Sport and Exercise Psychology Topics in Applied Psychology Andrew M. Lane PART OF HACHETTE LIVRE UK First published in Great Britain in 2008 by Hodder Education, part of Hachette Livre UK, 338 Euston Road, London NW1 3BH www.hoddereducation.com © 2008 Andrew M. Lane All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without either prior permission in writing from the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying. In the United Kingdom such licences are issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency: Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. The advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of going to press, but neither the authors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions. 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Contents Contributors vii Series Preface ix Preface xi Chapter 1: Applied sport psychology: Enhancing performance using psychological skills training 1 Richard Thelwell Section 1: Cognitive and affective factors 17 Chapter 2: Mood and sport performance 19 Andrew M. Lane Chapter 3: Anxiety in sport: Should we be worried or excited? 35 Mark Uphill Chapter 4: Self-confidence in a sporting context 53 Kate Hays Section 2: Managing psychological states 71 Chapter 5: Stress and coping among competitive athletes in sport 73 Tracey Devonport Chapter 6: Performance profiling 91 Neil Weston Chapter 7: The scientific application of music in sport and exercise 109 Costas I. Karageorghis Chapter 8: Imagery and sport performance 139 Dave Smith and Caroline Wright Section 3: Leadership 151 Chapter 9: Leadership development in athletes and coaches 153 Adrian Schonfeld vi | Contents Section 4: The effects of exercise on psychological states 171 Chapter 10: Physical activity and self-esteem 173 Michael J. Duncan Chapter 11: Exercise addiction 189 Attila Szabo and Mária Rendi Section 5: The placebo effect 209 Chapter 12: Beliefs versus reality, or beliefs as reality? The placebo effect in sport and exercise 211 Chris Beedie and Abby Foad References 227 Index 247 Contributors Chris Beedie, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK Tracey Devonport, University of Wolverhampton, UK Michael J. Duncan, Newman College of Higher Education, UK Abby Foad, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK Kate Hays, Nottingham Trent University, UK Costas I. Karageorghis, Brunel University, UK Andrew M. Lane, University of Wolverhampton, UK Mária Rendi, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary Adrian Schonfeld, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK Dave Smith, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK Attila Szabo, Eötvös Loránd University of Science, Budapest, Hungary, and National Institute for Sport Talent Care and Sport Services, Budapest, Hungary Richard Thelwell, University of Portsmouth, UK Mark Uphill, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK Neil Weston, University of Portsmouth, UK Caroline Wright, Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Chester, UK Series preface Psychology is still one of the most popular subjects for study at undergraduate degree level. As well as providing the student with a range of academic and applied skills that are valued by a broad range of employers, a psychology degree also serves as the basis for subsequent training and a career in professional psychology. A substantial proportion of students entering a degree programme in Psychology do so with a subsequent career in applied psychology firmly in mind, and as a result the number of applied psychology courses available at undergraduate level has significantly increased over recent years. In some cases these courses supplement core academic areas and in others they provide the student with a flavour of what they might experience as a professional psychologist. Topics in Applied Psychology represents a series of six textbooks designed to provide a comprehensive academic and professional insight into specific areas of professional psychology. The texts cover the areas of Clinical Psychology, Criminal Psychology, Educational Psychology, Health Psychology, Sports and Exercise Psychology, and Organizational and Work Psychology, and each text is written and edited by the foremost professional and academic figures in each of these areas. Each textbook is based on a similar academic formula which combines a comprehensive review of cutting-edge research and professional knowledge with accessible teaching and learning features. The books are also structured so they can be used as an integrated teaching support for a one-term or one- semester course in each of their relevant areas of applied psychology. Given the increasing importance of applying psychological knowledge across a growing range of areas of practice, we feel this series is timely and comprehensive. We hope you find each book in the series readable, enlightening, accessible and instructive. Graham Davey University of Sussex, Brighton, UK September 2007 Preface Sport and Exercise Psychology is both an academic subject and a profession. As an academic topic it makes an important contribution to undergraduate degree programmes at all levels. A substantial proportion of undergraduate students applying to read psychology do so because they have a career in applied psychology in mind. As a profession, sport and exercise psychology is an important component of the provision of scientific support aimed at increasing performance for professional and elite athletes of most countries. It is also an important component in terms of increasing and maintaining exercise adoption, working alongside private and public sectors. Professionally-trained Sport and Exercise psychologists carry out an increasing range of duties within those services, including tasks of assessment, intervention and evaluation. The purpose of this book is to introduce the undergraduate psychology student to both academic and professional aspects of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Individual chapters are written by practitioners with considerable knowledge and professional expertise in their areas of competence. The book begins with a chapter on applied sport psychology to give the reader an insight into the domain of sport psychology, providing an overview of some of the techniques that could be used. The next three chapters focus on cognitive and affective factors that influence performance (mood, anxiety, self-confidence). This leads to four chapters that focus on managing psychological states (coping, performance profiling, imagery and music). The next chapter focuses on leadership. Two chapters focus on the effects of exercise on psychological states, providing a balance between the benefits and potential drawbacks. The final chapter provides an insightful view on the issue of placebo effects. Chapters include information about what Sport and Exercise psychologists do, what research questions and applied issues need addressing, and the importance of conducting theory-led practice. As with all the books in the Topics in Applied Psychology series, this text is written as a support for a one-term or one-semester course in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and contains all the teaching and learning features appropriate to the series including coverage of research methods and ethical issues. Activity boxes provide the student with the opportunity to engage in active learning. Each chapter also ends with extensive support for further reading, including relevant journal articles, books and web-sites, and this should enable the interested student to engage with a topic in some depth. Finally, the over-arching aim of this book is to provide the undergraduate psychology student with a structured introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology, covering both academic and professional issues. As such it aims to provide an insight into the theoretical evidence and practical suggestions that underpin what a Sport and Exercise psychologist does. Andrew M. Lane University of Wolverhampton, UK December 2007 Applied sport psychology: Enhancing performance using 1 psychological skills training Richard Thelwell Given that the stakes in modern day sport are so high and the margins between success and failure so narrow, one might question whether it is strange that some performers do not utilize the services of a sport psychologist. As you will see from the chapters within this book, athletes at the top of the sporting ladder have a number of challenges put before them; these take the form of opponents, environmental conditions and their own mindset,