Rethinking Sport and Exercise Psychology Research Past, Present and Future

This book provides a comprehensive historical account of the evolution of Sport and Exercise Psychology research, charting the progression of the field from the early days when well-controlled experimental research was the standard, to the subsequent paradigm war between positivism, post-positivism and constructivism. The book challenges current thinking and makes a plea for a move towards a future in which the accumulation of knowledge is at the core of Sport and Exercise research, rather than simply methods and measurements. The result is a critique not only of exercise and sport psychology, but of psychological research methods more broadly. It will be of great interest to researchers and students working in Sport Science, Research Methods, and Psychology. 

Peter Hassmén is Professor of Psychology in the School of Health and Human Sciences, Southern Cross University, Australia. He has taught widely across Sport and Exercise Psychology and published extensively using both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Richard Keegan is Assistant Professor of Sport and Exercise Science in the Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Australia. He also works as a Sport Psychologist, balancing his applied work with research, as well as teaching Sport and Exercise Psychology both at the under- and postgraduate level.

David Piggott is Principal Lecturer in Sports Coaching in the School of Sport at Leeds Beckett University, UK. He has taught and published widely in Sports Coaching, Sport Psychology and Sociology and has a keen interest in the Philosophy of Science and Sociology of Knowledge.