Key Concepts in Sport Psychology

John Kremer is a former Reader in Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast, where he lectured from 1980. He combines his academic interest in sport and exercise psychology with practical work with numerous sports, including several national and international teams and individual athletes. His list of book publications include Pure Sport: Sport Psychology in Action (2019), Sport Psychology: Contemporary Themes (2012), Psychology in Sport (1994) and Young People’s Involvement in Sport (1997).Aidan Moran was Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Director of the Psychology Research Laboratory in University College, Dublin. A Fulbright Scholar and former Editor-in-Chief of the International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, he has published extensively on mental imagery and attentional processes in athletes. A former psychologist to the Irish Olympic squad, Aidan advised many of Ireland’s leading athletes and teams and is rightly credited as the founding father of sport psychology in Ireland.Graham Walker is Professor of Political History at Queen′s University, Belfast.  Cathy Craig is a Professor in Perception and Action Psychology at the School of Psychology, Ulster University and CEO/Co-Founder of INCISIV, a neuro-technology company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She publishes extensively on motor timing, perception/action and decision making in sport. Much of her work involves working closely with elite sporting organisations to develop innovative solutions, using technologies such as immersive, interactive virtual reality, to better understand how perception influences decisions about action.

I strongly recommend Key Concepts in Sport Psychology to anyone interested in learning more about the international literature in the discipline. The 37 chapters are highly accessible and provide an overview of the issues that not only define the contemporary field but also will continue to shape the future of sport psychology.

• PART ONE: INTRODUCING SPORT PSYCHOLOGYThe History of Sport PsychologyPractising Sport PsychologyEthical IssuesOrganizations, Sources and ResourcesPART TWO: ANXIETY AND STRESSAnxiety and ArousalMeasuring Stress and AnxietyPre-Performance RoutinesChoking Under PressureCoping StrategiesPART THREE: MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT Sport Participation MotivesBurnout and DropoutGoal Setting Fear of Failure and Need to AchieveSelf-Determination TheoryAchievement Goal TheorySelf-Efficacy and Perceived CompetencePART FOUR: COGNITIVE PROCESSES IN SPORTMental ImageryMental PracticeAttention and ConcentrationPositive Self-Talk and Thought ControlMental ToughnessPART FIVE: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORTTeam CohesionTeam BuildingCausal AttributionSocial Facilitation and Social LoafingLeadership and Effective CoachingHome AdvantageAggressionFans and SpectatorsPART SIX: MOTOR SKILLSMotor DevelopmentExpertiseDecision-MakingPractising Motor SkillsAnalysis and Measurement of Motor PerformancePART SEVEN: SPORT AND WELL-BEINGGender IssuesOvertraining and Exercise AddictionInjury and Retirement