Sport psychology is the field that studies mental factors that influence human performance. The field of sport psychology makes space for multiple performance activities including sport, exercise, music, dance performance, and more. For this reason, the field is also referred to as “performance psychology,” “sport and performance psychology,” and “sport and exercise psychology.”
Does Sport Psychology Matter – Who Cares?
Most of us are called upon to perform tasks in work and life, and many of us value sport, exercise, and sport performance, so we care about the quality of our performance and that of others. Skilled athletes commonly estimate that 40-90% of their performance success is determined by mental factors as opposed to physical factors, yet most report spending much more time working on physical practice than mental skills, even though mental skills could have a better potential return on their investment. Since most of us care about the quality of our performance, and much of our performance is determine by mental factors, many of us could benefit from understanding, practicing, and applying mental skills to optimize the quality of our performance. Since performance depends at least in part on mental factors, mental skills training and sport psychology offer significant value.
Why is it Called “Sport” and Not “Sports” Psychology?
What good is sport psychology if you’re not and athlete, coach, or fan, that is, if its applications don’t extend beyond sports? As Kate Hays explains, professionals in the field of sport psychology call what we do “sport” psychology in the European use of the word because we want to study a wide range of performance activities, so “sport” extends beyond a narrow handful of specific sports. She and others don’t fault laypersons and journalists for calling it “sports” psychology, but we do wonder how much a person knows about sport psychology when they refer to themselves as “sports” psychologists. Calling it “sport” (no “s”) psychology also keeps it consistent when we include “exercise” (no “s”) psychology. Two major professional organizations for sport and exercise psychology include the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and Division 47 of the American Psychological Association (APA), Sport and Exercise Psychology, and so the field of sport psychology focuses on improving human performance across a broad range of activities.
How Can I Learn More About Sport Psychology?
In addition to following this blog, AASP has great resources for parents, coaches, athletes, and people considering a career in sport psychology. Follow this blog and check out the resources on the AASP website for more information about the value of sport psychology.
How to Choose a Sport Psychology Consultant
