Sport Psychology 1

History of and Emerging Issues in Psychology

Sport Psychology

Sania Sara Babu

Matriculation number : 20474596

University of Europe for Applied Sciences

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents ......................................................................................................... 2

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3

HISTORY ...................................................................................................................... 3

DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................................ 4

Evolution in India ......................................................................................................... 4

Future Perspective ..................................................................................................... 5

Evolution in Europe ..................................................................................................... 6

Role of Sport Psychologist........................................................................................... 7

REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 8

APPENDIX .................................................................................................................... 9
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The Definition of Sport Psychology

In 1996, the European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC) defined sport psychology

as the intricate interrelation between the principles of psychology and sports and physical

activities. Researchers in this field explore how psychology can be used to optimize athletic

performance. ( Simply Psychology 2023)

HISTORY

Norman Triplett, an American psychologist, conducted pioneering experiments in sport

psychology in 1898 on the social facilitation phenomenon, which set the stage for further

research in social psychology. His work also contributed significantly to the development of

the field.

Coleman Griffith is considered the father of American sports psychology because he

established the first sports psychology laboratory in the United States. In this laboratory, he

utilized athlete assessments, mental skills training, and team dynamics analysis to improve

athletic performance.

In the early 20s, Dr. Carl Diem created the first sports psychology laboratory in

Berlin, Germany, which paved the way for the growth of the field in Europe. However, it was

during the Cold War that sports programs were established to increase military forces,

resulting in the creation of multiple sports institutes worldwide.

The International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) was established in 1965,

followed by the European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC) in 1969.

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DEVELOPMENT

Evolution in India

The advancement of sports psychology in India has undergone a notable evolution in recent

years. Initially, the field was treated with limited recognition and application, but it has since

garnered significant prominence and acceptance within the Indian sports community. Initially,

the primary emphasis was on enhancing the mental toughness and motivation of athletes.

However, there is now a growing awareness and appreciation of the psychological aspects that

contribute to athletic performance and the potential advantages of mental training.

With increased international exposure and collaboration, Indian athletes, coaches, and

sports organizations have recognized the importance of mental skills in achieving optimal

performance.

The Impact of Sports Authority of India on Sports Psychology

Since its establishment in 1984, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has played a pivotal role in

promoting sports psychology through mental conditioning programs and workshops. This has

led to academic institutions offering sports psychology courses, which has helped to nurture a

new generation of practitioners. Professional teams and national sports federations have also

embraced sports psychology and integrated it into athlete development and support staff.

Today, Indian athletes seek the expertise of sports psychologists to enhance their mental

skills, cope with pressure, and break through performance barriers.

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Future Perspective

There is a great need of sport psychologists in all the sport. Sports psychology is like a

medicine to a sportsperson. If a team has mental skills of coach, it will have a better

understanding of the dynamics of performance. For developing sports psychology in India,

there was an all round recognition especially among the sports scientists. (physiologists,

sports medicine practitioners, experts in sports biomechanics) of the fact that the

performance enhancement both in exercise and sport could not be assured without

consideration of certain crucial psychological factors. The availability of experienced and

qualified sports psychologists is also necessary. Another thing is cooperation from the side.

of coaches and athletes.

In India researches are going on butt not in proper and valuable way, for the

development of sports psychology promote research in the subject of sport .

psychology We live in a sport loving society. We have numerous sports in India, and we also

have many people participating in some sport or other.

Usually for people who are training at the competitive level, sport becomes a part of their

life. Indian athletes have always put in the hard work and effort, these are the physical

efforts sports people put in. However very rarely it is believed that any sport is a mind game.

What we play or perform on the actual day of a competition or a tournament is

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Evolution in Europe

Sport psychologists have made significant strides in researching the correlation between

psychological wellness and physical activity. With the help of psychophysiology, which

entails monitoring brain activity during exercise, researchers have gained valuable insights

into this connection. In addition, sport psychologists are beginning to recognize the

therapeutic benefits of exercise in promoting healthy mental adjustment.

Recently, sport psychologists have also begun to appreciate the role they can play in

assisting athletes and coaches in improving their performance during competitions, as well

as understanding how physical exercise can enhance the psychological well-being of non-

athletes.

Athletes, whether trying to improve their performance or recovering from injuries,

individuals dealing with the pressure of competition, and young children participating in

youth sports, as well as their parents, can all benefit from the services of sport psychologists.

A particular focus is placed on psychological assessments of athletes, which can aid in

selecting athletes for teams as well as providing guidance and counseling for individual

athletes.
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Role of Sport Psychologist

The roles of sports psychologists are numerous, but the areas of sports psychologists teach

vary from one person to another depending on their experience and qualifications.

1. Help the athlete to cope with performance fears: Sports psychologist can help athletes

overcome fears, such as fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, and general performance

anxiety. This is common among athletes who are perfectionist or highly dedicated athletes.

that worry too much about what other people think about their performance

2. Help the athletes to improve the mental skills for performance: The most common role for a

sports. psychologist is to teach mental skills for enhanced. performance. A mental game expert

can help the athlete to improve confidence, focus, composure, intensity and trust in athletic

performance. These mental skills help the athletes to improve performance and can help in

other areas of an athlete's life.

3. Helps the athletes to mentally prepare for competition: Another common role of a sports

psychologist is to help the athletes to prepare mentally for competition and practice. This

includes many of the mental skills mentioned above, but applied to specific situations on the

athletic field.

4.Help the athletes to return after injury: Returning to play after an injury can sometimes be

difficult for many. athletes depending on the nature of the injury. Athletes are often left with

mental scars long after an injury is physically healed. Sports psychologists can help injured.

athletes cope better with the pressure associated with. returning to a prior level of

performance pre injury.

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REFERENCES

Sport psychology. (2023). In Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sport_psychology&oldid=1191276016

https://www.simplysport.in/post/evolution-importance-and-challenges-of-sports-

psychology

http://easportsz.blogspot.com/2009/03/multidisciplinary-science-and-practice.html?m=1

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-sports-psychology
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APPENDIX

https://www.researchgate/publication/349829

The_Evolution_of_Sport_Psychology_Within_the_Last_Ten_Years