MCCCD Program Description

Sports Psychology

Course: PSY215

First Term: 2022 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: Application of the physiological, behavioral, social, cognitive, and humanistic perspectives in psychology to sport. Includes topics such as optimal performance, correlation, motivation, co-action effect, self-actualization, psycho-behavioral techniques, self-efficacy, and the general health benefits of sport participation.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Explain psychology`s role in sport. (I) 2. Describe the role of each major psychological perspective in sport. (II) 3. Describe the major research methods utilized in sport psychology. (III) 4. Explain the importance of the institution of sport and its psychosocial impact upon society. (II, V) 5. Describe the physiology and psychophysiology of sport in terms of the major human biological systems, including the mind, body, and gender. (II, IV) 6. Trace the development of motor memory and hand-to-eye coordination. (IV) 7. Compare the roles emotion and motivation play in sport, and how personality is affected by performance in sports. (V, VI) 8. Describe the Yerkes-Dodson Law of Optimal Arousal/Optimal Performance with respect to the attainment of optimal sport performance. (V) 9. Explain the role of aggression in sport and its psychosocial implications and repercussions. (V) 10. Describe the various manifestations of psychological abnormality in sport, including spectator violence, eating disorders, substance abuse, hostility, and the burn-out syndrome. (V, VI) 11. Describe the importance of cognition in sport and sport perception, including cognitive skill development, sport IQ, attentional styles, concentration, and their roles in optimal sport performance. (VII) 12. Define the various behavioral and cognitive techniques applied in the achievement of optimal sport performance. (VII) 13. Describe different types of coaching issues, including values, standards, perceptions, and behaviors regarding the coach-athlete relationship. (VIII) 14. Describe the relationship between lifetime sport participation, fitness, and optimal psychophysiological health. (IX)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Overview of psychology and its role in sport A. Historical development B. Current trends II. Psychological perspectives in sport A. Biological B. Behavioral C. Social D. Cognitive E. Humanistic F. Gender G. Psychosocial importance of sport III. Research methods IV. Physiology of sport A. Major human biological systems B. Psychophysiology C. Mind-body relationship and gender D. Motor memory development V. Emotions and motivation in sport A. Optimal performance (Yerkes-Dodson) B. Aggression and the psychosocial implications VI. Personality and sport performance A. Selection of a sport B. Non-standard manifestations VII. Perception and cognition in sport A. Cognitive interventions B. Behavioral interventions VIII. Issues in coaching IX. Lifetime sport participation and fitness A. Optimal psychophysiological functioning and wellness B. Lifetime fitness and lifelong health

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: March 22, 2022

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.