Module SPRT2271: Advanced Sport and Exercise Psychology

Department: Sport and Exercise Sciences

SPRT2271: Advanced Sport and Exercise Psychology

Prerequisites

• Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology SPRT1261

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To develop an advanced understanding of the psychological principles that underpin sport and exercise engagement and participation;
• To develop a critical awareness of the strengths and limitations of psychological research and theory;
• To translate and apply this knowledge and understanding in a ‘real world’ context;
• To develop the skills required for effective one-to-one psychological consultations.

Content

• Indicative content will include:
• Psychological theories that underpin exercise and physical activity participation (motivation; attitude theories; theory of reasoned action; theory of planned behaviour; transtheoretical theory, etc.);
• Controversies linked with psychological methods and testing with athletes;
• Measurement issues in applied exercise psychology;
• Stress and resilience in sport and exercise contexts;
• Psychological benefits of physical activity: mechanisms & hypotheses; mental health & well-being;
• Evidence based interventions in sport (performance enhancement) and exercise (behaviour change and activity promotion);
• Professional practice: using real-world scenarios to consider and problem solve athlete issues, and negative effects of chronic exercise;
• Professional practice: implementing intervention strategies to enhance performance or developing a strategy to encourage behaviour change.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop a critical understanding of traditional and contemporary theoretical approaches to sport and exercise psychology;
• Develop an appreciation of measurement design issues in sport and exercise psychology;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between sport and exercise engagement and mental health;
• Develop an understanding of the critical issues concerning one-to-one consultations in a range of settings, including elie sport and health promotion.

• Compare and contrast psychological theories and models that underpin sport, exercise and physical activity participation;
• Analyse and discuss relevant information in a small group (seminar) environment;
• The application of theory to practice, in sport and exercise contexts;
• The use and interpretation of psychological inventories to measure constructs of sport performance, exercise participation and physical activity.

• Reading, critiquing and presenting an evidence base;
• Analyse and solve problems;
• Present data and design interventions;
• Time management and independent learning;
• Use information technology.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Staff-led content, including individual and group-based activities, will introduce students to the basic concepts & key theories underpinning exercise participation.
• Interactive group activities will enable students to discuss the relative merits of specific theories, assessment tools and empirical research;
• Independently students will be required to invest time in directed reading, research activities, group-based activity preparation, and study tasks;
• Assessment is structured around consultations the students will undertake; one with an athlete, and one with an inactive individual. For each case study, students will plan and justify an approach, interpret the data received using their knowledge of psychological theory and research, and form recommendations for further intervention support.
• A formative tutorial (mock viva) will allow students to prepare for their summative from both a process and learning perspective. Students will have an opportunity to discuss understanding gained from their first case study, and gain feedback on their insights and planning for case study 2;
• A summative individual viva will allow students to discuss their case studies in depth, providing a theory- and evidence-base for their interpretations, recommendations and decision making during the process.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

1x 20 minute individual tutorial (mock viva) (Optional).

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University