WHY ARE YOU
HERE?
Yes ….. You!
IB SEHS STUDENTS?
GROUP THOUGHT:
Sports Science – What is it?
Foundations of Exercise and Sports Science
Introduction
Science of Human Movement
Interdisciplinary Science
Multiple Applications
Foundations of Exercise and Sports Science
Exercise Science and Related Disciplines
 Multiple parent disciplines including:
 Physics
 Chemistry
 Physiology/Anatomy
 Medicine
The scope of Exercise and Sports Science –three
primary areas
Psychology: deals with behavioral aspects of
exercise and sport including learning aspects
Physiology: How physiologic systems respond
and adapt to human movement
Biomechanics: Study of physical/mechanical
principles that underlie human motion
Foundations of Exercise and Sports Science
Exercise and Sports Science— “New”
Interdisciplinary Sciences
Characteristics of Science
 A “science” needs objectivity and evidence
 Need to distinguish between anecdotal and
scientific evidence
Foundations of Exercise and Sports Science
 In search of Truth in Science (and Advertising)
 Testimonial approach – often incorrect assumptions
 Tenacity - Propaganda
 Knowledge of authority
 Rationalistic method – may lead to right or wrong
hypothesis
 Scientific method can alleviate inappropriate
conclusions
Foundations of Exercise and Sports Science
The Scientific Method
 Goal is discovering what is true – science is not a
philosophical debate
 Basic tenet – truth is out there and it can be
measured
 Questions lead to research
 Observation: Phenomenon to be explained
 Hypothesis: Logical explanations
 Experiment: Scientific study to verify hypotheses
 The statistical approach
 Mathematical tool to understand evidence
Biology: interdisciplinary study of life
EXERCISE SCIENTISTS:
-
uses exercise or training to understand
biology
SPORT SCIENTISTS:
-
uses biology to understand sport
•
function to bridge the gap between science
and sport
To be a better sport scientist(s):
1. be a very good scientist
2. be interested in the sport(s) and the development of
elite performance
3. knowledge of sport(s) – personal interest
4. knowledge of training practices and outcomes
5. be willing to train like they do ? – better
understand the sport
6. provoke thought -challenge
7. Become part of the sport.
Foundations of Exercise Science
Summary Points
 Exercise Science and Sports Science are new fields
of study formed by merging other disciplines
 Major areas of concentration include: physiology,
biomechanics and psychology
 Scientific method uses : controlled observation,
hypothesis, and experimentation
Two Primary Approaches to Science
Hypothesis-driven or experimental science.
Discovery or observational science.
How (Most) Science Works
– The Scientific Method and
Hypothesis-Driven Science
Its not all mechanics intuition, hunches, and a
feel for the system under
study drive scientific
investigations.
Should be
falsifiable.
A Classic Application of the Scientific Method
Note that it’s fine to have more than one testable hypothesis.
A Classic Application of the Scientific Method
Note that two independent experiments reject the hypothesis of
spontaneous generation and support the alternative hypothesis
that life comes only from existing life.
Scientific Proof?
Rejection of a hypothesis proves it wrong; support of a hypothesis
doesn’t prove it right.
Some Scientific Questions Can’t Be Answered By Experimentation
One current view of hominid evolution.
Discovery or observational science is still science; falsifiable
hypotheses based on natural phenomenon are proposed to best
account for observations.
Provisional Assent – Scientific Ideas Can Only Be Proven
Wrong
A theory stands because observations or experimentation never
proves its tenets wrong.
This doesn’t prove the theory is correct – only that its never been
proved wrong.
In this sense, scientific knowledge is provisional.
But what’s a theory?
Fact, Hypothesis and Theory
These terms, especially theory, are commonly misunderstood.
A fact is an undisputed piece of information derived from
observation.
A hypothesis is a testable prediction.
A good hypothesis should be falsifiable.
A theory is a general set of principles that explain some natural
phenomenon.
Examples of scientific theories are the theory of gravitation,
the atomic theory, the cell theory, and the theory of
evolution.
What Kind of People Are Scientists?
The Textbook Case
Scientists are dispassionate and always
reasoned in their approaches to their
discipline and the world around them.
Reality:
Scientists can be egocentric, emotional nutcakes at least as well as
anyone.
One Human Side of
Science
The Scope and Limitations of Science
Science acquires knowledge through examination of
falsifiable hypotheses based on natural phenomena.
This sets a limit on science; science cannot speak directly to such
issues as morality or religion.
The domain and limit of science are often misunderstood.