What is Science?

• Definition of Science:

  • What is my definition?
  • Discovery
  • Testing hypotheses
  • Getting data/results
  • Experiments
• Definition of Science:

  • Science: "Systematised knowledge gained from observation, study, & experimentation carried out to determine the nature, or principles, of what is being studied." (Webster dictionary)
  • Collect information to figure out what’s going on
  • To know why & how something happens
  • Is somewhat subjective (have bias)
• Definition of Science:

  • Systemic Knowledge, as opposed to opinion, intuition, or belief
  • Doesn’t mean is irrelevant
  • Test hypothesis
  • Collect data to see if hypothesis is correct
• 4 Main Goals of Science:

  1. Systematic
  2. Control
  3. Empirical
  4. Critical
• 4 Main Goals of Science:

  • Systematic
  • More than 1 study
  • Control
  • What data we collect
  • So is reliable & valid
• 4 Main Goals of Science:

  • Empirical
  • Data/evidence
  • Collect own data (not just opinions)
  • Critical
  • Question yourself, prove yourself wrong
  • Open-minded to other ideas
  • To make things better
• Sport Psychology as “Science”:

  • Applied sport/exercise psychology techniques (PST/MST) are only as sound & useful as the research & theories on which they are based
  • Allows us to give practical advice than can be relied on (is trustworthy)
  • Theories help summarise evidence
  • Identify key principles
  • To turn into practical advice
• Sport Psychology as “Science”:

  • "Good Science" is ESSENTIAL if sport/exercise participants are to receive accurate, reliable information about human social behaviour in sport/exercise
  • Facts vs myths …
  • Myth: eg that sport builds character (yes, no & maybe)
  • Does for some not for others
  • eg cheating & violence
  • Optimal point of arousal (psyching up)
• Sport Psychology as “Science”:

  • Sport Psychology builds its body of knowledge by following the "Scientific Method" (same as the other sport/exercise sciences; eg. sociology of sport, biomechanics, exercise physiology,...)
  • Scientific method = multiple methods
  • Can be replicated to see if get same findings
  • Principles that adhere to, to how go about our research