The module covers the application of social psychological theory to sport and exercise settings, with a focus on audience effects, group dynamics, and leadership, and on how these processes may impact on the performance of athletes, coaches, trainers and managers. Adopting a social psychological framework, the module will examine contemporary approaches related to the impact of audiences, group dynamics and cohesion in the performance domain. The efficacy of group-based interventions (e.g., Personal-Disclosure Mutual-Sharing) will be examined and appraisal of the social identity approach critically explored. The approach adopted here will be to use a theory to evidence to application framework, and allow students to critically examine current evidence from their own perspective as a performer, coach, teacher, trainer or psychologist.
In the second half of the module traditional and contemporary theoretical approaches to sport and exercise leadership will be critically examined. A particular focus here will be on recent innovative approaches to leadership (i.e., the social identity approach to leadership), with students examining empirical evidence in this area, and, have the opportunity to explore how these approaches are applied in sport and exercise settings. Finally, the development of leadership skills through theoretically-based interventions will be evaluated.

A 2500 word essay to critically examine the effectiveness of interventions to enhance group functioning and / or leadership in sport and exercise settings. This assessment covers LO1 and LO2.

Students follow an 8-week distance learning guided study programme and access support material via Blackboard. Each week represents an Activity that contains a series of learning outcomes to be achieved, followed by tasks using a range of formats (e.g., video lectures, reading materials, podcasts) to achieve the learning outcomes. Students will be required to access additional support material independently. Within the Activities students will use the collaborative discussion boards to further reflect on and analyse their own work, and the work of their peers to facilitate learning. Students will have the opportunity to critically discuss module content with module tutors and their peers via a live webinar. The assessments set within the module will allow students to demonstrate understanding and critical analysis skills via content and task related activities drawn from the module topic areas. In addition to core tasks, further additional reading, optional tasks and specific preparation for the module assessments will be required. Students will receive formative feedback throughout the module comprising task-related feedback within the discussion boards, together with the opportunity for peer-learning in addition to comments from relevant tutors.

Critically evaluate the relevant theoretical approaches and contemporary literature relating to the social psychology of sport and exercise, with a particular focus on group dynamics and leadership.

Analysis, Communication, Knowledge & Understanding, Learning

Critically understand and evaluate interventions to enhance group functioning and/or leadership in sport and exercise.

Analysis , Application, Knowledge & Understanding, Learning, Enquiry

Access to an appropriate PC, with accompanying software including Office 365 (MS Teams, One-Drive, Word, PowerPoint et al.), Adobe, and Java software.

Access to appropriate reading materials, which can be accesses through the Staffordshire University library resource page for sport and Exercise.

There is one core text for the module:

Haslam, S. A., Fransen, K., & Boen, F. (2020). The new psychology of sport and exercise: The social identity approach. Sage

We also recommend the following text books.

Hogg, M. A. & Vaughan, G. M. (2022). Social psychology (9th edition). Prentice Hall.

Davies, L., Keegan, R., & Jowett, S., (2022). Social psychology in sport (2nd edition). Human Kinetics.

Slater, M. J. (2019). Togetherness: How to build a winning team. Bennion Kearny.

The module covers the application of social psychological theory to sport and exercise settings, with a focus on audience effects, group dynamics, and leadership, and on how these processes may impact on the performance of athletes, coaches, trainers and managers. There is a critical focus on the psychology of group dynamics (and associated interventions to optimise team functioning) as well as leadership (and associated interventions to optimise leadership skills), using a theory to evidence to application framework.