Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology

Can a better understanding of group dynamics raise individual and team athletic performance or improve the outcomes of exercise interventions?

Much human behaviour in sport and exercise settings is embedded within groups, where individuals’ cognitions, emotions, and behaviours influence and are influenced by other group members. Now in a fully revised, updated, and expanded second edition, Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology explores the unique psychological dynamics that emerge in sport and exercise groups. It provides a clear and thorough guide to contemporary theory, research, and applied practice, covering core themes and cutting-edge topics as well as highlighting directions for future research.

The book is organised into five thematic sections:

Part 1: The Self in Groups

Part 2: Leadership in Groups

Part 3: Group Environment

Part 4: Motivation in Groups

Part 5: Socio-Environmental Issues in Groups

This new edition includes seven completely new chapters, exploring important emerging issues such as social identity, the family, co-ordination and shared knowledge within sport teams, the group as a vehicle for facilitating individual behavior change, social support and emotion regulation, peer leadership, and cultural perspectives in relation to group dynamics.

No other book on group dynamics in sport or exercise offers such a close examination of the evidence base, and therefore Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology is important reading for all students, researchers, or practitioners working in sport or exercise psychology, kinesiology, sport and exercise science, sports coaching, or physical education.

Mark R. Beauchamp, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) scholar at the University of British Columbia, Canada. His research primarily focuses on group processes within health, exercise, and sport settings, with his work published in journals such as the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Group Dynamics, and the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. His research program has received funding from agencies such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. He is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), and is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology as well as Psychology and Health. He sits on the editorial boards for a number of other journals including Health Psychology (APA) and Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology (APA).

Mark A. Eys, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Kinesiology/Physical Education and Psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Canada Research Chair (Tier II) in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity. His current research interests include role ambiguity and acceptance in sport and exercise groups, the measurement and correlates of cohesion, and social influences in exercise. He has published his research in the Journal of Sports Sciences, International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, and Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, and as a co-author of the book Group Dynamics in Sport (2012; 4^th edition). In 2001, he was awarded the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Coach of the Year for his work with The University of Western Ontario women’s soccer program.