Contemporary Advances in Sport Psychology brings together leading international researchers to showcase some of the most important emerging topics in contemporary sport psychology. Each chapter offers a comprehensive review of current knowledge and research on a cutting-edge theme, followed by in-depth discussion of conceptual and methodological issues, and then outlines potential avenues for further research. The book covers themes including: Contemporary personality perspectives Choking models of stress and performance Coping in sport Relational-efficacy beliefs Self-determination theory Transformational leadership Organizational psychology in sport Quantitative and qualitative methods in sport psychology The review format provides the perfect entry point for all researchers, advanced students or practitioners looking to engage with the latest research themes in contemporary sport psychology, offering a greater depth of discussion than the typical journal article. Informing knowledge generation, applied research and professional practice, Contemporary Advances in Sport Psychology is an essential addition to any sport science library.

We need to take sports seriously as arenas of immense power, with a mass appeal. Yet intellectuals have long since abandoned the sporting world. Why? What do we gain by handing over the persuasive power of sports to the worst elements of our culture, by allowing sports to become plagued by hyper-consumption, militarism, violence, sexism and homophobia? According to Matt Hern, not a whole lot. In a series of narratives, Hern makes an impassioned and entertaining plea for a more active engagement with sports, both physically and intellectually.

International Perspectives on Key Issues in Sport and Exercise Psychology is a series of edited books, with a global focus, which reflect the state of art in areas of current and emerging interest in the study of sport and exercise psychology. Each volume in the series contributes to the better understanding of a key issue facing researchers and practitioners in sport psychology. This volume in the series focuses upon the sociocultural issues that challenge and often undermine participation, performance, and well-being in sports. Contributors address a number of important issues, such as exclusion, miscommunication, and ineffective practice in sport. The book extends the recent interest in culture within sport psychology by using a critical approach to highlight less mainstream sports such as martial arts, circus arts, extreme sports, and dance, and it will help sports participants and social scientists to gain an understanding of these marginalized sporting identities. By highlighting "subcultural" contexts, with their individual practices and values, it is hoped that the volume will promote the goal of achieving a more just, inclusive, and ethical sport psychology. The Psychology of Sub-Culture in Sport and Physical Activity will be ideal reading for sport and exercise academics and practitioners, advanced students of applied sport psychology, and related fields such as sport science, critical studies, sociology, cultural studies and social anthropology.

This edited book by two prominent associate professors of Sport and Exercise Science addresses relevant issues and experiences as one becomes a sport and exercize psychologist. Chapters discuss the supervision and training involved along with models of practice, theory, techniques, and ethical issues that psychogists will need to succeed in this field. The chapters are written by experts from many countries around the world.

Why is performing under pressure often so difficult? What strategies can help us deliver our best performance? How can we boost our self-confidence? The Psychology of Performance explores the key psychological factors that affect our ability to cope under pressure, whether it's competing in a sport, appearing in front of an audience, or meeting a tight deadline. It looks at how we develop skills through learning and practice, and how self-confidence and decision-making can be sharpened to boost our expertise. The book explains how to develop the best mindset for performance, and shows how factors such as sleep, nutrition, and rest and recovery can influence our moods and how we function. When we need to perform a task with little room for error, The Psychology of Performance helps us to understand how to do this to the best of our ability.

Judgment, Decision-Making and Success in Sport presents a thorough overview and assessment of the study of Judgment and Decision-Making (JDM) in sports psychology, and represents an important source of information for those interested in the possible causes and reasons for success and failure in sport. * The only book to apply the principles of JDM to sport * Applies theory to practice by looking at problems of athletes, coaches, and referees and providing recommendations for dealing with them * Offers an overview of current JDM research * Useful for psychologists, physical education teachers, sports scientists, and researchers in this field

Sport Psychology, 2nd Edition provides a synthesis of the major topics in sport psychology with an applied focus and an emphasis on achieving optimal performance.

After exploring the history of sport psychology, human motivation, and the role of exercise, there are three main sections to the text: Performance Enhancement, Performance Inhibition, and Individuals and Teams.

The first of these sections covers topics such as anxiety, routines, mental imagery, self-talk, enhancing concentration, relaxation, goals, and self-confidence.

The section on Performance Inhibition includes chapters on choking under pressure, self-handicapping, procrastination, perfectionism, helplessness, substance abuse, and disruptive personality factors.

While much of the information presented is universally applicable, individual differences based on gender, ethnicity, age, and motivation are emphasized in the concluding section on Individuals and Teams.

Throughout, there are case studies of well-known athletes from a variety of sports to illustrate topics that are being explored.

Coaches are critical to achieving top performance from individual athletes and teams. Coach profiles the 150 most successful of them-in every major sport-providing ample biographical background but lasering-in on their most teachable ideas and methods. Rich in quotations, each profile ends with a list of lessons that readers can apply not only to the sports they love but also to their own lives and careers. Profiles range from Bela Karolyi (who coached 9 Olympic and 15 world champion gymnasts), to Bill Belichick (the take-no prisoners coach of the Boston Patriots), to Pat Summitt (who racked up 1,098 wins as coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team from 1974 to 2012), to Marian Vajda (the coach behind tennis phenom Novak Djokovic). Guided by the numbers-for all competitive sports keep score-this book finds the teachable moments, settling some arguments while starting others, in delineating the lives and careers of coaches who win with brains, heart, and the force of character.

Can a better understanding of group dynamics raise individual and team athletic performance or improve the outcomes of exercise interventions? Much human behaviour in sport and exercise settings is embedded within groups, where individuals' cognitions, emotions, and behaviours influence and are influenced by other group members. Now in a fully revised, updated, and expanded second edition, Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology explores the unique psychological dynamics that emerge in sport and exercise groups. It provides a clear and thorough guide to contemporary theory, research, and applied practice, covering core themes and cutting-edge topics as well as highlighting directions for future research. The book is organised into five thematic sections: Part 1: The Self in Groups Part 2: Leadership in Groups Part 3: Group Environment Part 4: Motivation in Groups Part 5: Socio-Environmental Issues in Groups This new edition includes seven completely new chapters, exploring important emerging issues such as social identity, the family, co-ordination and shared knowledge within sport teams, the group as a vehicle for facilitating individual behavior change, social support and emotion regulation, peer leadership, and cultural perspectives in relation to group dynamics. No other book on group dynamics in sport or exercise offers such a close examination of the evidence base, and therefore Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology is important reading for all students, researchers, or practitioners working in sport or exercise psychology, kinesiology, sport and exercise science, sports coaching, or physical education.

This book weaves together theory, research, and practical information related to the psychological aspects of physical education. Unlike other exercise/sport psychology books on the market, The Psychology of Teaching Physical Education is written especially for future and practicing physical educators and focuses on the psychological principles and strategies that are most relevant to them. The book covers the important topics of motivation, reinforcement, feedback, modeling, prosocial behaviors/moral development, and self-perception. In each chapter, narratives about real practicing teachers show how they apply the principles and theories of psychology to physical education, and particularly to actual situations that readers are likely to encounter professionally. Each chapter contains three main sections: following an opening scenario in which Blankenship captures the reader's attention with a real-life problem, the author then (1) highlights theories related to the subject matter of the chapter, (2) summarizes the research that has been conducted on the theories and the chapter topic, and (3) gives examples of practical applications of the theory and research to physical education. Throughout the chapter, as the theory, research, and application of the topic are discussed, Blankenship presents possible solutions to the challenge presented in the chapter-opening vignette. The classroom applications and real-world examples are relevant to many different physical education settings, including those at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, in both urban and rural schools representing various geographical regions of the country. These examples bring the theories to life and help readers envision how their own classes will benefit as they apply what theyA ve learned about the psychology of teaching physical education. Key Features of the Book A theory-to-research-to-practice approach. An author whose background in both sport psychology and physical education makes her uniquely qualified to write this book. Chapter-ending application exercises that encourage readers to go beyond rote memorization of concepts and principles to apply what they learned in various specific examples. Sample instructional models and guidelines to enable readers to incorporate concepts discussed in the chapter into their own classes. A comprehensive glossary.

The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Performance Psychology includes the latest research and applied perspectives from leaders in the field of performance psychology. Current and comprehensive, this foundational volume presents sport and performance psychology from myriad perspectives, including: - individual psychological processes in performance such as attention, imagery, superior performance intelligence, motivation, anxiety, confidence, cognition and emotion - the social psychological processes in performance including leadership, teamwork, coaching, relationships, moral behavior, and gender and cultural issues - human development issues in performance, such as the development of talent and expertise, positive youth development, the role of the family, end of involvement transitions, and both youth and masters-level sport and physical activity programs - interventions in sport and performance psychology and counseling of performers in distress including such important issues for all performers as: appearance- and performance-enhancing drug use, injuries, managing pain, eating and weight issues, burnout, and the role of physical activity in maintaining health. The chapters collected here also cover the history of sport and performance psychology; the scope and nature of the field; ethical issues in sport and performance psychology; performance psychology in the performing arts and other non-sporting fields; perfectionism and performance; the role of the performance coach and of the sport psychologist with a coach and team; supervision; and a look ahead to the future of the field.

This accessible introduction to sport psychology is suitable for students with little prior knowledge of either psychology or sports studies. Motivation, personality and attitudes, aggression, social influences and anxiety and stress are all discussed with the minimum of jargon.

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Pure Sport is a practical guide that provides insights on asserting positive mindsets, realising potential, remaining resilient against setbacks and using these experiences to move on to greater success. The book follows the journey of the athlete through six clear steps, creating a logical framework for applied sport psychology or a path you can follow in your own practice. The third edition is fully updated and now more accessible than ever, including new advice on maintaining a resilient attitude and taking care of athletes' mental well-being. Drawing on decades of both practical and theoretical knowledge, the authors deliver practical advice with a thorough grounding in sport psychology, supplemented by case studies, reflection questions, common problems and effective solutions, and useful summaries of key points. Pure Sport is essential reading for all those actively involved and interested in sport, from sports psychologists and academics, to athletes and coaches.

Many of our greatest athletes, scientists, and entertainers failed repeatedly throughout their careers, yet they refused to allow past mistakes stop them from striving for future success. Instead, they turned those so-called failures into opportunities to learn, improve, and eventually earn the achievements they are celebrated for today. Why, then, is failure considered negative in our society? Perhaps failure is not, in fact, something to be avoided, but something to be encouraged. In Praise of Failure: The Value of Overcoming Mistakes in Sports and in Life aims to change the way our society defines and perceives what is commonly called "failure." Mark H. Anshel provides a refreshing, new perspective on how we can embrace failure as part of the process of achieving and succeeding at the highest level. Anshel uses sports psychology in a grounded, easy-to-read manner to examine failure in sports settings, revealing that not only is failure inevitable in an imperfect world, it is essential. He addresses such issues as how to properly promote failure in sport and exercise settings, how errors lead to improvement, ways to constructively cope with failure, and how to help child athletes fail "safely." In the process, Anshel shows that the highest-performing athletes have one characteristic in common-they learned and improved from apparent setbacks. In Praise of Failure shares stories of professional athletes, business professionals, scholars, and famous inventors who failed repeatedly before attaining their dreams, revealing the integral role failure plays in success. Offering a fresh and exciting take on how to approach the failures we face in life, this book will be invaluable for athletes, coaches, exercise and fitness trainers, dieticians, students, and even for the corporate world.

Despite campaigns to educate and increase awareness, discrimination continues to be a deep-rooted problem in sport. This book provides an international, interdisciplinary and critical discussion of various forms of discrimination in sport today, with contributions from world-leading academics and high-profile campaigners. Divided into five sections, the book explores racism, sexism, homophobia, disability, and the role of media in both perpetuating and tackling discrimination across a variety of sports and sporting events around the world. Drawing on examples from football, rugby, cricket, tennis, climbing, the Olympics and the Paralympics, it offers a critical review of current debates and discusses the latest empirical research on the changing nature of discrimination in sport. Taking into account the experiences of athletes and coaches across all performance levels, it presents recommendations for further action and directions for future research. A timely and challenging study, Sport and Discrimination is essential reading for all students and scholars of sports studies with an interest in the sociology of sport and the relationship between sport, society and the media.

There is a looming existential crisis for competitive sport. We are witnessing a waning trust in the integrity of sport at all levels that stems from the win-at-all-costs culture that has become so pervasive, worldwide. Doping, fraud, corruption and inhumane high-performance systems as well as worrying levels of dropout, burnout and mental health problems among athletes, all points to the fact that sport has lost track of its true meaning and is increasingly out of touch with its core values. What is needed is a powerful counterpoint to this results-focussed culture, one which goes far deeper than the superficial realm of wins, losses, medals and fame, and that provides a roadmap for athletes to discover deeper meaning and achieve more in their sporting lives. The True Athlete Philosophy is that counterpoint. This is an approach that harnesses the best of sport - the persistent drive for excellence, constant innovation, unmatched opportunities for personal development - and puts it firmly in service of the participants and society as a whole. Sport can be a tremendous tool for unlocking potential and thriving in life, but currently it is not coming close to delivering on that promise. Drawing on a combination of ancient wisdom and modern psychology, The True Athlete Philosophy explores how athletes can harness their lived experience of sport to contribute to a healthy, meaningful and fulfilled life and be of greater benefit to their community.

Adherence Issues in Sport and Exercise pulls together a wide range of current adherence themes to provide an overview of the many different theoretical approaches currently being used. Each chapter provides a theoretical framework and a range of practical implications for professionals. Written by eminent experts from Europe and North America, they discuss how adherence is affected by a wide variety of personal, situational, and programme variables.

This volume is essential reading for sport and exercise psychologists, exercise and health researchers and students of health studies, sport science, physical education, leisure studies and psychology.

"This text will be an excellent resource for scholars and practitioners regarding the latest research on adherence issues within sport and exercise settings. With contributions from leading experts around the world, Steve Bull has pulled together a comprehensive and inclusive review of predictors of adherence behaviours in the broadest sense." Professor Joan L. Duda, University of Birmingham

"This is a well-written and informative book of value to all in the field of promotion of exercise for health improvement." Selwyn Richards, Psychological Medicine, 2000, Vol 30

"Steve Bull has ably assembled a broad-based book, designed to expand research and application to new areas in exercise and sport." From the foreword by Rod K. Dishman

Anyone who has ever competed in a sport, taken an exam, or appeared on stage understands the importance of performing at the right time. Those who excel in these conditions often develop ways to cope with the stress involved, but what cognitive and emotional strategies allow some people to thrive under pressure whilst others are inhibited by it? In Performance Psychology: Theory and Practice, Stewart Cotterill examines not only how stressful situations can affect performance, but also the means by which we can reach our potential regardless. Featuring chapters on decision-making, emotion, resilience and mental toughness, cognition and perception, ageing and experience, confidence, and recovery, this is the definitive textbook in the field, mapping the core theoretical concepts but also offering practical guidance on how performance can be improved. Also including chapters on motor skills and nutrition, it is a complete and comprehensive overview of this growing field of study. Including study questions and further reading in each chapter, Performance Psychology: Theory and Practice will appeal not only to students and researchers across applied psychology, but also coaches and performers looking for ways to realize their potential when it really matters.

This updated fourth edition of Arnold LeUnesa (TM)s textbook has comprehensive coverage of sport psychology with a healthy balance between theory and application. The strong applied approach is emphasized throughout but is essentially apparent in the second half of the book.

The book features a strong pedagogical program including interesting applied vignettes, chapter outlines, emboldened key terms with glossary, very thorough chapter summaries, student-oriented suggested readings, and numerous tables and figures to visually summarize the key concepts. The booka (TM)s shorter chapters make it easier to assign one per class.

In addition, a website of supplemental resources, free of charge to qualified adopters, makes this new edition even more accessible and student-friendly.