Courses in Sports Psychology

Sports psychology focuses on the mental processes of sports.

Sports psychology focuses on the mental processes of physical activity and sports and their effect on mental health. Some courses teach the basics of psychology and its application to sports, while others focus on the role of groups on mental processing in sports. Students review cultural factors when concerning physical activity and learn the connection between leadership skills in sports and team-building in life situations.

Psychology of Physical Activity and Sports

This class teaches the fundamentals of applying psychology and theories to the comprehension of physical activity and sports. The connection between external factors and mental processes is introduced, and topics such as motivation, personality and competition are reviewed.

Social Psychology in Sports

This course focuses on group psychology and the functioning role it serves in a physical activity such as a sport. Social and cultural factors also are examined for their influence in sports. Students apply social psychology principles to the comprehension of sports, and they learn about topics such as cooperation, the role of motivation, competition, level of aspiration, social comparison, perceptions of success and spectators' perspectives.

Psychology of Coaching and Team Building

The purpose of this course is to help students use coaching and team-building skills not only in sports, but in everyday life situations. Students also study the application of leadership skills, interpersonal communication skills, group processes and team-building techniques to individual well-being and the enhancement of team sports. At the end of this course, students should be able to recognize restraints to efficient communication and team functioning, recognize the processes that lead to efficient team functioning, know how to apply team-building skills to sports situations, be aware of their own weaknesses and strengths in using interpersonal and team-building skills, and know how to apply the lessons learned and skills developed in sports to daily life.

Psychological Perspectives on Performance

Students learn how psychological factors can affect a person's performance. Factors such as aggression are studied to test this impact. Professors review ways to improve performance through the comprehension and manipulation of psychological factors.

Lifespan Development

This course teaches students about the development of humans in the mental, physical, social and emotional capacities. Learning content includes prenatal development, infants and toddlers, preschool, adolescence, adulthood, geriatrics, death, and child-development theories and research. Students also are introduced to phenomena of psychological development in people, the definition of development and moral development.

References

• Sport & Fitness Psychology Certificate Program
• What Are the Core Courses of Sport Psychology Degree Programs?
• PSY 482 -- Psychology of Coaching and Team-Building
• Child and Lifespan Development