Sport Psychology

Summer 2003

 

Dr. Fred Medway, Professor of Psychology

Barnwell Hall Room 533

Phone: 777-2938   

Email: Fmedway@gwm.sc.edu

 

Class Schedule: M,T,W,Th  3:30-5:45

Gambrell Hall, Room 152

 

Lecture 1
Lecture 2
Lecture 3
Lecture 4
Lecture 5
Lecture 6
Lecture 7
Lecture 9
Lecture 11
Lecture 13
Lecture 15
Lecture 16
Lecture 17
Lecture 21
Lecture 23

 

Course overview:

 

This is a survey class that focuses on the applications of basic psychological principles to sports and similar competitive/cooperative settings.  The course is intended primarily for advanced freshman, sophomore and junior undergraduates.  The only prerequisite is an introductory psychology course.

 

I have developed the course so that you can digest the material and so that it is not overwhelming.  The book is lengthy, although quite readable, and so we must skip areas that are less critical and/or are often covered in other psychology classes that you may take later in your career. 

 

The beginning classes review basic principles and the last few classes are devoted to short student presentations as indicated later in the syllabus. 

 

You can access an outline of my lecture at: http://www.oocities.org/medwayf/380.htm

 

Required textbook:

 

Robert S. Weinberg and Daniel Gould.  Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3rd edition.  Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Press, 2003.

 

Assignments: day, reading, topic, and assignment

 

July 8         

 

Introductory class

 

July 9

 

Chapter 1: Welcome to Sport and Exercise Psychology

Answer review questions 1 and 12

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

 

July 10

 

Chapter 2: Personality and Sport

Answer review question 8 and 9

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 2

July 14

 

Chapter 3: Motivation (pages 52-68)

Answer review question 5 and 12

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

Quiz 1: chapters 1, 2, and 3

 

July 15

 

Chapter 4 (pages 78-94): Arousal, Stress, and Anxiety

Chapter 5: Competition and Cooperation

Answer review question 4 in Chapter 4

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking questions 1 and 3 in Chapter 5

 

July 16

 

Chapter 6: Feedback, Reinforcement, and Intrinsic Motivation (pages 124-138)

Answer review question 3 and 5

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

 

July 17

 

Chapter 7: Group and Team Dynamics

Answer review question 5

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

Quiz 2: chapters 4, 5, and 6

 

July 21

 

Chapter 9: Leadership

Answer review question 7

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 2

 

July 22

 

Chapter 11: Psychological Skills Training

Answer review question 6

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

 

July 23

 

Chapter 13: Imagery

Answer review question 9

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

Quiz 3: chapters 7, 9, and 11

 

July 24

 

Chapter 15: Goal Setting

Answer review question 7

Answer critical thinking question 1

 

July 28

 

Chapter 16 (pp. 358-367): Concentration

Answer critical thinking question 1

Quiz 4: chapters 13 and 15

 

July 29

 

Chapter 17: Exercise and Psychological Well-Being

Answer review question 2 and 7

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

 

July 30

 

Chapter 21 (pp. 468-479): Burnout and Overtraining

Answer review question 2

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 2

 

July 31

 

Chapter 23: Aggression in Sport

Answer review question 1 and 7

Be prepared to discuss critical thinking question 1

 

August 4             

 

Quiz 5: chapters 16, 17, 21, and 23

Student presentations

 

August 5 and 6

 

Student presentations

 

I will let you know in advance the tables, charts and other material you are responsible for on the quizzes.

             

 

 Grading and Assignments:

 

Grading is straightforward.  Because of time constraints, you have five quizzes and each is worth 10% of the final grade (total 50%).  Each quiz will have 10 questions that will include multiple-choice and true false.   There is no final exam.

 

Each day you have a written assignment.  You must turn these in to me in class or, if you are absent, email them to me before class the next day.  You will receive either a + or – (no points).  There are 21 assignments and you get one point for each (total 21%). 

 

You will get up to 9 points for participation and attendance.  To get all 9 you cannot miss more than 2 classes.  If you miss more than 5 classes, unexcused, you will get 0 points regardless of your participation.

 

Presentations.  I will ask each of you to choose a particular sport or exercise and ask that you make a 20-minute presentation to the class that (1) describes the sport and your involvement, and (2) applies four principles that you learned this summer to the sport.  You should have a poster or overheads with the principles and applications and a list of two books or articles that apply sports psychology to this sport.  The presentations are worth 20% of your grade.

 

Extra credit.  If you want to read one of the chapters that I did not assign, write a two-page, double-spaced summary of that chapter, and answer 3 review questions of your choice, I will give you 5 extra credit points. 

 

Grading Scale:  92-100             A

87-91                             B+

79-86                             B

75-78                             C+

69-74                             C

60-69                             D (no D+ grades given)

59 points or less                        F

 

Make-up quizzes:

 

While I expect that you will be in class on quiz days, I understand that illness and other serious events do occur.  If you are ill (and have some documentation) or have proof of some other serious event you can take a make-up during my office hours on Friday morning or at another arranged time.

 

Please let me know, preferably via email, if you will be absent on a quiz day.

 

Quiz Schedule:

 

July 14, 17, 23, 28, August 4

 

Other:

 

It is very important for you to participate in class and ask questions.   Remember to turn off cell phones when you come to class, and let me know when you have to leave early.