Sport Psychology

Catherine Sanderson

Emphasis on real-world examples and contemporary athletes in every chapter
Connects to students on a personal level through "Test Yourself" features that enable students to rate themselves on various issues, attitudes, and behaviors and apply what they've learned to their own lives
Emphasizes research with a thorough review of research methods in the first chapter and "Research in Action" boxes throughout that explore thought-provoking topics like the impact of superstition on athletic performance
Integrates cutting-edge material in "Focus on Neuroscience" boxes that describe recent studies showing how the brain and hormones may impact athletic performance
Focuses on youth in "Impact on Youth" boxes that demonstrate how theories and principles of sport psychology can be used with young athletes
Addresses diversity issues in the opening chapter and in a unique chapter that considers how stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination regarding gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation influence sport participation and performance

Sport Psychology

Catherine Sanderson

Description

FEATURES

*Emphasis on real-world examples and contemporary athletes in every chapter

*Connects to students on a personal level through "Test Yourself" features that enable students to rate themselves on various issues, attitudes, and behaviors and apply what they've learned to their own lives

*Emphasizes research with a thorough review of research methods in the first chapter and "Research in Action" boxes throughout that explore thought-provoking topics like the impact of superstition on athletic performance

*Integrates cutting-edge material in "Focus on Neuroscience" boxes that describe recent studies showing how the brain and hormones may impact athletic performance

*Focuses on youth in "Impact on Youth" boxes that demonstrate how theories and principles of sport psychology can be used with young athletes

*Addresses diversity issues in the opening chapter and in a unique chapter that considers how stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination regarding gender, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation influence sport participation and performance

Sport Psychology

Catherine Sanderson

Preface
Ancillary Package
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1 - Introduction and Research Methods
Understanding Sport Psychology
Types of sport psychologists
Specializations in sport psychology
Careers in sport psychology
i. Impact on Youth: The Benefits of Sport Psychology For Young Athletes
A History of Sport Psychology
The early years
The formative years
Contemporary sport psychology
i. Focus on Neuroscience: What Does Failure Look Like in the Brain?
Understanding Research Methods
Procedures for testing research ideas
Descriptive methods
i. Test Yourself: Are You a Perfectionist?
Experimental methods
Improving the quality of research studies
i. Research in Action: Why Teams Traveling East Win More
Current Issues in Sport Psychology
Upholding ethical standards
Increasing attention on diversity
Expanding the focus on research
Chapter 2 - Personality
General Theories of Personality
Psychodynamic theory
Humanistic theory
Trait theory
Social learning theory
i. Research in Action: Why Do Younger Brothers Steal More Bases?
Interactional theory
Sport-Specific Individual Difference Measures
Profile of mood states
i. Test Yourself: Are You Emotionally Intelligent?
Emotional intelligence
Athletic coping skills inventory
Understanding the Personality-Athletic Participation Link
Level of achievement
Type of sport
Position
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Can Our Genes Lead to Skydiving?
What is the mechanism?
Using Individual Difference Measures in Sport Settings
Distinguish correlation from causation
i. Impact on Youth: Does Playing Sports Change Your Personality? Yes!
Recognize the limits of self-report
Understand test error
Remember ethical guidelines
Chapter 3 - Attribution and Cognition
Understanding Attribution
Theories of attribution
i. Test Yourself: What Types of Attributions Do You Make?
Consequences of attributions
Factors Influencing Attributions
Individual difference variables
Demographic variables
i. Research in Action: Are Female Athletes Really Just Lucky?
Culture
Errors in Attributions and Cognition
Attributional errors
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Why A Rival Team's Failure Feels Good in the Brain
Action bias
The "Hot Hand" effect
Benefits of Changing Attributions
Understand the impact of thoughts
Emphasize the power of effort
Increase self-efficacy
Improve expectations, emotions and persistence
i. Impact on Youth: Why Attributions Really Matter
Chapter 4 - Motivation
Understanding Motivation
Achievement motivation
Types of motivation
i. Focus on Neuroscience: The Impact of Testosterone on Motivation
i. Research in Action: Why Owners Should Be Wary of Big Contracts
Influence of the group on motivation
Theories of Achievement Motivation
Need achievement theory (Atkinson-McClelland)
Self-efficacy theory (Bandura)
Competence motivation theory (Harter)
Sport-confidence model (Vealey)
Achievement goal theory
i. Test Yourself: What Motivates Members of Your Team?
Strategies for Increasing Intrinsic Motivation
Create motivating environments
Emphasize effort, not outcome
Recognize individual differences
i. Impact on Youth: Why Teammates, Coaches, and Parents Should Emphasize Skills, Not Wins
Use appropriate reinforcement
Give positive and personal feedback
Chapter 5 - Goal Setting
Understanding Goal Setting
Types of goals
The impact of goal type
Understanding the Goal Setting-Performance Link
Directing attention
Increasing effort
Prolonging persistence
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Evidence for Effort in the Brain
Developing new strategies
i. Research in Action: The Power of Internal Motivation
Additional explanations
Principles of Effective Goal Setting
Set appropriate goals
Develop goal achievement strategies
i. Test Yourself: Goal Commitment Scale
i. Impact on Youth: Why Coach-Set Goals Do Work For Some Athletes
Chapter 6 - Arousal and Anxiety
Understanding Arousal and Anxiety
Physiology of Arousal
Psychology of Arousal
i. Test Yourself: How Do You Think About Stress?
Measuring Arousal and Anxiety
Self-Report Measures
Behavioral Measures
Physiological Measures
i. Focus on Neuroscience: How Brain Activation Can Differentiate Professional Versus Amateur Athletes
Understanding the Arousal/Anxiety-Performance Link
Drive Theory
Social Facilitation Theory
Inverted-U Hypothesis
i. Research in Action: Why—and When—Do Home Teams Choke?
Extensions of Inverted-U Theory
Individual Zone of Optimal Functioning Theory
Flow
i. Impact on Youth: The Confidence-Flow Link
Chapter 7 - Psychological Skills Training
Understanding Psychological Skills Training
Coping strategies
Phases of psychological skills training
Misunderstandings about psychological skills training
Regulating Arousal
Behavioral strategies
Cognitive strategies
i. Test Yourself: How Mindful Are You?
Cognitive-behavioral strategies
Arousal energizing strategies
Attention and Concentration
Understanding attention
Common attentional problems
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Can Squeezing a Ball Lead to Better Performance?
Strategies for improving attention and concentration
i. Research in Action: The Power of Superstition
Imagery
Understanding imagery
i. Impact on Youth: Why Earlier Is Better for Imagery Training
Theories explaining the power of imagery
Explaining the imagery-performance link
Chapter 8 - Aggression
Understanding Aggression
Types of aggression
Measuring aggression
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Does Winning Impact Fans' Testosterone?
i. Test Yourself: The Competitive Aggressiveness and Anger Scale
The aggression-performance link
Theories of Aggression
Instinct theory
Social learning theory
i. Impact on Youth: The Powerful Impact of Modeling Aggression
Frustration-aggression theory
Moral reasoning theory
General aggression model (GAM)
Factors Influencing Aggression in Athletic Performance
Personality
Team factors
Uniform color
i. Research in Action: Are Referees Biased Against Teams Wearing Red?
Game factors
Strategies for Reducing Violence in Sports
Punish aggression
Model prosocial behavior
Emphasize character and sportsmanship
Limit alcohol use
Chapter 9 - Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Understanding Common Athlete Stereotypes
Gender
Race/ethnicity
Sexual orientation
Factors Contributing to Stereotyping and Prejudice
Social learning theory
Social identity theory
i. Impact on Youth: The Impact of Gender Differences in Sport Photos
Cognitive biases
i. Research in Action: Does Race Impact Referees' Calls?
Consequences of Athlete Stereotypes
Negative self-evaluations
Self-fulfilling prophecy
Stereotype threat
i. Test Yourself: How Strongly Do You Perceive the Dumb Jock Stereotype?
Strategies for Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination in Sport Settings
Presence of role models
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Do Athletes Have Bigger Brains?
Equal status contact
Pursuit of common goals
Sanction by authority
Chapter 10 - Team Cohesion
Understanding Team Cohesion
Types of cohesion
The development of cohesion
Measuring cohesion
i. Test Yourself: How Cohesive is Your Team?
Factors Influencing Team Cohesion
Environmental factors
Personal factors
Team factors
i. Focus on Neuroscience: The Power of Group Identification
Leadership factors
Explaining the Cohesion-Performance Link
Mechanisms explaining the cohesion-performance link
i. Research in Action: Does Touching Lead to Winning?
Factors moderating cohesion-performance link
Direction of causality
The downside of (social) cohesion
Strategies for Building Team Cohesion
For coaches and team leaders
For team members
i. Impact on Youth: The Real Value of Positive Coaching
Chapter 11 - Leadership
General Theories of Leadership
Trait (or "Great Man") theory
Behavior theories
Interactional approach
Sport-Specific Models of Leadership
Multidimensional model of leadership
i. Test Yourself: Leadership Scale for Sports
Leadership behavior model
i. Impact on Youth: Why Good Coaching Really Helps Young Athletes
Model of coaching efficacy
Communication
Types of communication
Common communication problems
i. Research in Action: Why Anger Management Matters
Improving communication
i. Focus on Neuroscience: Good Coaching Looks Different in the Brain
Chapter 12 - Common Issues: Injury and Burnout
Understanding Injuries
i. Focus on Neuroscience: The Lasting Impact of Head Injuries
Physical factors associated with athletic injuries
Psychosocial factors associated with athletic injuries
i. Research in Action: The Media's Role in Characterizing Athletic Injuries
Reactions to Athletic Injury
Stage models
Injury response model
Loss of identity
Positive emotions
Psychological Strategies for Recovering from Injury
Provide information and education
Maintain good social support
Learn coping skills
Understanding Burnout
Symptoms of burnout
Factors contributing to burnout
i. Test Yourself: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire
i. Impact on Youth: The Hazards of Perfectionism
Models of Burnout
Negative-training stress response model
Investment model of burnout
Empowerment/Unidimensional identity development model
Cognitive-affective stress model of burnout
Burnout in Sports Professionals
Coaches
Officials
Athletic trainers
Treating and Preventing Burnout
Create a good social support system
Maintain a positive mind-set
Emphasize internal motivation
Develop stress management skills
Emphasize an athlete-centered model
Chapter 13 - Unhealthy Behaviors: Drug Abuse and Disordered Eating
Understanding Drug Abuse
Types of performance-enhancing drugs and procedures
Prevalence of performance-enhancing drug use
Prevalence of recreational drug use among athletes
Consequences of drug abuse
i. Focus on Neuroscience: The Impact of Steroids on Aggression
Factors Predicting Drug Abuse
Physical motivation
Psychological motivation
Social motivation
Decreasing Substance Abuse
Prevention
Detection
i. Research in Action: Are Steroid Users Cheaters? Yes!
Understanding Eating Disorders
Types of disordered eating
i. Test Yourself: Eating Attitudes Test
Prevalence of disordered eating in sports
Consequences of eating disorders
Predisposing Factors
Personality
Type of sport
i. Impact on Youth: Weight Concerns Appear Even for Young Girls Involved in Aesthetic Sports
Coach and peer pressure
Sociocultural factors
Reducing Eating Disorders in Athletes
Emphasize healthy eating and exercise habits
Emphasize fitness and performance, not weight
Identify and intervene early
Change rules and regulations
Glossary
Credits
Index

Sport Psychology

Catherine Sanderson

Author Information

Catherine Sanderson, Manwell Family Professor of Life Sciences, Amherst College

Catherine A. Sanderson is the Manwell Family Professor of Life Sciences (Psychology) at Amherst College. She received her undergraduate degree from Stanford and her graduate degrees from Princeton. She has published more than twenty-five journal articles and book chapters in addition to three college textbooks. In 2012 she was named one of the country's top 300 professors by the Princeton Review. She is the faculty advisor to the men's ice hockey team at Amherst College and the NCAA Faculty Representative.

Sport Psychology

Catherine Sanderson

Reviews and Awards

"The utilization of current athletes in a variety of different sports is an excellent way to demonstrate the concepts that are discussed...[which] will peak the students' interests." - Brad Vickers, Mississippi State University

"Sport Psychology provides interesting examples that are relevant and current in order to capture students' attention. The writing is very good and accessible to students from a wide range of backgrounds." - Todd Wilkinson, University of Wisconsin, River Falls

"I love that Sport Psychology connects theory and research to real-world examples and students' own experiences. This enables them to relate to the information, understand its importance, and also see how they can use it in their future careers and personal lives." - Kirsten Lupinski, Albany State University