Arizona State University
Department of Exercise Science & Physical Education





APPLIED SPORT PSYCHOLOGY, EPE 448
3 Sem. Hrs., 9:20-11:50 a.m., TWTh, LSA  A165

Instructor Information:

Instructor:          Dr. Daniel M. Landers, Ph.D.
                         Regents' Professor
Office Location: PEBE 112
Office Hours:     TWTh: 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Office Phone:     965-7664 or 965-3913 (leave a message at either number) or
                         FAX 965-8108 or E-mail: Landers@asu.edu
                        Website: http://www.public.asu.edu/~atdml

Prerequisites:

PGS 100, ZOL 201, EPE 345 or 352 or equivalents

Catalog Description:

Psychological theories and techniques applied to a sport to enhance the performance and personal growth  of athletes and coaches.  Lecture with an emphasis on discussion.

Objectives:

THIS IS A WRITING COURSE THAT IS WRITING INTENSIVE.  It satisfies the general studies L2 requirement for literacy and critical analysis.  Given the opportunity to study the assigned readings, lecture notes on these readings and material presented in class, the student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of:

          A.  Learning, Motivation and Social Interaction in Sport
          B.  Mental Training for Peak Performance
          C.  Psychological Considerations for Burnout and Athletic Injuries

Textbook and Reading Materials:

Williams, J.M. (Ed.). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal Growth to Peak Performance. (3rd Edition).  Palo Alto, CA:   Mayfield, 1998.

Class Outline and Schedule:

 June    1   Overview of Course; Chapter 1 (Sport Psychology)

            8    Unrestricted Withdrawal Deadline

            8    Chapters 5 & 6 (Coach-Parent Relationships & Self-Fulfilling Prophecy)
               First Microtheme Due

          24   Chapters 21 & 22 (Referring Athletes & Drug Abuse); Quiz Chapters 17-22. July     1   2-Hour Comprehensive Final Examination
                Projects Due
                Extra Credit Due

Assignments:

          A.  Readings (see above schedule)
          B.   Project (see handout and above schedule)
          C.   Microthemes (see handouts and above schedule)

Evaluation Procedures:

Exams (60%)

There are two midterms and a final examination.  The first midterm exam is worth 15 points, the second midterm 20 points and the final is worth 25 points.  The final will be given during on the last day of class and will be comprehensive with an emphasis (60%) on the class discussion and text material related to the last seven chapters.

Exams will be Fill-In (approximately 35) and Essay (3-4 questions).

Missed exams cannot be made up (zero points) without arranging this with the instructor within one week of the start of the 5-week session or having a properly documented excuse (e.g., physician's excuse).

Opportunity for exam review is provided during class time.  Exams may not be taken from the classroom.

Since literacy is stressed in this course, points are deducted for poor spelling, grammar, or responses presented in an abbreviated or outline form.  Students with problems in these areas should take advantage of special instruction given at the Writing  Clinic on the ASU campus.

Class Project (15%): (a) coach observation, (b) coach interview, (c) parent-youth athlete interview, or (d) student-initiated project approved by the instructor by end of second week of class.

Quizzes/Take-Home Questions & Microthemes (15%)

Quizzes will be Fill-In and Short Answer format.  Fill-In questions will be given to students in the beginning of the course.  Students must find the answers to the Fill-In questions in the course text.

There will be four microthemes with one being due approximately every week.  Students will be given a theme related to the course content and asked for a hand written first draft response on one side of an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper.  The first draft is usually returned to the student for further revisions.  Only after the revision process has been completed, and a second draft turned in, will the student have a chance of receiving the maximum points possible for each of these assignments.

Participation in Class Discussions (10%)

Students are expected to participate in class discussions.  Attendance will be taken and poor attendance, whether excused or not, will impact negatively on one's ability to participate in the class discussions.  Although a lower participation grade will result from poor attendance, this can be compensated for to some extent by the student satisfactorily completing one of the extra credit assignments (see below, section F).  Likewise, good attendance accompanied by poor participation in class discussions will also adversely affect the class participation grade.

The instructor should be notified in advance if you plan to be absent, tardy, or have to leave the class early.  Coming late to class or leaving early will also adversely affect the class participation grade.

It is the student's responsibility to get all missed material, announcements, and assignments.  Although the instructor will provide handouts to students via his website, the student will have to consult other students in the class for lecture or class discussion notes.

As an instructor I have certain idiosyncracies for what I expect in regard to proper  classroom behavior.  Cheating will be instantly reported to the Office of Student Conduct.  Reading or marking in the course text during class discussions will       typically be interpreted as coming unprepared to class and this will adversely affect the class participation grade.  Likewise, talking or passing notes while someone else (either the instructor or another student) is participating in legitimate class discussion is regarded as disruptive behavior and will also impact negatively on the class participation grade.

Grading Scale            90 - 100%      =   A
                                    80 - 89.9%     =   B
                                   70 - 79.9%     =   C
                                   60 - 69.9%     =   D
                                    Below 60%    =   E

                    Note: 89.9% and 59.9% are B and E grades, respectively.

Extra Credit

An extra credit opportunity of up to four points is also available.  For those earning all of the extra credit points, this would potentially give them 104 total points in the class.  The extra credit can consist of the following:

Serving as a research assistant or as a subject in a sport psychology study which is approved by the instructor.  Following participation is this study, the student must meet with the researcher and find out the study hypotheses, design, methodology, and expected results.  The student will then prepare a two-page, type-written paper describing the study and in addition, evaluating the practical and theoretical importance of the study to the field of sport psychology.  The expectation is that the time required for actual participation in the study not exceed four hours.

Creating 10 original essay-style questions dealing with the sport psychology content in the textbook.  Each of these questions would present a problem (usually in paragraph form).  They would be presented in such a way as to force the student to analyze and diagnose the nature of the problem (test of critical analysis skills) and then require them to suggest remedies for the psychological problem that has been diagnosed.  In addition to the question, a brief statement indicating what the problem is and suggested remedies must also be included.  This information should then be typed and turned in.

Completing three additional extra credit microthemes which you would get from the instructor.