KIN 514 – Applied Sport Psychology

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Department of Kinesiology

Fall 2015

Instructor: Julie A. Partridge, Ph.D.

Email: jpartrid@siu.edu

Office: Davies 160A

Class Time: Tuesdays 6:30-9:15 p.m. in Davies 208

Office Phone: 618.453.3119

Office Hours: T/R noon – 2:00; Wednesday, 2:00-4:00 p.m. or by appointment

Required Readings:

There is no required text for this class; however, required readings will be placed on

Desire2Learn. Please note that I expect you to complete all readings prior to coming to class.

Optional Text:

Williams, J. M., & Krane, V. (Eds.). (2014). Applied sport psychology (7th ed.). Boston, MA:

McGraw-Hill.

Course Description:

This course examines current research and practice in applied sport psychology. Emphasis will

be placed on moving from theory into practice on sport-specific individual differences,

motivational approaches, and interventions.

Course Objectives:

To develop an understanding of psychological factors that influence human behavior in sport

and physical activity settings;

To acquire an understanding of how participation in sport and physical activity influences

the psychological makeup of the individuals involved;

To acquire an understanding of the major performance and key non-performance issues in

mental training;

To become acquainted with contemporary theory, research design, methodology, and

analytical techniques appropriate to applied sport psychology research;

To demonstrate the ability to apply sport psychology theory covered in class by designing

performance enhancement programs;

To acquire life development skills and knowledge from sport and exercise psychology

research for performance enhancement.

Course Evaluation:

Midterm Exam 25%

PST Project (1 of 3 options) 30%

Athlete Interview 25%

In-Class/Problem-Based Assignments 10%

Reading Reflections 10%

Total 100%

To calculate your semester grade:

Multiply your midterm exam score by .25; multiply your PST project score by .30; multiply your

interview paper score by .25; multiply your in-class assignment total score by .10; and multiply

your reading reflections total score by .10. Add the values of your completed assignments

together to determine your semester percentage score.

Use the grading scale below to determine your semester letter grade.

Grading scale: A = (90-100%); B = (80-89%); C = (70-79%); D = (60 – 69%); F = (0 – 59%)

**Grades are rounded to the nearest tenth point (Example: an 89.5% would round up to a 90%,

an 89.4% would round to an 89%)

Method of Instruction

You will be expected to have read the required materials and any handouts PRIOR to class.

Students are expected to be active contributors to the class. You should utilize the office hours of

the instructor when necessary. You will be responsible for materials presented in class and the

readings—sometimes the two may be mutually exclusive.

Missed Exam Policy

Only under highly exceptional circumstances will students be allowed to reschedule or make

up missed exams. Documentation of the excuse must be provided. In the unlikely circumstance

that a make-up exam is given, the instructor reserves the right to change the format of the exam

to either an oral or essay exam. You may also be asked to write a paper instead of taking the

exam.

Student Disabilities Statement: If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability,

please submit a letter from Disability Support Services in a timely manner so that your needs

may be addressed. DSS determines accommodations based on documented disabilities

(618.453.5738, Woody Hall B-150, DSSsiu@siu.edu)

Emergency Procedures: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study

and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become

familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT)

program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on

BERT’s website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Safety’s website www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop

down) and in Emergency Response Guidelines pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency.

Instructors will provide guidance and direction to students in the classroom in the event of an emergency

affecting your location. It is important that you follow these instructions and stay with your instructor

during an evacuation or sheltering emergency. The Building Emergency Response Team will provide

assistance to your instructor in evacuating the building or sheltering within the facility. TORNADO:

Davies locker rooms. FIRE: Shryock steps. This class will only be cancelled due to weather if the

university is closed. The instructor will notify you by email by 5 PM if the class is to be cancelled.

Class Assignment Descriptions

Midterm Exam

Students will complete a midterm exam based on the material from the class discussion and

readings. The exam will consist of short answer and essay questions with emphasis on assigned

readings and lecture notes. Expect the exam to be applied in content. Although there will not be

a final exam, we will be meeting at our scheduled time: Tuesday, December 15, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Please plan your vacation and make travel arrangements accordingly. Buying a ticket to travel

which conflicts with this date is NOT an excuse for missing the final time.

Athlete Interview

This assignment is designed to provide you with an opportunity to interview an athlete or

exerciser regarding mental preparation strategies prior to and during competition. Upon

completion of this interview, you will be asked to play the educational sport psychologist and

discuss your interview in both oral and written forms covering various issues of psychological

skills in sport. More specific details of this assignment will be provided in a separate handout.

Due November 17.

Readings Reflections

These assignments are intended to give you the opportunity to reflect on the academic readings

for the class. This process will allow you to actively engage in class materials and gain a deeper

understanding of the concepts that are central to the application of exercise psychology

principles, and will also help to direct and generate discussion about the readings. Please note

that you will not be able to make up these points if you miss them, unless for an excused absence

(illness, death in the family). Also please note that leaving early for break or working at a game

is NOT considered an excused absence. You will be asked to write 3 things for each reading: 1)

provide the APA reference for the reading, 2) briefly write the purpose of the study, and 3) a

minimum of three questions/discussion points for each reading that is assigned. These questions

should be designed to clarify material, spark discussion, question appropriateness of methods,

challenge the statistical techniques, question the interpretation of the results, etc. Points will be

assigned based on the salience and relevance of the questions (e.g., if you write a question that is

answered in the reading, you will not receive full points). The discussion points will be graded

on their quality on a scale of 0-2 (0 = poor; 1 = acceptable; 2 = high quality). You are not

required to complete this assignment for the assigned book chapters. Each class member will be

responsible for introducing class discussion on the readings for at least one class period.

Questions are intended to reflect understanding of the reading; therefore, surface

questions, or those answered within the reading will not be given full points.

Go beyond the basic question to think about how this information can be used, what

could be done differently from a methodological standpoint, etc.

A question such as, “Would these results be different if males had been sampled instead

of females” is very basic and gives no indication of why the reader might think this is

important. Why would gender potentially have an effect on the outcome? A better

question would read, “Given the gender differences in self-confidence that we

discussed in class, the authors may have found even greater improvements in SC

following their intervention by using female participants as well”.

In-Class/Problem-Based Assignments

The purpose of these activities is to give you the opportunity to take the concepts presented in

class, and through critical thinking and creativity, apply them to a “real life” scenario. This

process will allow you to actively engage in class materials and gain a deeper understanding of

the concepts that are central to sport psychology and the application of these materials. These

activities are intended to help prepare you for the short answer portion of the exams. There will

be approximately one assignment every 2-3 weeks of the semester. Please note that you will not

be able to make up these points if you miss them, unless for an excused absence (i.e., official

school activity, illness, death in the family). Also please note that leaving early for break is NOT

considered an excused absence.

PST Program Options

Workshop Presentation/Intervention Manual*

You will prepare and present a 20-30 minute workshop on some component of Psychological

Skills Training (PST). The workshop should consist of a brief lecture and a

demonstration/”hands on” component. This presentation should be geared toward a specific

audience (high school athletes, new exercisers, etc.). You will need to specify (a) what audience

this workshop is geared toward, and (b) why this is an important skill to teach them,. Class

members will provide feedback/grade for the other groups in the class (a rubric will be provided)

that will total 10 points of the presentation grade. The remaining 90 points will be based off of

the instructor’s evaluation. To go along with the workshop presentation, an intervention manual

should also be created. You will need to understand and integrate the principles of PST and the

specific mental skill you will “teach”, and it should be specific to your chosen audience. The

intervention manual will range from 10-15 pages and must be written for your intended audience

while being scientifically accurate. You will be evaluated on: content, accuracy, clarity, and

grammar/spelling. The manual is due Wednesday, December 8. More specific details of this

assignment will be provided in a separate handout.

*May be completed in collaboration with another student (in which case the project and

presentation will be evaluated at a correspondingly appropriate standard)

Program Development

If you choose this option, your role will be primarily that to develop a specific PST. You will be

asked to design a season-long PST program for yourself (i.e., self change program), your PE

class, your exercise class or team you coach. The PST program must be geared for a specific age

level and activity/sport and detail exactly what you would do and how you would do it. That is,

you will need to specify (a) what mental skills you have included, (b) what priority you have

established for teaching those skills, and (c) your rationale for the decisions you made. Next you

need to construct a complete seasonal/yearly practice plan for group and/or individual MST

practice. This plan should include what types of practice exercises you would use, how much

practice time you would employ for each, and how the focus, volume, and intensity of training

would change throughout the program. Finally, you should include how you will monitor

individual practice and assess progress in skill development. Evaluation of this project will be

based on a typed, double-spaced paper of at least 8 but not more than 15 pages that outlines your

program including sample lesson plans. The second part of this assignment will be to present at

least one demonstration/”hands on” component to your “audience” (i.e., your classmates). This

paper is due Wednesday, December 8 and your oral presentation will be made either the same

day, or the following week. You are also responsible for making an electronic copy of your

paper for all class members who want one as well as submitting a hard copy to me. More specific

details of this assignment will be provided in a separate handout.

Self-Directed Program:

If you select this option, your role will be primarily that of a participant. Choose this option only

if you want to create positive personal change because you will carry out your own psychological

skills improvement program by selecting and practicing two or more of the mental skills studied

in class for a one-month time period. This type of hands-on self-study should greatly supplement

your understanding of PST and hopefully help motivate you to put your knowledge into practice

once the course has ended.

The MST self-improvement option will be completed individually in direct consultation with

me. You will be required to:

(1) Practice at least two mental skills a minimum of 10 minutes daily for one month. Last

day to start this project is November 8.

(2) Monitor your progress in developing mental skills by keeping a daily log of your practice

that you will turn in at the conclusion of the project along with your reaction paper.

(3) Meet with me once a week to practice skills, monitor progress, and troubleshoot problem

areas.

(4) Write a 3-10-page “reaction paper” describing your thoughts, feelings, and experiences

with your Personal MST Program. Your paper is due Wednesday, December 8.

(5) Make a 12-15-minute presentation on the mental training program you developed, how

you implemented the program, and how you evaluate its effectiveness.

If possible, pre- and post-testing will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of your

Personal PST Program. Grading will be roughly one-third on effectiveness of the program, one-

third on daily practice and log-keeping, and one-third on your reaction paper and general

cooperation and effort on the project. This option involves more on-going time and effort and is

therefore more geared to individuals who are serious about self-improvement in a specific area.

Nevertheless, it is open to anyone in the class who is willing to make a firm commitment to

mental skills training. Further information on the PST Program can be gained by talking with me

directly.

EACH STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A TERM PROJECT

PROSPECTUS BY SEPTEMBER 22.

Class Policies:

1. Given the graduate categorization of this class, I expect everyone to be present and on time. I

give you one “free” absence, unless there are extenuating circumstances (e.g., a death in the

immediate family). I expect that students will participate constructively and actively in course

discussions. Each student is expected to be an active and prepared participant in all class

activities. If you miss more than 1 class (excused OR unexcused), you will lose 2.5% off of

your total for the class for each additional class that you miss. There are no exceptions to this

rule. Please note that missing half or more of the class means you’ve missed the entire class

(e.g., if you leave at the break, it counts as an absence). If you are coming to class, please

make every effort to come on time. If you have to be late, try to be as inconspicuous as possible

coming into the room.

2. The penalty for academic dishonesty (cheating, allowing another student to cheat off of you,

and/or plagiarism) on any assignment or examination will result in an automatic score of zero for

that assignment. DO NOT DO THIS!!! (I can’t stress that enough). If you are in doubt about

what constitutes plagiarism, ASK. Part of this is that you MUST properly cite sources in your

work. Failure to properly attribute credit for another person’s previous work IS academic

dishonesty.

3. If you have questions, concerns, etc., please come and talk to me as soon as possible.

Otherwise, I will assume that everything is going well for everyone. NOTE: When contacting

me via email, please begin the email with a proper salutation (e.g., “Dr. Partridge,”), and please

sign your name at the end.

4. I provide a basic outline of each day’s class notes, but I will NOT provide my own notes for

students, so if you have to miss class, you should get notes from another class member.

5. Assigned readings will be posted on D2L. I expect that you will have all readings

completed before coming to class and will be prepared to discuss them. You should bring

copies of the assigned readings to class with you. Time often limits what I can go over in class to

only major conceptual and empirical issues, so in order for students to develop a full

understanding of a topic and to utilize it, you must supplement in-class discussion with

knowledge gained from the assigned readings.

6. If you miss a deadline for an assignment without a documented excuse, there will be no

making up the work. My policy for late work is as follows: Any assignment that is not turned in

by the end of the class period during which it is due is considered late. Only 10% of the total

score will be deducted from the total if the assignment is turned in by the end of that day. Any

assignment that is turned in after the day it is due will automatically lose 50% of the

possible points. For each additional day that the assignment is late, an additional 10% will be

taken off of the possible points. There are no exceptions, no excuses, absolutely no exclusions to

this rule. If you have an emergency or a reason why an assignment will not be turned in on time,

you must contact me before class. Please note that a broken/malfunctioning printer is NOT an

excuse. Go to a computer lab on campus if your home computer isn’t working. I’m sorry if your

flash drive won’t open—back it up on something else. Also, you MUST turn in a hard copy of

any assignment that is due for this class; you cannot just email it to me. Sending an email does

not mean that I have received your assignment. It is YOUR responsibility to print off your work.

**Email assignments will NOT be accepted

7. You must use APA format for papers in this class. Failure to do so will result in significant

loss of points on each assignment (5-10% of the total grade). Use the handout provided on this

syllabus to help you, and feel free to ask me any questions. Furthermore, all papers should be

typed, double-spaced and have a font size no larger than 12-point. Do NOT add extra space

between paragraphs. DO use headings to separate sections of your paper. Please see additional

handout for further information.

8. Please turn off all cell phones and mp3 players. Please do not text message, do the word

search or Sudoku in the DE. There are to be no cell phones visible in this class. The first time

I see one being used, I will issue a general warning to the class. The next time it happens, you

will lose 2% of your total percentage for the class. Keep in mind I may or may not call you out

by name, but once the warning has been issued to the class, I will start taking points off. If

you are using a computer in the class and I see you on Facebook (or on the Internet in

general), you will lose 2% each time.

Writing Style Guidelines for Formal Papers

This class is a graduate level class. As such, I have expectations about the writing

style that you use to complete assignments in this class. The guidelines listed

below must be followed for each formal writing assignment unless otherwise

specified. If you have questions, please contact me.

1. Assignments will be double-spaced.

2. Do NOT put extra spaces between paragraphs

3. Include paragraph headings to help organize the paper. When using

headings, italicize, rather than bold the headings.

4. You must use APA format for papers in this class. Failure to do so will

result in significant loss of points on each assignment (5-10% of the

total grade). Use the handout provided in class to help you, and feel free

to ask me any questions.

5. All papers should be typed, double-spaced and have a font size no larger

than 12-point, with 1-inch margins.

6. Provide page numbers in a header in the upper right hand corner.

7. Do include a title page. Any time a title page is used, you do NOT

include your information on the first sheet of the body of the paper.

Citing References in APA Style (6th

Edition)

Note – in your references section, all references should be double spaced, in alphabetical order

by the first author’s last name.

Journal Articles

Bloom, J. (1998). The ethical practice of web counseling. British Journal of Guidance and

Counseling, 26, 53-59.

Danish, S., Petitpas, A., & Hale, B. (1993). Life development interventions for athletes: Life

skills through sports. The Counseling Psychologist, 21, 352-385.

Book Chapters (in edited books)

Babkes, M. L, & Partridge, J. A. (2004). Social influence on emotion. In D. Lavallee, J.

Thatcher, & M. V. Jones (Eds.). Coping and Emotion in Sport (pp. 75-89).

Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers.

Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1986). Common processes of change in smoking,

weight control, and psychological distress. In S. Shiffman & T. Wills (Eds.), Coping and

Substance Abuse (pp. 345-363). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.

Entire Books

Rosenthal, R. (1984). Meta-analytic procedures for social research. London, UK: Sage

Publications.

Rosenthal, R., & Rosnow, R. (1984). Essentials of behavioral research: Methods and data

analysis. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Websites – with an author

Kirk, J. T. (2004, February 20). Confessions of a closet trekkie. Retrieved October 12, 2009,

from Jammer’s Reviews website: http://www.jammersreviews.com/articles/confessions.php.

Websites – without an author

National Aeronautics and Space Administration. (2009, May 28). NASA astronaut watches

new Star Trek movie in space. Retrieved from

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/star_trek.html.

A set of class notes

Partridge, J. A. (2010, April 7). Using APA style [PowerPoint slides].

Citing References in Text:

1) Murphy (1996) argues that . .. .

2) A recent study suggests that the web can be a useful tool for sport psychologists (Prochaska &

DiClemente, 1986).

Sample paragraph with references:

Application of the Transtheoretical Model

The TM is a general model of behavior change that has been validated with a wide range of

problematic and healthy behaviors (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983; 1992; Prochaska et al.,

1994), and most recently with mental skills usage (Grove, Norton, VanRaalte, & Brewer, 1999;

Leffingwell, Rider, & Williams, 2001). The basic premise of the TM is that behavior change is

not dichotomous, but rather a process with predictable stages. This theory…

Basic structure of the paper:

1) Title page

2) Body of text

3) References

4) Tables or figures

Basic formatting issues:

1) Double-spaced throughout

2) All references should appear in text, all citations in the text should be in the reference section

3) Use side headers (italicized )to denote major sections of the paper (organization)

4) Bold text is not used

5) Page number (and header) on the top right corner of each page, including title page

6) Paraphrasing with citations is preferred to direct quotations in most cases

For additional help with APA Style and examples of formatting, visit this website:

http://webster.commnet.edu/apa/apa_index.htm (note that there are slight differences in

formatting between the newest version (6.0) and the version discussed in the website – either

version is fine.)

References

Connaughton, D., Hanton, S., & Jones, G. (2010). The development and maintenance of mental toughness

in the world’s best performers. The Sport Psychologist, 24, 168-193.

Gammage, K. L., Hardy, J., & Hall, C. R. (2001). A description of self-talk in exercise.

Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 2, 233-247.

Gilbert, J. N. (2011). Teaching sport psychology to high school student-athletes: The psychological

UNIFORM and the game plan format. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 2, 1-9.

Gillham, A., & Weiler, D. (2013). Goal setting with a college soccer team: What went right, and less-

than-right. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 4, 97-108.

Greenleaf, C., Gould, D., & Dieffenbach, K. (2001). Factors influencing Olympic performance:

Interviews with Atlanta and Nagano U. S. Olympians. Journal of Applied Sport

Psychology, 13, 154-184.

Hanton, S., & Jones, G. (1999). The acquisition and development of cognitive skills and strategies: I.

Making the butterflies fly in formation. The Sport Psychologist, 13, 1-21.

Hanton, S., & Jones, G. (1999). The effects of a multimodal intervention program on performers:

Training the butterflies to fly in formation. The Sport Psychologist, 13, 22-41.

Hardy, J., Gammage, K., & Hall, C. (2001). A descriptive study of athlete self-talk. The Sport

Psychologist, 15, 306-318.

Hartman, A. (2000). Setting daily goals. Athletic Therapy Today, 10, 46-47.

Johnson, J. J. M., Hrycaiko, D. W., Johnson, G. V., & Halas, J. M. (2004). Self-talk and female

youth soccer performance. The Sport Psychologist, 18, 44-59.

Jones, G., Hanton, S., & Connaughton, D. (2007). A framework of mental toughness in the world’s best

performers. The Sport Psychologist, 21, 243-264.

Lemyre, F., Trudel, P., & Durand-Bush, N. (2007). How youth-sport coaches learn to coach. The Sport

Psychologist, 21, 191-209.

Martin, K. A., Moritz, S. E., & Hall, C. R. (1999). Imagery use in sport: A literature review and

applied model. The Sport Psychologist, 13, 245-268.

Maynard, I. W., Hemmings, B., & Warwick-Evans, L. (1995). The effects of a somatic

intervention strategy on competitive state anxiety and performance in semiprofessional

soccer players. The Sport Psychologist, 9, 51-64.

Mesagno, C., & Mullane-Grant, T. (2010). A comparison of different pre-performance routines as

possible choking interventions. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 22, 343-360.

Munroe, K. J., Giacobbi, P. R., Hall, C., & Weinberg, R. (2000). The four Ws of imagery use:

Where, when, why, and what. The Sport Psychologist, 14, 119-137.

O’Brien, M., Mellalieu, S., & Hanton, S. (2009). Goal-setting effects in elite and nonelite boxers. Journal

of Applied Sport Psychology, 21, 293-306.

Raedeke, T. D. (1997). Is athlete burnout more than just stress? A sport commitment

perspective. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 19, 396-417.

Raedeke, T. D., Granzyk, T. L., & Warren, A. (2000). Why coaches experience burnout: A

commitment perspective. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 22, 85-105.

Raedeke, T. D., Lunney, K., & Venables, K. (2002). Understanding athlete burnout: Coach

perspectives. Journal of Sport Behavior, 25(2), 181-206

Rejeski, W., Darracott, C., & Hutslar, S. (1979). Pygmalion in youth sport: A field study.

Journal of Sport Psychology, 1, 311-319.

Walen, DiGiuseppe, & Dryden, A. (1992). A practitioner’s guide to RET. New York: Oxford University

Press.

Ward, P., & Carnes, M. (2002). Effect of posting self-set goals on collegiate football players’

skill-execution during practice and games. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 35, 1-

12.

Weinberg, R., Butt, J., & Culp, B. (2011). Coaches’ views of mental toughness and how it is built.

International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 9, 156-172.