Sports Psychology Myths

1. MYTH: Sports Psychology Seeks To Change The Athlete's Personality To Make It Match The Ideal Profile Of A Specific Sport.

Website: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28062001

This particular website uses a 13 question quiz to ‘assess’ your ideal sport based on your mental and physical abilities. I think this quiz, although seemingly innocent , does indeed continue the myth that there are ‘ideal profiles’ for each sport, and if you find that you don’t fit that framework, then you should reconsider your interests/passions.

The quiz uses questions like, “Aggressive athletes take charge, assert themselves strongly, and make their presence felt. Are you an aggressive competitor?”. With these kinds of questions it poses the attitude that one’s attributes

Either way, the American Psychology Association has the credentials to debunk this myth simply through defining Sports Psychology and what a Sport Psychologist does. Nowhere in the summary of the subject does it speak about a particular religion or belief system. Sports Psychology places high emphasis on cognitive and behavioral skills used to improve one’s ability in sports/exercise, and the Sport Psychologists who help tham achieve their success.

These are techniques that individuals can use to better their skills- and the center of focus is personal achievement through growth. There is no requirement to believe in a God, or to have a certain belief, the only belief required is one in yourself. I think this web page is helpful to not only athletes, but anyone looking to improve their attitude toward living. The site quotes, “The same strategies that sport psychologists teach athletes — relaxation techniques, mental rehearsals and cognitive restructuring, for example — are also useful in the workplace and other settings.”. It’s these sort of myths that can block people from taking a chance to learn something new. This article is helpful because it keeps it plain and simple and allows room for you to be the