Sports psychology is considered to be a science because the knowledge applied contains empirical evidence, objectivity, hypothesis testing, and can be replicated. The psychological knowledge is obtained through observation, experiments, and the researchers ensure that personal bias does not affect the validity and reliability of the findings. Sports psychology is also considered to be a psychology in the sense that psychological approaches and techniques are used to enhance the performance of the athletes. The cognitive behavioral perspectives foster the motivation, mental toughness, self-evidence, and the ability to focus. The application of psychology in sports helps the athletes to perform at the highest levels and maintain the productivity. The following essay will focus on sports psychology, particularly on what I learned , the science, and the psychology of sports science.
What I learned
Sports involves both the physical and the mind. This means that sports involve the physical aspect as well as the psychological (Sanderson, 2016). It includes the mental, emotional, and social issues of psychology. I learned the correlation between personality and sports. Mental toughness is a crucial aspect of personality that improves performance. It is characterized by the self-belief, motivation, and the ability to remain focused on one’s goals (Sanderson, 2016). The self-belief allows one to develop confidence and positive attitudes towards sports and the task ahead.
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Sports psychology helps elite athletes to maintain their composure even when they are under intense pressure. Usu ally , there is a high expectation from the top athletes. They are expected to sustain high performance throughout . There is too much pressure involved. The psychological intervention is necessary to manage the pressure and to ensure that the athletes take an event at a time. In the recent past, several top athletes have been accused of using banned drugs and substances to enhance their performances and keep their fans satisfied. I learned that the goal of sports psychology is to ensure that such athletes can manage the pressure from the fans and maintain a healthy mental status.
Sports psychology promotes athlete’s self-efficacy, enjoyment, and satisfaction. The self-efficacy helps to improve the confidence of athletes, especially after some unpleasant performances (Sanderson, 2016). The goal is to ensure that the athletes have total trust in their capabilities. A sports psychologist can work on athletes’ self-esteem. The positive feeling about one’s capability act as a source of motivation that can enhance high performance. As a result, athletes’ satisfaction level is enhanced .
I learned that sports psychology helps to enhance the team processes (Moreau & Conway, 2016). The success of sports is, to a large extent, determined by various factors, one of them being the team cohesion. The relationship between coaches and athletes helps to ensure that everyone pursues common goals. The shared value and goals help to prevent conflicts between the coaches and players. The sports psychology plays a vital role in addressing any personality difference that might affect the relationship in the team (Moreau & Conway, 2016). The goal is also to help the team to make realistic goals so as not to put the athletes under unnecessary pressure. Sports psychologists also help to address leadership issues by empowering coaches. Effective leadership maintains an excellent relationship between the coaches and players.
I also learned about the various techniques applied by sports psychologists to promote positive change in organizations. Most of the tactics are meant to ensure that athletes are relaxed before they can get into the field. One of the techniques is known as arousal regulation. For athletes to remain productive, it is important to maintain an optimum mental and psychological status. This is fostered through certain relaxation techniques including listening to music, meditation, and breathing exercises. The mental and psychological stability helps players/athletes to remain more productive and competitive in the fields and tracks. The other strategy, which is equally vital, is the self-talk. Most athletes will say something about themselves that might enhance or reduce their performance level. Negative self-talk can have an adverse effect on athlete’s performance. Therefore, sports psychologist work with coaches and players to reconstruct their thinking and how they evaluate themselves. There is also the issue of goal setting. Sports psychologists help in making specific, measurable, attainable, and time-based goals. As a result, athletes and their coaches do not put themselves in unrealistic situations that will put them under unnecessary pressure.
Science and Psychology
Sports psychology is considered to be in the field of psychology in the sense that it applies techniques such as counseling, time management, relaxation, and goal setting that are all psychological. The cognitive behavioral therapy and learning models are also applicable in behavior modification. The recognition of sports as both physical and mental demonstrates the recognition that the psychological and emotional status of an individual also plays a vital role in fostering top performance. As aforementioned, sports psychologists apply psychological intervention techniques that help to enhance the performance of the athletes. The techniques assist in address stress-related issues that limit the productivity of the players.
Sports psychology is also considered to be a science for a number of factors. Firstly, psychology itself is a science. The scientific nature of discipline is determined by the methodologies used to make observations and make conclusions (Hamilton, Scott & MacDougall, 2017). Psychology emphasizes the testing of theories using experiments and observation techniques. The validity of the research instruments is emphasized to ensure that what the researcher intends to measure is what has been measured during the study. The reliability of the findings is also tested . If a similar study gives inconsistent results, then the findings could be considered to be unreliable. The hypothesis testing using software such as the SPSS also help to enhance the reliability and validity of information in psychology. There is also an attempt to ensure that researchers remain objective and unbiased. This plays a vital role in fostering the scientific nature of the psychology as a discipline. As a result, the application of most of the techniques and knowledge from psychology in sports will have positive outcomes. This could explain why sports psychology remains essential in sports today.
In conclusion, sports psychology plays a vital role in enhancing the performance of the athletes. The elite athletes are normally under intense pressure and need someone to help them to remain mentally and emotionally stable. Sports psychology applies scientific knowledge from the psychology field. The knowledge helps to modify the behavior and foster the productivity the athletes at all times.
References
Hamilton, R.A., Scott, D., & MacDougall, M.P. (2007). Assessing the effectiveness of self-talk interventions on endurance performance. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology , 19, 226-239.
Moreau, D., & Conway, A. (2013). Cognitive enhancement: A comparative review of computerized and athletic training programs. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology , 6(1), 155-183
Sanderson, C. (2016). Sport Psychology . USA: Oxford University Press
