Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Is Sport Psychology For?Understanding Sports PsychologyHistoryTypesUsesImpactTechniquesCareersFrequently Asked Questions

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Table of Contents

Who Is Sport Psychology For?

Understanding Sports Psychology

History

Types

Uses

Impact

Techniques

Careers

Frequently Asked Questions

Close

Have you ever wondered what separates good athletes from elite ones? Or have you ever wanted to improve your own athletic performance? Sure, physical fitness and skill are important, but what’s going on in your head often determines how well you perform. That’s where sports psychology comes in.

Sports psychology (also often referred to as sport psychology) focuses on the psychological variables that influence physical activity and performance. Things like anxiety, focus, motivation, visualization,stress, andresiliencecan all affect how well people do during exercise, physical activity, or athletic competition.

Sports psychology is for elite athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone who wants to move their body more effectively. The field is often associated with professionals who help Olympic and professional athletes win in highly competitive settings, but that’s not all they do.

The tactics they use to help elite performers excel can also be utilized in recreational settings to help people enjoy sports, handle anxiety, and build motivation. Techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis, and CBT can improve relaxation and concentration.

Sports psychology studies how psychological factors influence sports, athletic performance, exercise, and physical activity.Sports psychologistsinvestigate how participating in sports can improve health and well-being. They also help athletes utilize psychology to improve their athletic performance and mental wellness.

For example, sports psychologists worked with elite basketball pros like Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant to help them perform better on the basketball court. By teaching them psychological techniques for “being in the flow” and getting in “the zone,” they were able to hone their focus and athletic resilience.

A sports psychologist doesn’t just work with elite and professional athletes either. This type of professional also helps non-athletes and everyday exercisers learn how to enjoy sports and stick to an exercise program.

They utilize exercise and athletics to enhance people’s lives andmental well-being.

History of Sports Psychology

Sports psychology is a relatively young discipline inpsychology; the first research lab devoted to the topic opened in 1925.The first U.S. lab closed a short while later (in the early 1930s) and American research did not resume in this area until the late 1960s when there was a revival of interest.

In 1965, the International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) was established.By the 1970s, sports psychology had been introduced as a university course offered at educational institutions throughout North America.

By the 1980s, sports psychology became the subject of a more rigorous scientific focus. Researchers began to explore how psychology could be used to improve athletic performance. They also looked at how exercise could be utilized toimprove moodandlower stress levels.

Different Types of Sports Psychologists

Just as there aredifferent types of psychologists—such as clinical psychologists, developmental psychologists, and forensic psychologists—there are also different types of sports psychologists.

Educational Sports Psychologists

An educational sports psychologist uses psychological methods to help athletes improve sports performance.This includes teaching them how to use certain techniques such asimagery,goal setting, orself talkto perform better on the court or field.

Clinical Sports Psychologists

Clinical sports psychologists work with athletes who have mental health conditions such as depression oranxiety. This work involves using strategies from both sports psychology andpsychotherapy.

A clinical sports psychologist helps athletes improve their mental health and sports performance at the same time.

Exercise Psychologists

Uses for Sports Psychology

Contemporary sports psychology is a diverse field and there are a number of different topics that are of special interest to sports psychologists. Here are a few areas of sports psychology and how they are utilized.

Attentional Focus

Attentional focus involves the ability to tune out distractions (such as a crowd of screaming fans) and focus on the task at hand. This allows athletes to manage theirmental focus, even in the face of other things that are vying for their attention.

Common strategies that might be used for this purpose includedeep breathing, paying attention to bodily signals and sensations, andmindfulness. All of these can help athletes stay focused on the present moment.

Mental Toughness

Mental toughness has become an area of increasing interest in sports psychology. The term refers to the psychological characteristics that are important for an athlete to reach optimal performance.

Among these characteristics are having an unshakeablebelief in one’s self, the ability tobounce back from setbacks, and an insatiable desire to succeed. Reacting to situations positively, remaining calm under pressure, and retaining control are a few others that contribute to mental toughness.

The Difference Between Mental Strength and Mental Health

Visualization and Goal-Setting

Setting a goal, then visualizing each step needed to reach that goal can help mentally prepare the athlete for training or competition.Visualizationinvolves creating a mental image of what you “intend” to happen. Athletes can use this skill to envision the outcome they are pursuing. They might visualize themselves winning an event, for instance, or going through the steps needed to complete a difficult movement.

Visualization can also be useful forhelping athletes feel calmerand more focused before an event.

Motivation and Team-Building

Extrinsic motivators are external rewards such as trophies, money, medals, or social recognition. Intrinsic motivators arise from within, such as a personal desire to win or the sense of pride that comes from performing a skill.

Team building is also an important topic in this field. Sports psychologists might work with coaches and athletes to help develop a sense of comradery and assist them in working together efficiently and effectively.

Anxiety

Professional sports psychologists help athletes cope with the intense pressure that comes from competition. This often involves finding ways toreduce performance anxietyand combat burnout.

It is common for athletes to get nervous before a game, performance, or competition. But these nerves can have a negative impact on performance.So, learning tactics to stay calm is important for helping athletes perform their best.

Sports psychology often utilizes psychological tactics to combat anxiety, such as:Relaxation techniquesChanging negative thoughtsBuilding self-confidenceFindings distractions

Sports psychology often utilizes psychological tactics to combat anxiety, such as:

Burnoutcan also happen to athletes who frequently experience pressure, anxiety, and intense practice schedules.Helping athletes restore their sense of balance, learn to relax, and keep up their motivation can help when they are starting to become burnt out.

How to Handle Performance Anxiety as an Athlete

Rehabilitation

Another important focus of sports psychology is on helping athletes recover and return to their sport after an injury. A sports injury can lead to emotional reactions in addition to physical injury, which can include feelings ofanger,frustration,hopelessness, andfear.

Sports psychologists work with these athletes to help them mentally cope with the recovery process and to restore their confidence once they are ready to return to their sport.

How Effective Is Sports Psychology?

Research indicates that using various sports psychology techniques can help improve the performance of all types of athletes, from very young gymnasts (aged 8 to 13)to some of thetop Olympians.

Sports psychology also has impacts that extend into other areas of wellness.

For example, one study noted that doctors commonly have negative reactions when treating acutely unwell patients. Yet, when doctors used the same psychological routines as athletes, they were able to better control these reactions.It also improved their patient care.

Others suggest that sports psychologists can play an important role in reducingobesity, particularly in children.By helping kids increase their physical activity and their enjoyment of the activity, a sports psychologist can help kids achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Sports Psychology Techniques That Improve Performance

So, what psychological techniques do sports psychologists use to improve performance and motivation? Some professionals use one specific technique when helping their clients, while others use a wide range of sports psychology techniques.

Progressive Relaxation

Relaxation techniques offer athletes many benefits. Among them are an increase in self-confidence, better concentration, and lower levels of anxiety and stress—all of which work together to improve performance.

One of the relaxation strategies sports psychologists use with their clients isprogressive muscle relaxation. This technique involves having them tense a group of muscles, hold them tense for a few seconds, then allow them to relax.

Hypnosis

Some health professionals usehypnosisto help their patients quit smoking. A sports psychologist might use this same technique to help their clients perform better in their sport of choice.

Research indicates that hypnosis (which involves putting someone in a state of focused attention with increased suggestibility) can be used to improve performance for athletes participating in a variety of sports, from basketball to golf to soccer.

Biofeedback

One systematic review noted that using heart rate variability biofeedback improved sports performance in more than 85% of the studies.Other research supports using biofeedback to reduce an athlete’s stress and anxiety.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)is used to help all kinds of people identify and change destructive thoughts and behaviors. Therefore, it would only stand to reason that athletes would also benefit from its effects.

One case study involving a 17-year-old female cross-country skier noted that CBT helped reduce performance anxiety while improving sport-specific behaviors.Another piece of research involved 16 NCAA Division I athletes with severe injuries and found that CBT enhanced their emotional well-being during recovery.

Becoming a Sports Psychologist

Becoming a sports psychologist could be exciting for many psychology students, and it may be a good career choice for those with a strong interest in sports and physical activity.

According to the American Psychological Association, most sports psychologists have a master’s or doctorate degree in clinical, counseling, or sports psychology. In addition to these requirements, they generally need additional coursework in subjects such as kinesiology, sports medicine, physiology, marketing, and business.

Some professionals also choose to specialize in:

The American Psychological Association (APA) describes sports psychology as a “hot career,” suggesting that those working in university athletic departments earn around $60,000 to $80,000 per year.

Takeaways

Sports psychology, or the use of psychological techniques in exercise and sports, offers benefits for athletes and non-athletes alike. It also encompasses a wide variety of techniques designed to boost performance and strengthen exercise adherence.

If you have a passion for sportsandpsychology, becoming a sports psychologist could be a good career choice. And it offers a few different career options, enabling you to choose the one that interests you most.

Different sports psychology techniques work in different ways. Some are used to promote self-confidence. Others are designed to reduce anxiety. Though they all have one goal in common and that goal is to help the athlete improve their performance.

Sports psychologists can take a few different career paths. If you want to teach athletes how to improve their performance through psychological techniques, you can do this as an educational sports psychologist. If you want to work with athletes who have a mental illness, a clinical sports psychologist offers this service. If you want to work with the everyday exerciser versus athletes, becoming an exercise psychologist might be a good career choice for you.

A number of colleges and universities offer a sports psychology program. Some are undergraduate programs, offering a bachelor’s degree in sports psychology. Others are higher-level programs, providing a master’s degree or above. Depending on the educational institution, you may also be able to study sports psychology online.

22 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Effron L.Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant’s meditation coach on how to be ‘flow ready’ and get in the zone.ABC News.American Psychological Association.Sports psychologists help professional and amateur athletes.University of Michigan.Lecture 1: History of sports psychology.International Society of Sports Psychology.ISSP mission.American Psychological Association.Educational sport psychology.American Psychological Association.A career in sport performance psychology.Liew G, Kuan G, Chin N, Hashim H.Mental toughness in sport.German J Exerc Sport Res. 2019;49:381-94. doi:10.1007/s12662-019-00603-3NCAA Sport Science Institute.Mind, body and sport: anxiety disorders.National Athletic Trainers' Association.Burnout in athletes.Mehdinezhad M, Rezaei A.The impact of normative feedback (positive and negative) on static and dynamic balance on gymnast children aged 8 to 13.Sport Psychol. 2018;2(1):61-70.Olympic Channel.Visualisation.Church H, Murdoch-Eaton D, Sandars J.Using insights from sports psychology to improve recently qualified doctors' self-efficacy while managing acutely unwell patients.Academic Med. 2020;96(5):695-700. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003809Wyszyńska J, Ring-Dimitriou S, Thivel D, et al.Physical activity in the prevention of childhood obesity: The position of the European Childhood Obesity Group and the European Academy of Pediatrics.Front Pediatr. 2020;8:535705. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.535705Parnabas V, Mahamood Y, Parnabas J, Abdullah N.The relationship between relaxation techniques and sport performance.Universal J Psychol. 2014;2(3):108-112. doi:10.13180/ujp.2014.020302Milling L, Randazzo E.Enhancing sports performance with hypnosis: An ode for Tiger Woods.Psychol of Consciousness: Theory Res Pract. 2016;3(1):45-60. doi:10.1037/cns0000055Morgan S, Mora J.Effect of heart rate variability biofeedback on sport performance, a systematic review.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2017;42:235-45. doi:10.1007/s10484-017-9364-2Dziembowska I, Izdebski P, Rasmus A, Brudny J, Grzelczak M, Cysewski P.Effects of heart rate variability biofeedback on EEG alpha asymmetry and anxiety symptoms in male athletes: A pilot study.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2015;41:141-150. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9319-4Gustafsson H, Lundqvist C, Tod D.Cognitive behavioral intervention in sport psychology: A case illustration of the exposure method with an elite athlete.J Sport Psychol Action. 2017;8(3):152-62. doi:10.1080/21520704.2016.1235649Podlog L, Heil J, Burns R, et al.A cognitive behavioral intervention for college athletes with injuries.The Sport Psychol. 2020;34(2):111-21. doi:10.1123/tsp.2019-0112American Psychological Association.A career in sport and performance psychology.Voelker R.Hot careers: Sport psychology. American Psychological Association. GradPSYCH Magazine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity: Benefits of physical activity.

22 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Effron L.Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant’s meditation coach on how to be ‘flow ready’ and get in the zone.ABC News.American Psychological Association.Sports psychologists help professional and amateur athletes.University of Michigan.Lecture 1: History of sports psychology.International Society of Sports Psychology.ISSP mission.American Psychological Association.Educational sport psychology.American Psychological Association.A career in sport performance psychology.Liew G, Kuan G, Chin N, Hashim H.Mental toughness in sport.German J Exerc Sport Res. 2019;49:381-94. doi:10.1007/s12662-019-00603-3NCAA Sport Science Institute.Mind, body and sport: anxiety disorders.National Athletic Trainers' Association.Burnout in athletes.Mehdinezhad M, Rezaei A.The impact of normative feedback (positive and negative) on static and dynamic balance on gymnast children aged 8 to 13.Sport Psychol. 2018;2(1):61-70.Olympic Channel.Visualisation.Church H, Murdoch-Eaton D, Sandars J.Using insights from sports psychology to improve recently qualified doctors' self-efficacy while managing acutely unwell patients.Academic Med. 2020;96(5):695-700. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003809Wyszyńska J, Ring-Dimitriou S, Thivel D, et al.Physical activity in the prevention of childhood obesity: The position of the European Childhood Obesity Group and the European Academy of Pediatrics.Front Pediatr. 2020;8:535705. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.535705Parnabas V, Mahamood Y, Parnabas J, Abdullah N.The relationship between relaxation techniques and sport performance.Universal J Psychol. 2014;2(3):108-112. doi:10.13180/ujp.2014.020302Milling L, Randazzo E.Enhancing sports performance with hypnosis: An ode for Tiger Woods.Psychol of Consciousness: Theory Res Pract. 2016;3(1):45-60. doi:10.1037/cns0000055Morgan S, Mora J.Effect of heart rate variability biofeedback on sport performance, a systematic review.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2017;42:235-45. doi:10.1007/s10484-017-9364-2Dziembowska I, Izdebski P, Rasmus A, Brudny J, Grzelczak M, Cysewski P.Effects of heart rate variability biofeedback on EEG alpha asymmetry and anxiety symptoms in male athletes: A pilot study.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2015;41:141-150. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9319-4Gustafsson H, Lundqvist C, Tod D.Cognitive behavioral intervention in sport psychology: A case illustration of the exposure method with an elite athlete.J Sport Psychol Action. 2017;8(3):152-62. doi:10.1080/21520704.2016.1235649Podlog L, Heil J, Burns R, et al.A cognitive behavioral intervention for college athletes with injuries.The Sport Psychol. 2020;34(2):111-21. doi:10.1123/tsp.2019-0112American Psychological Association.A career in sport and performance psychology.Voelker R.Hot careers: Sport psychology. American Psychological Association. GradPSYCH Magazine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity: Benefits of physical activity.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Effron L.Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant’s meditation coach on how to be ‘flow ready’ and get in the zone.ABC News.American Psychological Association.Sports psychologists help professional and amateur athletes.University of Michigan.Lecture 1: History of sports psychology.International Society of Sports Psychology.ISSP mission.American Psychological Association.Educational sport psychology.American Psychological Association.A career in sport performance psychology.Liew G, Kuan G, Chin N, Hashim H.Mental toughness in sport.German J Exerc Sport Res. 2019;49:381-94. doi:10.1007/s12662-019-00603-3NCAA Sport Science Institute.Mind, body and sport: anxiety disorders.National Athletic Trainers' Association.Burnout in athletes.Mehdinezhad M, Rezaei A.The impact of normative feedback (positive and negative) on static and dynamic balance on gymnast children aged 8 to 13.Sport Psychol. 2018;2(1):61-70.Olympic Channel.Visualisation.Church H, Murdoch-Eaton D, Sandars J.Using insights from sports psychology to improve recently qualified doctors' self-efficacy while managing acutely unwell patients.Academic Med. 2020;96(5):695-700. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003809Wyszyńska J, Ring-Dimitriou S, Thivel D, et al.Physical activity in the prevention of childhood obesity: The position of the European Childhood Obesity Group and the European Academy of Pediatrics.Front Pediatr. 2020;8:535705. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.535705Parnabas V, Mahamood Y, Parnabas J, Abdullah N.The relationship between relaxation techniques and sport performance.Universal J Psychol. 2014;2(3):108-112. doi:10.13180/ujp.2014.020302Milling L, Randazzo E.Enhancing sports performance with hypnosis: An ode for Tiger Woods.Psychol of Consciousness: Theory Res Pract. 2016;3(1):45-60. doi:10.1037/cns0000055Morgan S, Mora J.Effect of heart rate variability biofeedback on sport performance, a systematic review.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2017;42:235-45. doi:10.1007/s10484-017-9364-2Dziembowska I, Izdebski P, Rasmus A, Brudny J, Grzelczak M, Cysewski P.Effects of heart rate variability biofeedback on EEG alpha asymmetry and anxiety symptoms in male athletes: A pilot study.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2015;41:141-150. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9319-4Gustafsson H, Lundqvist C, Tod D.Cognitive behavioral intervention in sport psychology: A case illustration of the exposure method with an elite athlete.J Sport Psychol Action. 2017;8(3):152-62. doi:10.1080/21520704.2016.1235649Podlog L, Heil J, Burns R, et al.A cognitive behavioral intervention for college athletes with injuries.The Sport Psychol. 2020;34(2):111-21. doi:10.1123/tsp.2019-0112American Psychological Association.A career in sport and performance psychology.Voelker R.Hot careers: Sport psychology. American Psychological Association. GradPSYCH Magazine.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity: Benefits of physical activity.

Effron L.Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant’s meditation coach on how to be ‘flow ready’ and get in the zone.ABC News.

American Psychological Association.Sports psychologists help professional and amateur athletes.

University of Michigan.Lecture 1: History of sports psychology.

International Society of Sports Psychology.ISSP mission.

American Psychological Association.Educational sport psychology.

American Psychological Association.A career in sport performance psychology.

Liew G, Kuan G, Chin N, Hashim H.Mental toughness in sport.German J Exerc Sport Res. 2019;49:381-94. doi:10.1007/s12662-019-00603-3

NCAA Sport Science Institute.Mind, body and sport: anxiety disorders.

National Athletic Trainers' Association.Burnout in athletes.

Mehdinezhad M, Rezaei A.The impact of normative feedback (positive and negative) on static and dynamic balance on gymnast children aged 8 to 13.Sport Psychol. 2018;2(1):61-70.

Olympic Channel.Visualisation.

Church H, Murdoch-Eaton D, Sandars J.Using insights from sports psychology to improve recently qualified doctors' self-efficacy while managing acutely unwell patients.Academic Med. 2020;96(5):695-700. doi:10.1097/ACM.0000000000003809

Wyszyńska J, Ring-Dimitriou S, Thivel D, et al.Physical activity in the prevention of childhood obesity: The position of the European Childhood Obesity Group and the European Academy of Pediatrics.Front Pediatr. 2020;8:535705. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.535705

Parnabas V, Mahamood Y, Parnabas J, Abdullah N.The relationship between relaxation techniques and sport performance.Universal J Psychol. 2014;2(3):108-112. doi:10.13180/ujp.2014.020302

Milling L, Randazzo E.Enhancing sports performance with hypnosis: An ode for Tiger Woods.Psychol of Consciousness: Theory Res Pract. 2016;3(1):45-60. doi:10.1037/cns0000055

Morgan S, Mora J.Effect of heart rate variability biofeedback on sport performance, a systematic review.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2017;42:235-45. doi:10.1007/s10484-017-9364-2

Dziembowska I, Izdebski P, Rasmus A, Brudny J, Grzelczak M, Cysewski P.Effects of heart rate variability biofeedback on EEG alpha asymmetry and anxiety symptoms in male athletes: A pilot study.App Psychophysiol Biofeed. 2015;41:141-150. doi:10.1007/s10484-015-9319-4

Gustafsson H, Lundqvist C, Tod D.Cognitive behavioral intervention in sport psychology: A case illustration of the exposure method with an elite athlete.J Sport Psychol Action. 2017;8(3):152-62. doi:10.1080/21520704.2016.1235649

Podlog L, Heil J, Burns R, et al.A cognitive behavioral intervention for college athletes with injuries.The Sport Psychol. 2020;34(2):111-21. doi:10.1123/tsp.2019-0112

American Psychological Association.A career in sport and performance psychology.

Voelker R.Hot careers: Sport psychology. American Psychological Association. GradPSYCH Magazine.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Physical activity: Benefits of physical activity.

Christina DeBusk

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