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.

PART ONE: INTRODUCING SPORT PSYCHOLOGY The History of Sport Psychology Practising Sport Psychology Ethical Issues Organizations, Sources and Resources PART TWO: ANXIETY AND STRESS Anxiety and Arousal Measuring Stress and Anxiety Pre-Performance Routines Choking Under Pressure Coping Strategies PART THREE: MOTIVATION AND COMMITMENT Sport Participation Motives Burnout and Dropout Goal Setting Fear of Failure and Need to Achieve Self-Determination Theory Achievement Goal Theory Self-Efficacy and Perceived Competence PART FOUR: COGNITIVE PROCESSES IN SPORT Mental Imagery Mental Practice Attention and Concentration Positive Self-Talk and Thought Control Mental Toughness PART FIVE: SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT Team Cohesion Team Building Causal Attribution Social Facilitation and Social Loafing Leadership and Effective Coaching Home Advantage Aggression Fans and Spectators PART SIX: MOTOR SKILLS Motor Development Expertise Decision-Making Practising Motor Skills Analysis and Measurement of Motor Performance PART SEVEN: SPORT AND WELL-BEING Gender Issues Overtraining and Exercise Addiction Injury and Retirement

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. -- Professor David Lavallee