Science, Knowledge, and Sport Psychology

Abstract

Two sport psychologies have emerged—academic sport psychology and practicing sport psychology—which presently are on diverging courses because of an unjustified belief in orthodox science as the primary source of knowledge. To support this contention, the basic assumptions of orthodox science are examined, with the doctrine of objectivity singled out as fallacious and especially harmful in that it attempts to remove the person from the process of knowing. Polanyi’s (1958) heuristic philosophy of knowledge, which places humans in the center of the process of knowing, is recommended as an alternative approach for the study of human behavior. This alternative approach reveals the inadequacy of the laboratory experiment which has been invented primarily to pursue the doctrine of objectivity. Next, the Degrees of Knowledge theory is proposed as an alternative way to view the reliability of knowledge. This view, within the heuristic paradigm, places great significance on experiential knowledge. Recommendations for an improved science of human behavior emphasizes the idiographic approach, introspective methods, and field studies. Also, recommendations are made for a more progressive approach to applied research, and the significance of knowledge synthesis from applied research. The two sport psychologies will converge when orthodox science and the doctrine of objectivity are replaced with the heuristic paradigm and its emphasis on experiential knowledge.

Countertransference and the Self-Aware Sport Psychologist: Attitudes and Patterns of Professional Practice

“…The absence of counseling and psychotherapy within the typical culture of sport psychology makes self-awareness and countertransference management more difficult Introducing counseling or therapy into training or CPD may have been problematic in the past, as it would have run counter to the historical culture of sport psychology in this country. UK sport psychology has been based firmly in the sport science departments of universities and has been guided by the principles of quantitative and quantifiable positivist science (Martens, 1987) with until recently (Anderson et al, 2004) little emphasis on self-examination and reflection. The positivist approach would have been mirrored by the historical cultural resistance to receiving counseling and therapy in the UK, where according to research commissioned by the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP, 2004), the stiff upper lip represented the cultural norm until the middle and latter parts of the twentieth century.…”

Alterações de estados de ânimo presentes em atletas de voleibol, avaliados em fases do campeonato

“…Sentir uma necessidade ou sentir orgulho são estados de ânimo que podem acompanhar uma situação de decisão de campeonato, como foi indicado pelos valores de intensidade maiores para estas locuções no jogo da final, em comparação com o primeiro da semifinal. Martens (1987) aponta a importância do jogo em função da fase da competição como uma das fontes geradoras de estresse nos jogadores.…”

Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies and Precompetitive Anxiety Among Recreational Athletes

“…The present study attempted to alleviate a portion of these inherent problems by allowing a structured dialog to occur as athletes responded to the mental strategy items as well as framing the items in terms of both general and situation-specific use. Several authors contend that with proper research methodology and controls, honest responses and comparatively rich descriptive information may be generated through the use of this method (Martens, 1987;Scanlan, Stein, & Ravizza, 1989).…”