Psychology in Sports

Research Paper # 114572

Psychology > Behaviorism
Psychology > Motivation Studies
Psychology > Theory

This paper discusses the subject of psychology within sports and looks at its effects on athletes.

6,600 words () | 11 sources | APA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that traditions, game-changing plays, and curses all have one thing in common: they are psychological aspects of sports recognized by fans and athletes alike. The writer points out that the most noticeable psychological aspects of sports are momentum, motivation and failure. The writer then discusses whether momentum, motivation and failure are simply ordinary aspects of sport, or whether these are psychological effects that deserve more notice. In addition, the writer looks at the effects that mind and psychology have on sports and concludes that with regards to these effects, it is only a matter of recognizing what can be attributed to ability, pure luck, and the psychology of the mind. This paper includes tables and figures.

From the Paper:

"The best example of psychological momentum in a series is the playoffs in professional sports. If psychological momentum holds true, teams winning the first game in a series should have a higher chance of winning the series.
"With the exception of the National Football League, the three other professional leagues, MLB, NBA, and National Hockey League (NHL), conduct playoffs made up of rounds of best-of-5 or best-of-7 series. Based on the theory of psychological momentum and ignoring the seed of the teams, it would make sense that the team that wins first has the better chance at winning the series. Since 1995, the three leagues have conducted 466 playoff series."

Sample of Sources Used:

Adler, P. & Adler, P.A. (1978). The role of momentum in sport. Urban Life, 7, 153-176.
Ball, D.W. (1976). Failure in sport. American Sociological Review, 41, 726-739.
Blanchard, W. J. & Iso-Ahola, S. E. (1986). Psychological momentum and competitive sport performance: A field study. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 62, 763-768.
Dzewaltowski, D. A., McElroy, M., & Shaw, J. M. (1992). Self-efficacy and causal attributions as mediators of perceptions of psychological momentum. Journal of Sports and Exercise Psychology, 14, 134-147.
Eitzen, D.S. & Harris, D.S. (1978). The consequences of failure in sport. Urban Life, 7, 177-188.