The psychology of sports first became a focus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Studies were starting to be held to find out why certain athletes perform better in clutch situations, while others don't. Over the years, sports psychology has branched out to involve the psychology of coaching and how to deal with younger athletes and parents. We understand that students' knowledge of sport psychology will vary dependent on their education history. Therefore, we aim to ensure by the end of the module that all students are at the same level and in a position to continue studying the topic in subsequent years. In this module we cover both theoretical approaches to sport psychology and their application in different areas of sport and exercise - such as elite sport. You will learn how to apply the predictions of various theories to sport and exercise, and develop an understanding of the research that supports theory. One concept to appreciate is that the level of mental arousal influences performance. If this level is either too high or too low then performance suffers. The ideal zone is right in the middle. A common problem for some athletes is that they get "too keyed up". This excessive level of arousal leads to increased muscular tension, poor decision making, loss of concentration, and disrupted rhythm and co-ordination. Recognizing and controlling the level of arousal is important to maximize athletic achievement. Some of the skills useful to regulate arousal (up or down) are visualization, centering, progressive muscular relaxation, and positive self-talk. In addition to regulating arousal these skills have a number of other benefits.
