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PED 374 - Psychology of Sport
Dept. of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
Missouri Western State University
Spring 2015
Instructor: Dr. William D. Russell
Credits: 2
Office: 129 Looney (Human Performance Lab)
Class Time: T/TH 11 – 11:50AM
Phone: 816-271-4492
Offices Hours: M-R 12-1pm; F 9-11am
Email: wrussell@missouriwestern.edu
Class: Looney 226
Text / Technology:
1. Weinberg, R., & Gould, D. (2011). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. (5th Ed.) Champaign, IL: Human
Kinetics [REQUIRED]
2. MOODLE: Resource material will be posted for this course through MOODLE. Students are expected to access this
material on a regular basis, as several course assignments and quizzes will require use of MOODLE, as well as course
announcements and updates.
Missouri Western State University Course Catalog Description:
Emphasizes the psychology and sociology of the sports participant from the standpoint of the participant’s behavior toward other
individuals and group. Prerequisite: Junior Classification, PSY 101
Detailed Course Description:
This course is an introduction to psychological theories, concepts, and applications as they relate to individual and sociological
perspectives of physical activity, performance, sport, and athletes. This course will examine relationships between the
psychological dynamics of sport, physical activity, and well-being. Among the specific areas to be covered in the course are:
 Understanding sport and exercise participants o Personality and sport; motivation; arousal and stress; anxiety
 Understanding Sport and Exercise Environments –
o Cooperation and competition; feedback, reinforcement, and intrinsic motivation
 Understanding the Social Psychology of Sport –
o Aggression; audience and crowd effects in sport; team cohesion in sport; leadership in sport
 Understanding Psychological Preparation in Sport –
o Psychological skills training; arousal regulation; imagery; self-confidence; goal setting; concentration and
performance.
 Facilitating psychological growth and enhancing motivational climate
o Children’s psychological development through sport; aggression; character development; contemporary issues in
youth sport
 Exercise and Enhanced Well-Being –
o Exercise and psychological benefits; exercise behavior and adherence; psychology of athletic injury; addictive
and unhealthy behaviors; burnout and overtraining
Specific Student Competencies and Objectives –
1. To identify and develop a sound and defendable philosophy of sport and participation in physical activity. (DESE 1)
2. To establish and demonstrate a base of knowledge and understanding of key concepts in sport and exercise psychology.
(TE 1)
3. To display an awareness of current research areas and directions within the scientific literature in sport and exercise
psychology
4. To demonstrate understanding and application of several pertinent psychological skills including; mastery rehearsal,
coping rehearsal, relaxation training, systematic desensitization, simulation training, and concentration skills. (PPE 10)
5. To think critically about important psychological variables and their potential impact on athletic performance and
psychological health of athletes at various levels of competition. (PPE9)
6. To demonstrate knowledge of some of the important theories and applications within sport and exercise psychology.
(DESE 9)
7. To demonstrate competency in knowledge and application of basic sport psychology performance enhancement concepts
through service learning presentation of a specific are to a target audience of interest. (PPE 10)
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8. To understand and apply principles of motivation; be able to apply psychological principles to enhance psychological
outcomes of the youth sport experience. (TE 9)
Grading Procedures and Student Evaluation:
Grade
1. Exam #1
2. Exam #2
3. Exam #3 (Final)
4. MOODLE Quizzes (5 @ 10points each)
(Record Your Score in the blanks)
Grading Scale:
60 ____
60 ____
60 ____ (During class)
50 ____
%
100-90
89-80
79-70
69-60
< 60
A
B
C
D
F
(1) ___
(2) ___
(3) ___
(4) ___
(5) ___
5. Sport Psychology Case Studies (3 @ 20 points each)
60 ____
6. Attendance / Participation
30 ____
7. Homework Assignments
(approximately 80 points)
80 ____
- Various assignments will be given throughout the semester and will be designed as learning activities for immediate
reflection, reinforcement, and application of course principles discussed. These assignments will generally be done
during class or due the next class period and will be 5-20 points each. These may be individual or “team” assignments.
Final Points =
400 POINTS
(subject to alteration)
*** Assignment Submission Policy: (IMPORTANT!!) Assignments turned in late are deducted by 5 points per day (this is
calendar day, not class meeting day); assignments submitted more than 1 week late are given a zero, unless otherwise agreed
upon by the instructor. ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS ON DUE DATE OR THEY ARE
CONSIDERED LATE.
***In the event Missouri Western State University would be closed during a scheduled exam, your instructor will contact
you through your MWSU e-mail account with alternative plans.
MOODLE Quizzes (5 @ 10 points each) = 50 POINTS
There will be five (5) quizzes spread out over the semester in which students will need to access the quiz area within the MOODLE
platform for the course. Each quiz will be worth 10 points and will be based upon specific assigned readings corresponding with the
material covered from lectures. Once each quiz is announced, students will have a specific amount of time in which to access the
quiz on MOODLE before it is no longer available. Dr. Russell will announce the availability of these MOODLE quizzes in class at
the time period they will be made accessible through MOODLE.
Sport Psychology Case Studies (3 @ 20 points each) = 60 points:
For the case study write-ups, you will be required to read case studies and answer the questions at the end of the case study.
When considering the issue(s) at play in these case studies, try to link or apply the case study material to material discussed in the
course and course text (Gould and Weinberg) as much as possible. Also, while you might not have “all the facts”, within each case
study, you are encouraged to “speculate” about some of the information that, while not provided in the case study, could be
pertinent. This will further increase your critical thinking skills when writing up the responses to each case study. I expect you to go
into some depth on your responses and reserve the right to deduct points from case study responses that are not sufficient in their
depth, length, or reflection. You may work on case studies with another class member, BUT THE SUBMITTED WORK THAT
YOU TURN IN MUST BE ORIGINAL AND YOUR OWN WORK OR IT WILL BE CONSIDERED ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT!
Case Study write-ups are to be typed for credit.
Exams – The exam format will be a combination of multiple choice, true and false, matching, fill in the blank and short answer
questions. The final exam will not be cumulative.
IMPORTANT!!! - Preparation for Exams –
1. Read the assigned material before coming to class –I expect students to read the course text and be
accountable for the text material
2. Attend class, take good notes, and participate in class discussion
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Read the class material that is not clear a second time
Use the review questions at the end of each chapter as a study guide
Be familiar with glossary terms at the end of the chapters
Prepare for content mastery, not simply a general understanding of the material
Come see me AHEAD of EXAM time for any material that seems unclear to you.
IMPORTANT!!!!
Attendance and Participation: 30 POINTS
Based on the format of the course (2X per week), attendance and active participation is critical to this course, which is also reflected
in the student evaluation. Excused absences will ONLY BE ACCEPTED IN EMERGENICES OR FOR OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY
REASONS, AND ONLY BY WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION. If you have missed class, it is your responsibility to inform the
instructor of the reason for the absence. EMERGENCY ABSENCES WILL ONLY BE COUNTED AS EXCUSED IF
ACCOMPANIED BY APPROPRIATE DOCUMENTATION.
Four unexcused absences will result in the final grade being dropped by one letter grade. Six unexcused absences will
result in the automatic failure of the course. Late assignments will be automatically deducted one letter grade unless prior
arrangements have been made with the instructor.
“Attendance” is defined by coming to class and being actively involved in note taking and classroom participation is
discussions that arise, when prompted by the instructor. Any other off-task behaviors (in-class conversations, texting on
cell phones, sleeping, etc.) will not be tolerated. Students will be asked to leave the class if this occurs and the class will
be counted as an unexcused absence. Leaving early and arriving late for unexcused reasons will count as absences.
ACADEMY HONESTY POLICY and DUE PROCESS:
See the Western Student Handbook and Calendar for specific activities identified as violations and student due process procedure.
Students are expected to know the academic dishonesty procedures in effect at MWSU:
Academic honesty is required in all academic endeavors. Violations of academic honesty include any instance of plagiarism,
cheating, seeking credit for another’s work, falsifying documents or academic records, or any other fraudulent classroom activity.
Violations of academic honesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment, failure in the course, or expulsion from school.
When a student’s grade has been affected, violations of academic honesty will be reported to the Provost.
Violations of Academic Honesty
Violations of academic honesty include, but are not limited to, the following activities:
1. Copying another person’s work and claiming it as your own;
2. Using the work of a group of students when the assignment requires individual work;
3. Looking at or attempting to look at an examination before it is administered;
4. Using materials during an examination that are not permitted;
5. Allowing another student to take your exam for you;
6. Intentionally impeding the academic work of others;
7. Using any electronic device to transmit portions of questions or answers on an examination to other students;
8. Using any electronic device to improperly store information for an exam;
9. Knowingly furnishing false information to the University or its representatives.
10. Assisting other students in any of the acts listed above.
DISABILITY ACCOMODATIONS:
Students seeking accommodations must first provide documentation of needed accommodations to the Accessibility Resource
Center (ARC) located in Eder Hall, Suite 203. Once accommodations have been approved by the ARC, students are responsible
for notifying their instructors of those accommodations. This should be done within the first two weeks of classes.
Accommodations are NOT retroactive.
Students Recording Classroom Lectures
As a professional courtesy, students are expected to inform a faculty member if they plan to make audio or video recordings of a
class. However, students should understand that there are times when the faculty member may prohibit this activity. For example,
in order to protect patient confidentiality, in health-discipline classes, discussions pertaining to protected patient information may not
be recorded.
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The redistribution of audio or video recordings of statements or comments from the course to individuals who are not students in
the course is prohibited without the express permission of the faculty member and of any students who are recorded. Unauthorized
distribution of such materials is a violation of academic standards and may violate copyright laws and/or privacy rights. Violations
may result in disciplinary action.
Tentative Schedule –SPRING 2015 (Topics, dates, and assignments subject to revision as needed)
Week
Topic
Reading
1: 1/13, 1/15
Introduction to Sport Psychology
Ch 1
2: 1/20, 1/22
Personality in Sport
Ch 2
3: 1/27, 1/29
Motivation in Sport
Ch. 3, 6
4: 2/3, 2/5
Motivation in Sport; Anxiety in Sport
Ch. 4
5: 2/10, 2/12
Anxiety in Sport
Ch. 4
6: 2/17, 2/19
Audience Effects
TBA
7: 2/24, 2/26
Youth Sport Psychological Issues
Ch 22, 24
8: 3/3, 3/5
Youth Sport Psychological Issue (cont)
Ch. 22, 24
SPRING BREAK WEEK – NO CLASSES
Exercise and Psychological Well-Being
Ch. 17
Assignment
Exam #1
9: 3/10, 3/12
10: 3/17, 3/19
11: 3/24, 3/26
12: 3/31, 4/2
Exercise Behavior and Adherence
LAST DAY TO WITHDRAW – Friday, 3/27
Psychological Skills- Imagery & Goal Setting
Ch. 18
Ch. 13, 15
13: 4/7, 4/9
Leadership Effectiveness
Ch. 9
14: 4/14, 4/16
Team Dynamics / Team Cohesion
Ch. 7, 8
15: 4/21, 4/23
Team Cohesion/ FINAL EXAM
Ch. 8
Exam #2
Exam #3 (FINAL)
4/23/15
(During last class day)
* Sport Psychology Case studies will be assigned throughout the semester, as we cover topics corresponding to that case study.