Description
The new third edition of A Critical Introduction to Sport Psychology is the only textbook in the field that provides a detailed overview of key theories, concepts and findings within the discipline of sport psychology, as well as a critical perspective that examines and challenges these core foundations.
Fully revised and updated, the new edition covers key research findings affecting both participation and performance in sport, including topics such as motivation, anxiety, emotional coping, concentration, mental imagery, expertise and team cohesion. In addition, the book includes a range of helpful features that bring the science to life, including critical thinking exercises, suggestions for student projects and new "In the spotlight" boxes that highlight key advances in theory or practice. A comprehensive glossary is also included, whilst a final chapter examines some new horizons in sport psychology, including embodied cognition and socio-cultural perspectives.
Sport is played with the body but often won in the mind; that is the theory. A Critical Introduction to Sport Psychology is the definitive textbook for anyone wishing to engage critically with this fascinating idea.
Table of Contents
Preface Acknowledgements Introduction 1. Introducing sport psychology: discipline and profession Part 1: Exploring athletic performance: key constructs 2. Motivation and goal-setting in sport 3. "Psyching up" and calming down: anxiety in sport 4. Emotions and coping 5. Staying focused in sport: concentration in sport performers 6. Using imagination in sport: mental imagery, motor imagery and mental practice in athletes 7. What lies beneath the surface? Investigating expertise in sport Part 2: Team cohesion 8. Exploring team cohesion in sport: a critical perspective Part 3: New directions in sport psychology 9. New horizons: embodied cognition and cultural sport psychology Glossary References Author index Subject index
