighting the means by which to in-
type, leader behaviours, hazing, adherence, effort, social crease physical activity in all populations. It describes how
loafing, sacrifice, collective efficacy, psychological momen- specific theories can be used to understand and enhance
tum, and team success. physical activity interventions, non-theoretical approaches
to exercise intervention, the key components to increase
Chapter 10 describes the health and developmental ben- the success rate of exercise interventions, and how exercise
efits of youth sport participation. The chapter explains the can enhance the lives of both non-clinical and clinical pop-
potential outcomes of youth sport participation, principles ulations. The chapter includes many practical guidelines
of positive youth development, and how youth sport pro- about interventions to increase physical activity.
grams and types of activities lead to positive sport expe-
riences. This edition includes greater emphasis on how
parents and peers can influence the development of a Pedagogical Features
child’s competence, confidence, connection, and character. We continue to employ many pedagogical features that
facilitate learning and enhance understanding.
Chapter 11 discusses the complexity of coaching psychol-
ogy. Beginning with a description of the structure and • Learning Objectives. A set of four to seven learning
process of coaching education in Canada, the chapter objectives provide a road map at the beginning of
discusses the steps to becoming an elite coach, the five each chapter to help students read the material more
bodies of literature that explain the psychological factors effectively.
involved in coaching, and the common characteristics and • Vignette. Each chapter begins with a scenario that
coaching principles of youth sport coaches. raises issues and topics to be addressed in the chap-
Chapter 12 provides an overview of factors related to ter; many of the vignettes present actual, real-world
sport and exercise in older adults. We included this chap- situations.
ter to acknowledge that many “older” Canadians are, • Common Myths. Each chapter includes three to five
and should be, involved in physical activity. Highlighting common myths about the chapter’s subject. We clar-
a wide range of issues—including the activity patterns ify and dispel each myth by presenting clear evidence
of older adults, factors influencing sport and exercise to the contrary.
Preface xix
• Key Terms in Margins. Key terms are boldfaced where • Photos. New and timely colour photos throughout
they are introduced in the text and appear in the mar- the book feature athletes and participants in physical
gins with definitions, providing an effective way for activity.
students to engage with important terms and concepts. • Weblinks. References to many useful websites for
• Case Studies. Case studies illustrate and exemplify sport and exercise psychology, advanced papers,
key ideas and concepts. scholarly organizations, and scholarly journals are
• Reflections Boxes. Each chapter contains Reflections included.
boxes that require students to consider how key con- • Chapter Summary. A summary of the main points
cepts and ideas apply to their personal knowledge appears near the end of each chapter.
and experiences. • Suggested Readings. A list of readings for the inter-
• Canadian Examples. Numerous Canadian examples ested student is presented at the end of the text, orga-
support concepts, making the material more relevant nized by chapter.
to students studying at Canadian institutions. • Glossary. All the key terms are presented at the end
• Figures and Tables. Diagrams, graphs, and tables il- of the text, organized by chapter, with full definitions.
lustrate and clarify important points.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge all the contributors to this • Carly Priebe, University of Saskatchewan
text. These individuals represent many of the scholars in • Jill Tracey, Wilfrid Laurier University
sport and exercise psychology in Canada, and they have • Wade Wilson, University of Waterloo
all made a special contribution. We would also like to
recognize those instructors who provided us with formal We would also like to thank all of the individuals involved
reviews of parts of the manuscript. Their observations, at Pearson Canada who supported the text through de-
ideas, and comments greatly improved the quality of all velopment and production: Cathleen Sullivan, executive
chapters. portfolio manager; Madhu Ranadive, content manager;
Kathryn O’Handley, content developer; Andrea Falken-
berg, manager, project management; Ainsley Somerville,
List of Reviewers project manager; Kimberly Teska, senior marketing man-
• Rebecca Bassett-Gunter, York University ager; Meaghan Lloyd, permissions project manager; and
Leanne Rancourt, copy editor.
• Jennifer Brunet, University of Ottawa
• Krista Chandler, University of Windsor Peter R.E. Crocker
• Tanya Forneris, University of British Columbia Catherine Sabiston
• Amy M. Gayman, Wilfrid Laurier University Meghan McDonough
xx
Chapter 1
Introducing Sport and
Exercise Psychology
Peter R. E. Crocker
David Scott
Melanie Gregg
Erica Bennett
Learning Objectives
1
2 Chapter 1
Shelley and Jeff are siblings who are both high-performance youth athletes. Shelley is a gifted
15-year-old provincial basketball player. Sports have always come easy for her, and she was a star
player in multiple sports growing up. She loves to hang out with her teammates, and they constantly
talk about how they can work together to improve as a team. At a personal level, Shelley sets high
sport performance goals but also feels that basketball is just one part of her life. Her coaches love
her because she is highly motivated to learn new skills and puts full effort into every practice and
game. She embraces challenge, is task focused, and accepts mistakes as a necessary part of
learning. Constantly striving for achievement, Shelley believes that developing better psychological
and emotional control skills will help her not only be a better athlete, but also a better person.
Jeff, a 17-year-old lacrosse player, has always had to work harder than others to be successful.
Known as an aggressive player, he desperately wants to be better than others and highly values the
social status of being a star. Specializing early as a lacrosse player, Jeff is willing to play through in-
juries to impress his teammates and is extremely proud to wear the captain’s C on his Salmonbellies
jersey. His teammates, coaches, and friends all believe he will get a big college scholarship. But Jeff
is increasingly worried about his mental health. Coaching pressures and his own high aspirations
frequently lead him to be overly self-critical about small mistakes. He is often consumed with being
perfect. Lately he is having trouble coping with stress, often experiencing debilitating anxiety during
games. The inability to control stress and emotions has also spilled over into his schooling, and he is
having trouble concentrating on assignments. Jeff is uncertain about how to manage these problems.
Shelley and Jeff’s mother has also been facing her own physical activity challenges. Having
recently turned 50, Christine would like to become more active to improve her health and fitness.
She was recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to many heart-
related complications. Given that both of her parents died in their 60s of heart attacks, Christine is
worried about her health. Although she was very active in her youth, the pressures of career building
and motherhood created many barriers to remaining physically active. Since she has long known
about the benefits of exercise, Christine feels guilt and shame over the condition and shape of her
body. She knows, despite how unpleasant exercise is now, that a regular exercise program will help
improve her fitness and her emotional state. Some of Christine’s older friends tell her to “chill out”
about her size, since women put on weight as they age, and that exercise is for the young. Christine
has identified several key barriers to exercise, including lack of time and difficulty in getting to a gym,
as well as anxiety about showing off her body in exercise settings. She has a good friend, Janice,
who would also like to become healthier. Both women have been thinking about exercising for the
last few months but just cannot get started. However, they both agree that they must start soon.
After reading an online article on the benefits of sport and exercise and consulting with her chil-
dren, Christine decides they could all benefit from professional help. Through a registry established
by the provincial sport medicine council, Christine contacts Dr. Sedgeway, a registered psychologist
who specializes in sport. Dr. Sedgeway also uses the services of Dr. Guy, a well-known expert in
exercise psychology and older adults.
The above vignette illustrates common situations that capture many elements of sport and exer-
cise psychology. Shelley’s and Jeff’s experiences involve personality, motivation, stress and coping,
emotion regulation and performance, aggression, group cohesion, coaching and parental leader-
ship, and issues surrounding early specialization in sport. Christine’s story reflects issues involving
motivation, aging and aging stereotypes, body image, mental health and exercise, and physical
activity interventions.
The vignette also highlights the potential services of qualified sport and exercise psychology
consultants. To help Christine and her family, a sport and exercise psychology consultant must
have expertise in a number of areas informed by strong research. These areas include knowledge
of how psychological factors can influence performance and motivation; knowledge about exercise
adoption and adherence in older adults; knowledge of the technical, physical, and psychological
demands of competitive sport; knowledge of assessment to determine the psychological skills of
the athlete; knowledge related to motivational factors in exercise; and intervention skills to design
and implement an effective intervention. Indeed, sport and exercise psychology consultants require
knowledge and skills in many areas.
When many students think about sport and exercise psychology, they commonly believe that
professionals work primarily with high-performance athletes or maybe work in specialized exercise
Introducing Sport and Exercise Psychology 3
settings. But this viewpoint is far from reality. In this chapter, we will discuss the various roles and train-
ing in sport and exercise psychology. As you will discover, sport and exercise psychology specialists
work in a variety of settings, have a multiplicity of educational training opportunities, and possess vary-
ing competencies. But how does one become a sport and exercise psychology specialist? How does
research help us understand the interrelationship between psychological factors and involvement in
physical activity, as well as inform the evidence-based practices of practitioners? There are also ethi-
cal standards that govern the application of sport and exercise psychology principles. Many of the
practices and controversies in sport and exercise psychology were shaped by its history—a history
unlike that of other fields in psychology. In this chapter, we will address many of these issues. We will
also provide a primer on basic research issues that can help students understand the role of research
in providing insight into how personal and environmental factors influence participants’ thoughts, emo-
tions, and performance. But before we go any further, it is important to identify a few common myths
about sport and exercise psychology. We will address these myths at the end of the chapter.
Canada has a great sporting history, with numerous athletes reaching the peak of per-
formance in world championships, Olympics, Paralympics, and professional champi-
onships. Today, millions of Canadians are involved in organized sport. Beyond sport,
there is scientific and social recognition that participation in regular physical activity
across the lifespan is important for both physical and mental health. Sport and exercise
are important elements of Canadian life. Physical activity experiences might involve
snowshoeing in the mountains of British Columbia, playing hockey on an outdoor
rink in the Prairies, canoeing the waterways of the Yukon or Quebec, doing an aerobic
exercise class in Manitoba, engaging in a specialized activity session for people with
spinal cord injuries in Ontario, kayaking with whales in Newfoundland–Labrador, or
hiking in the highlands of Cape Breton Island.
Understanding sport and exercise involves many subdisciplines in the sport sci-
ences, including sport and exercise psychology. Reflect on your own experiences of
participating in and watching sports or exercise. How do we make sense of why some
athletes make unforced errors in crucial situations whereas others seem to play their
best in clutch situations? Of acts of violence by parents at a children’s sporting event?
Of athletes’ feelings of joy or shame after events? What are the characteristics and
behaviours of effective coaches? Why do some people seem to find it easy to be physi-
cally active, whereas others cannot even get started despite their best intentions? One
of the most perplexing questions is why is it so difficult to get people to change their
health behaviour when they know it will lead to healthier outcomes. It is little wonder
that people are interested in sport and exercise psychology.
of situations. If you entered “definition of sport and exercise psychology” into an in-
ternet search engine, the results would reveal numerous definitions. Some definitions
would emphasize sport and exercise science, some would emphasize performance
enhancement, and still others would address psychological principles applied to
physical activity settings. The reason for this inconsistency is that sport and exercise
psychology has been shaped by theoretical and methodological influences of both
kinesiology and psychology (Vealey, 2006; Eklund & Crocker, 2018). However, much
of the research and practice in sport and exercise psychology is heavily dominated
by theoretical perspectives that were developed in the general field of psychology. In
Canada, students can take sport and exercise psychology courses in most sport sci-
ence programs (kinesiology, human kinetics, and exercise and health sciences). The
study of sport and/or exercise psychology has more often been nurtured in academic
units focused on kinesiology (see Eklund & Crocker, 2018). Nevertheless, an increasing
number of psychology programs are offering sport and exercise psychology courses at
the undergraduate level, and sport and exercise psychology is recognized within the
Sport and exercise Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). Thus, we believe that sport and exercise
psychology psychology is an interdisciplinary scientific and applied field that embraces the inte-
An interdisciplinary scientific gration of sport science and psychological knowledge.
and applied field that em-
braces the integration of sport
science and psychological Sport and Exercise Psychology: A Multidimensional
knowledge. Perspective
Students might ask what makes sport and exercise psychology unique as a field of
study and practice from other areas of psychology. Not only does it integrate both
sport science and psychological knowledge, but it integrates many areas of psychol-
ogy (Anshel, 2012). Many traditional and emerging disciplines within psychology con-
tinue to have an impact on sport and exercise psychology, and you will recognize the
impact of these various areas of psychology throughout this resource. These include,
but are not restricted to, cognitive psychology, clinical and counselling psychology,
behavioural neuroscience, social psychology, developmental psychology, and health
psychology.
It should be recognized that all areas of psychology are influenced by develop-
ments in other academic disciplines, including computer science, sociology, medicine,
education, family studies, and gender studies, to name a few. The search for knowl-
edge regarding human challenges goes beyond arbitrarily defined academic boundar-
ies. Think about a person trying to recover physical and social functioning following
a stroke. Recovering, rediscovering, and redefining oneself will require integrating
knowledge from many disciplines, including neurophysiology, exercise physiology
and rehabilitation, exercise motivation, stress and emotion, social psychology, and
counselling. Canadian researchers and practitioners are aware that many human
health and wellness challenges require a transdisciplinary approach. Sport and exer-
cise psychology specialists are well positioned to make a positive contribution to
Canadian society.
play with regard to general satisfaction and happiness with life? For example, does
supporting a particular team or playing a specific sport allow people to thrive? Can sport
and exercise contribute to an individual’s self-acceptance, personal growth, purpose in
life, and positive social relationships? What kinds of sporting and/or physical activities
do people who are contented, satisfied, and fulfilled with everyday life participate in?
Recent years have seen renewed interest in the field of positive psychology, an Positive psychology
area of psychology concerned primarily with understanding the processes that enable An area of psychology con-
people and groups to thrive. Seligman (2002) criticized psychology (and much of his cerned primarily with under-
own earlier work) for focusing too much on mental illness and repair and not enough standing the processes that
on the human side of strength and personal growth. This is not to say that studying phe- enable people and groups to
thrive.
nomena such as anxiety or fear is not worthwhile; however, much can be learned from
the positive aspects of life. Kobau and colleagues (2011), for example, have proposed
that positive psychology be thought of as focusing on the more favourable attributes or
strengths that an individual may possess, and Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2000)
have suggested that positive psychology can be thought of as an examination of the
subjective experiences of well-being, satisfaction, fulfilment, pleasure, and happiness.
So how does positive psychology relate to sport and exercise? Much of the research
in sport and exercise psychology is directed toward enhancing performance, social and
physical well-being, and positive emotion. For example, adopting a positive psychology
approach may have many benefits in the world of performance enhancement. Often,
skill development and performance improvement is a slow, frustrating, and sometimes
deflating process. The adoption of a mindset that encourages satisfaction, pleasure,
and happiness often leads to resiliency and perseverance. Resiliency can be thought
of as the process of positive adaptation in the context of adversity or risk (Masten &
Reed, 2005), and positive psychology can strengthen psychological resilience through
the development of skills based on avoiding thinking traps, staying calm and focused,
and putting things in perspective (Lorig et al., 2000). The development of resiliency is
important in the sport and exercise environment. It has been suggested by Ericsson
and colleagues (1993) that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to
develop expert ability. This cannot be achieved without resiliency. Similarly, many of
the benefits of exercise only occur over a sustained period of activity.
Positive psychology in sport and exercise can include emotional, cognitive, and
behavioural intervention approaches (Park-Perin, 2013). Emotional methods can focus
on fostering positive emotional states such as joy, happiness, relaxation, and satisfac-
tion. Such states are important for motivation and well-being. Cognitive methods
include examining how factors such as optimism influence emotional experience,
motivation, health, and performance (Peterson & Seligman, 2004; Park-Perin, 2013).
Behavioural methods involve enhancing behavioural self-regulation strategies. One
specific example is nurturing psychological strengths. Rather than trying to reduce
weaknesses, this approach gets athletes to focus on their strengths to improve confi-
dence and facilitate developing mental toughness (Gordon, 2012).
Many studies in sport and exercise psychology research are rooted in positive
psychology. Research has focused on such topics as intrinsic motivation, confidence,
enjoyment, satisfaction, positive psychological growth, team cohesion, effective lead-
ership, mental well-being, goal setting, self-compassion, challenge, and success. Even
when exercise psychologists work with clinical conditions, such as spinal cord injuries,
cancer, and cardiac rehabilitation, a major focus is related to enhancing well-being by
increasing positive qualities like confidence, independence, social and physical func-
tioning, and life satisfaction (Vallance et al., 2013; Motl, 2013).
A frequent criticism of positive psychology is that it has been dominated by psy-
chological theory and is therefore difficult to apply in the area of sport enhancement.
However, positive psychology and coaching psychology share the common founda-
tion of optimal functioning (Green et al., 2012), and positive psychology can contribute
to performance enhancement coaching by expanding our understanding of the link
6 Chapter 1
between positive traits, states, and performance (Mouton, 2016). The role and influ-
ence of positive psychology in the area of coaching has grown steadily in importance,
and Kauffman and colleagues (2010) have referred to positive psychology as being the
science at the heart of coaching. A key foundation of positive psychology in coaching
is the idea that athletes will perform better if they use and develop their strengths
rather than focusing on their weaknesses. This approach is referred to as strengths-
based coaching (Gordon et al., 2017), and it has been suggested that this approach can
enhance athletes’ mental toughness and consequently their on-field performance.
TEACHING In Canada and the United States, most sport and exercise psychology
specialists are employed in universities and colleges and have a primary responsi-
bility for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses. Courses may range from
introductory sport and exercise psychology to more specialized courses, such as
applied sport psychology, mental training, motivational counselling, developmental
and lifespan sport and exercise psychology, and behavioural medicine. Some sport
and exercise psychologists also provide educational services to community and
sport organizations. These teaching situations may involve increasing the aware-
ness of sport and exercise psychology; teaching basic principles of sport and exercise
psychology; helping athletes to develop, modify, and apply psychological skills to
enhance performance; or working with clients to enhance exercise behaviour and
well-being (Cox, 1998).
cohesion, aggression and moral behaviour, youth sport, aging and physical activ-
ity, leadership and coaching, body image, exercise and mental health, and physical
activity and sport psychology interventions seek to describe, predict, explain, and
sometimes change cognition, emotion, and behaviour in physical activity settings.
Research findings are presented at conferences and in refereed journals and books
(see Tables 1.1 and 1.2 for lists of professional organizations and journals, respec-
tively). These presentations and publications allow scholars to engage in discussions
and debates about the strengths and limitations of various theories, methods, and
paradigms.
CONSULTING A third major role of the sport and exercise psychology specialist is
to help individuals, teams, and organizations improve performance; change physi-
cal activity behaviour; manage sport and life demands; and enhance personal well-
being. These specialists might be licensed sport psychologists or individuals who
have a strong knowledge of educational and psychological skills but are not formally
licensed. The issues concerning who can provide sport and exercise psychology ser-
vices and who can call themselves sport and exercise psychologists are discussed later
in this chapter.
In Canada, many professional sport teams and national sport organizations
employ sport psychology consultants. In the United States, many major universi-
ties have full-time consultants, but this is not the case in Canada. However, an
increasing number of Canadian universities do use sport psychology consultants
Ostill/123RF
on a limited basis. There are also consultants working in the fitness industry, in
rehabilitation settings, in the military, and in the business community (Anshel,
2012). In Canada, very few individuals make their living as full-time sport and
exercise psychology consultants, however. Most sport and exercise psychology
specialists combine sport consulting with university or college careers or psycho-
logical consulting in other areas.
Sport and exercise psychology consultants tend to play three general roles.
Educational consultants typically teach people psychological skills to facilitate
performance, increase exercise, and enhance well-being. Counselling consultants
help people with developmental concerns, adjustment, and challenges (Petitpas,
1996). Clinical psychology consultants can assist clients in educational and coun-
selling areas, but they also have special training in psychopathology. Of course,
both counselling and clinical psychologists might also provide educational ser-
vices in physical activity settings. We will discuss the specialized training required
in the next section.
Language: English
OR
WITHOUT INTENDING IT
BY
GEORGE E. SARGENT
AUTHOR OF
ETC., ETC.
LONDON
CONTENTS.
CHAP.
I. AT LIBERTY HALL
V. THE MAELSTROM
VI. JOHN TINCROFT'S RESOLUTION
XV. FIREWORKS
XVII. HELEN
XVIII. AN ADVENTURE
JOHN TINCROFT.
CHAPTER I.
AT LIBERTY HALL.
SO many years ago that those who are old now were
young then, and so few years ago that deeds then
transacted are fresh in the memory of many who are living
now, John Tincroft, an undergraduate of Oxford, was invited
to spend the long vacation with a college friend.
"It will be the making of you, if you mind what you are
about John," said Mr. Rackstraw; "and as to that plaguey
Chancery suit and the Tincroft estate, it isn't worth your
while staying in England to be the winner—or the loser,
which is the more likely of the two."
"This will never do, Tincroft," said his host to him one
day, two or three weeks after his arrival; "you are positively
wearing yourself to skin and bone with your books and all
the rest of it."
"Am I?" said John, glancing nervously at his nether
extremities, and feeling his arm above the elbow. "No, I
don't think I am, though," he added, in so serious a tone
that his friend laughed.
"I didn't mean to alarm you, old fellow; and now I look
at you again, you have some muscle left, though none too
much. But come, you must follow Tom's example—the idle
scamp—and lay aside your books for a while. They'll wait
for you; they won't run away from you, I'll warrant."
"You forget fever and sunstroke and snakes, and all that
sort of thing," retorted the guest. "And even the tigers you
speak of—supposing such a thing as a tiger-hunt for me,
which isn't likely—but even they have claws and teeth."
"Oh, they are not as still as mice, and they don't roar
quite so loud as lions. They are a decent set altogether; and
with two Oxford men to keep them in order, we shall do. It
will be something to amuse you, I dare say."
CHAPTER II.
THE LOVERS' WALK.
"I don't like this going away from you, Sarah dear, any
better than you like it yourself," he said, in a tone half-
sorrowful, half-remonstrative.
"I know all that, Walter; but there is no occasion for you
to be the one. You are the oldest, and ought to be at home.
And we going to be married, too; and that will have to be
put off—with such a home as you know I have got! Oh,
Walter, Walter, it does not seem as if you loved me much!"
Saying this, the now weeping girl threw herself on a rustic
seat and sobbed sadly.