Introducing Sport and Exercise Psychology
Figure 1:5, "Sport and Exercise Psychology as an Academic Discipline "
A common definition of sport psychology is that it is a science in which the principles of psychology are
applied in a sport or exercise setting R.H.Cox, 2002, p.5.Although this definition may place excessive
emphasis on the applied focus of the discipline, it implies that empirical research on mental aspects of
athletic performance is at least as old as psychology itself.For example, in the nineteenth century,
Triplett 1898 found that racing cyclists tended to perform at least 25 per cent faster when competing
against other cyclists or pacemakers than when performing alone against the clock.
Despite this semantic difficulty of defining the discipline precisely, three characteristics of sport
psychology are noteworthy.First, it is generally regarded as a science.As such, it is committed to the
principle that its claims should be falsifiable or capable of being tested through objective and systematic
methods of empirical inquiry see Box 1.4.Second, sport psychology involves the study of exercise as well
as of competitive athletic behaviour.In other words, physical activity undertaken for health and leisure is
just as important to sport and exercise psychologists as is competitive sport.In formal recognition of this
fact, the title of the Journal of Sport Psychology was changed to the Journal of Sport and Exercise
Psychology in 1988.We shall explore the psychology of exercise and health in Chapter 8.Third, sport and
exercise psychology is a profession as well as a science.Therefore, there are applied as well as
theoretical dimensions to this discipline.
Best Line:
Sport and Exercise Psychology as an Academic Discipline A common definition of sport psychology is that
it is a science in which the principles of psychology are applied in a sport or exercise setting R.
Figure 1:5, "Sport and Exercise Psychology as an Academic Discipline "
A common definition of sport psychology is that it is a science in which the principles of psychology are
applied in a sport or exercise setting R.H.Cox, 2002, p.5.Although this definition may place excessive
emphasis on the applied focus of the discipline, it implies that empirical research on mental aspects of
athletic performance is at least as old as psychology itself.For example, in the nineteenth century,
Triplett 1898 found that racing cyclists tended to perform at least 25 per cent faster when competing
against other cyclists or pacemakers than when performing alone against the clock.
Despite this semantic difficulty of defining the discipline precisely, three characteristics of sport
psychology are noteworthy.First, it is generally regarded as a science.As such, it is committed to the
principle that its claims should be falsifiable or capable of being tested through objective and systematic
methods of empirical inquiry see Box 1.4.Second, sport psychology involves the study of exercise as well
as of competitive athletic behaviour.In other words, physical activity undertaken for health and leisure is
just as important to sport and exercise psychologists as is competitive sport.In formal recognition of this
fact, the title of the Journal of Sport Psychology was changed to the Journal of Sport and Exercise
Psychology in 1988.We shall explore the psychology of exercise and health in Chapter 8.Third, sport and
exercise psychology is a profession as well as a science.Therefore, there are applied as well as
theoretical dimensions to this discipline.
Best Line:
Sport and Exercise Psychology as an Academic Discipline A common definition of sport psychology is that
it is a science in which the principles of psychology are applied in a sport or exercise setting R.
