Introduction to Sport Psychology. Third Edition

Author: (American) LeUnens (LeUnens, A.) et al. Authored, Yao Jiaqiao et al. Translated
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-12-01
Features: During the writing of the first, second, and currently ongoing third editions of this book, we have always firmly believed that sport and exercise psychology has always and will continue to maintain its important position in this field. At the same time, there is an ongoing demand for extensive and closely connected literature that captures the core of this field. In the writing of the third edition, we have achieved this goal, and we have also retained many successful features of the previous two editions, including the following:
Comprehensive Coverage: The content we have written covers many topics of interest to sport psychologists and students majoring in sport psychology, while also including some important topics that have emerged in recent years.
A Healthy Balance Between Theory and Application: The first half of the book consists of chapters on research applications, including: arousal and anxiety, rules of skill learning, reducing anxiety and improving performance, motivation theories, social psychology, and aggression, etc. While focusing on theoretical knowledge, we have also made every effort to demonstrate appropriate applications. The second half of the book (chapters 15–26) consists of topics with less research but strong applicability, such as: psychological assessment, issues related to female athletes or coaches, adolescent sports, coaches, and exercise psychology, etc.
Controversial Topics Covered: In the writing of textbooks, there is always a debate about the selection and ordering of topics. In this book, three topics may be considered controversial. One topic is the historical background. It is feasible for students in physical education to receive training in sport psychology, while it is not feasible for students from other majors to take courses in sport psychology, leading to two historical issues. Another controversial topic is whether to treat women's issues as a separate theme. According to current trends, many studies believe that women's issues should be discussed in all chapters rather than as a separate topic, but we believe that women's issues in exercise are worth discussing separately. Similarly, there is the issue of minority athletes. Another is whether the chapter on exercise psychology should be removed. Physical education students might think that the content of exercise psychology is redundant, but this chapter is very beneficial for students from other majors who are just beginning to learn about sport psychology. In fact, we believe that moderate repetition is helpful for learning.
Teaching Aids: In each chapter, we have used the following teaching aids to help students further understand the material.