Bernd Strauss – författare

Laterality in Sports: Theories and Applications summarizes recent research on the neurophysiological foundations of handedness, and how left or right lateralization (affecting primary hand use, foot use, and eye use) affects motor control, performance outcome, skill acquisition, and achievement of sports expertise-both for one-on-one sports and team sports. As laterality research has matured, greater focus has been given to applications in human endeavours and, in particular, sport. The book examines performance within individual sports, and discusses the coaching ramifications of coaching to a specific lateralization preference.

The book includes ideas and concepts from psychology in general, particularly sport psychology, and communication sciences, as well as applied sport psychology and case studies. In each chapter, the reader will first learn the theoretical and empirical background of concepts related to crises, and second, they will be introduced to how to apply this knowledge and methods to prevent and cope with crises. Throughout the book, well-known examples and case studies are addressed to gain a full understanding of crises.

Close soccer matches and tight title fights are rarely decided by players'' technical skills or their coaches'' tactical measures. The most significant impetus comes from an area that is often mentioned but difficult to grasp: mental strength, personality, and team cohesion after special victories. 

Using current scientific knowledge and illustrated by many examples, this book describes the mental and cognitive processes that determine victory and defeat in soccer. Several interviews with well-known soccer coaches, managers and former players complement these findings from psychology and sport science.

It deals with phenomena such as the home field advantage, creativity on the field, extreme emotional situations, the limits of visual perception, group dynamics and modern leadership. Well-known myths (e.g. Don''t let the player who has been fouled shoot the penalty) will be discussed and debunked. Every soccer enthusiast should read this book in order to understand which phenomena can genuinely be game-changing and which ones cannot.