UNIT 1

• SEP (textbook) -> the scientific study of 1) people and their behaviors in sport and exercise activities and 2) the practical application of that knowledge

  • by examining affect (one's feelings), behavior (one's actions), and cognitions (one's thoughts) within a dynamic and a changing environment
• SEP (article) -> involves the scientific study of the psychological factors that are associated with participation and performance in sport, exercise, and other types of physical activity
• t/f: sports, exercise, and physical activity are seen as the same in SEP.

  false
• Objectives of SEP:

  1. to understand the effects of psychological factors on physical and motor performance
  2. rational
  3. to understand the effects of participation in physical activity on psychological development, health, and well-being
• example of what objective of SEP:

  • how does anxiety affect a basketball player's accuracy in free-throw shooting?

  1
• example of what objective of SEP:

  • does physical therapy influence a wounded warrior's optimistic view of the future?

  2
• roles in SEP:

  1. research -> inquiry aimed at advancing knowledge and sharing it through professional meetings and journal articles
  2. teaching -> teaching university courses in psychology or exercise and sport science
  3. consulting -> working with athletes of all ages and abilities in the fitness industry, sports medicine, and physical therapy
• consulting specialties in SEP (educational side)

  1. mental coach
  2. training in physical education, kinesiology, or exercise and sport science
  3. educate and increase athletes' and coaches' awareness of issues such as anxiety management

  *working with people that don't have severe problems
• 3 approaches to SEP:

  1. psychophysiological orientation
  2. social-psychological orientation
  3. cognitive-behavioral orientation
• psychophysiological orientation:

  • examines underlying psychophysiological processes of the brain in terms of primary causes of behavior
  • ex. biofeedback to trained marksmen to manipulate physiological functions
• social-psychological orientation:

  • behavior is determined by a complex interaction of the social environment and the personal makeup of the athlete/exerciser
  • ex. how a coach's style and strategies foster team cohesion

  *more focused on interpersonal aspects**
• cognitive-behavioral orientation:

  • behavior is determined by not only the environment but also thoughts
  • ex. studying differences in behaviors among tennis players with or without burnout

  *focused more on intrapersonal aspects**
• theory in SEP:

  • a set of interrelated facts presenting a systematic view of somee phenomenon in order to describe, explain, and predict its future occurrences
  • allows scientists to organize and explain large numbers of facts efficiently
  • SEP is more efficient when theories are used vs in regular science
• studies vs experiments:

  • observational study -> the investigator observes or assesses without changing the environment in any way
  • experiment -> the investigator manipulates variables while observing them, then examines how changes in one or more variables affect changes in others
• pros and cons of observational study:

  (+) = more convenient

  (-) = weaker in explaining causal effect
• pros and cons of experiment:

  (+) = better in explaining causal effect

  (-) = less convenient
• understanding professional practice knowledge

  • professional practice knowledge is what we learn through experience, using many methods of knowing:
  • scientific method
  • systematic observation
  • single case study
  • shared (public) experience
  • introspection
  • intuition
• scientific method, systematic observation, & single case studies are more reliable and useful
• reinforcement and feedback are related but not interchangeable
• reinforcement -> the use of rewards and punishment, which increase or decrease the likelihood of a similar response occurring in the future

  feedback -> the info learners receive about their actions and performance
• why principles of reinforcement are complex:

  1. people react differently to the same reinforcement
  2. people are unable to repeat desirable behaviors
  3. people receive different reinforcers in different situations
• the predominant approach should be positive when influencing behavior

  *especially with the youth population
• feedback has 2 dimensions:

  1. motivational
  2. instructional
• motivational feedback influences performance by

  • enhancing confidence, inspiring greater effort, and creating a positive mood
  • providing valuable reinforcement to the performer
  • *not commenting on behavior/skill
• instruction feedback provides info about:

  • specific behavior to be performed
  • levels of proficiency that should be achieved
  • the performer's current level of proficiency
  • *more about physical behavior/skill
• providing feedback:

  • choose effective reinforcers
  • choose the timing/schedule of reinforcement
  • early learning = continuous and immediate feedback
  • learned skill = intermittent and immediate feedback
• t/f: behavior modification, contingency management, behavioral coaching, program are all the same (they're interventions).

  true
• Mckenzie & Rushall (1974):

  • problem -> youth swimmers not showing up to practice
  • contingency management -> creation of an attendance board with checks for different types of behaviors
  • findings:
  • attendance rates increased from phase 1 to phase 3
  • overall performance increased by 27%
  • why?

  reinforcement of the check mark/"competition" w/ teammates of number of check marks
• psychological flow: a holistic, intrinsically motivating sensation that people feel when they are totally involved in an activity or are on automatic pilot

  • attending to a task to the point where you can't hear/notice anything other than activity
• balance of challenge and skills (flow):

  1. high challenge + low skills = anxiety
  2. high challenge + high skills = flow
  3. low challenge + low skills = apathy
  4. low challenge + high skills = boredom
• group: two or more people who interact and exert mutual influence on each other

  2 subs groups:

  1. interactive (ex. basketball)
  2. co-active (ex. bowling)
• interactive groups are more important for team dynamics and cohesion
• a team is a subset of a group
• 4 KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF A TEAM:

  1. collective sense of identity: "we-ness" rather than "I-ness"
  2. distinctive roles: all members know their job
  3. structured modes of communication: lines of communication
  4. norms: social rules that guide members on what to do or not
• teamwork -> dynamic process involving a collaborative effort by team members to be effectively carry out the independent and interdependent behaviors that are required to maximize a team's likelihood of achieving its purposes
• theories of group development:

  1. linear perspective
  2. life cycle perspective
  3. pendular perspective
• LINEAR PERSPECTIVE STAGES:

  • forming -> familiarization, formation of interpersonal relationships, development of team structure
  • storming -> rebellion, resistance to the leader and to control by the group, interpersonal conflict
  • norming -> development of solidarity and cooperation, group conflicts resolved
  • performing -> putting energies for team success
• Linear perspective = simpliest

  life cycle perspective = more complex than linear

  pendular perspective = most complex
• LIFE CYCLE PERSPECTIVE:

  • development of groups is similar to the life cycle - birth, growth, death
  • this model is especially relevant for groups and teams that last 10 to 15 weeks
  • ex. summer tennis team
• PENDULAR PERSPECTIVE:

  • groups don't progress through stages in a linear fashion
  • 5 stages:
  • (1) orientation
  • (2) differentiation and conflict
  • (3) resolution and cohesion
  • (4) differentiation and conflict
  • (5) termination