This new textbook examines the role that social psychology has in the explanation of exercise and sport behaviour. It devotes considerable attention to key social psychological issues within the two disciplines; health-related exercise behaviour and the behaviour of competitive sport participants and the spectators of elite sport. Rather than presenting a broad, superficial overview of diverse areas in exercise and sport, the book focuses on a range of selected topics and provides a comprehensive, in-depth and analytical coverage using social psychology as a framework. It thoroughly examines how social psychological research and intervention has contributed to the understanding of key topics in exercise and sport behaviour including: The social psychology of exercise and health Social cognitive theories of exercise behaviour Exercise and the physical self Eating disorders in exercise and sport Emotion and mood in athletes Social psychology and motivation in sport Group processes in sport Aggression and crowd violence The Social Psychology of Exercise and Sport is key reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students on social or sport psychology courses and on health-related or sports science courses. Illustrated throughout with practical guidelines for researchers and practitioners, it is also a valuable resource for professionals interested in understanding and changing the behaviour of exercise participants and athletes.

Now publishing in a fully revised, updated and expanded fourth edition, Psychology of Physical Activity is the most authoritative, engaging and up-to-date introduction to exercise psychology currently available. It is essential reading for all students working in exercise and health sciences.

Awareness of the importance of exercise and physical activity to optimal physical and mental health has never been greater. It is widely acknowledged that physical inactivity is a leading cause of death, yet statistics show less than 50% of Americans participate in regular physical activity. This information highlights the public health challenge of increasing participation in physical activity to enhance physical health and to buoy the psychological benefits associated with physical activity. The Oxford Handbook of Exercise and Psychology is an authoritative and comprehensive presentation of the breadth and depth of empirical contributions utilizing state-of-the-science theories and approaches in exercise psychology. Chapters are authored by leading investigators across the globe who have made significant scientific contributions addressing the behavioral aspects of physical activity. Sections of the book address the effects of physical activity on mental health; knowledge gathered utilizing psychobiological perspectives; behavioral factors that impact exercise motivation; scientific contributions addressing the physical activity benefits with special populations, including individuals with physical disabilities, older adults and cancer patients; and promising areas for additional investigation. Each chapter presents a summary of scientific advancements in the topic area as a foundation for future investigation. Fueled by a broad range of disciplines and interdisciplinary approaches, the field of exercise psychology is growing, and this comprehensive handbook will be the perfect resource for students, researchers, and physicians interested in exercise motivation and the mental health benefits of physical activity.

adopts an 'evidence based approach' and is aimed at second year and above undergraduates and post-graduates in exercise and sports science; health psychology students within psychology degree programmes; health professionals needing background information.

This third edition presents a thorough review of the literature and terminilogy in key topic areas. The clear explanation of potential research directions and the list of contributors make this a must-have book for students of sport psychology.

This book is written from the perspective of a social psychologist. As a conse quence, the topics covered in the upcoming chapters were chosen from among those traditionally of interest to the discipline of social psychology. A criterion for inclusion was the topic's usefulness in providing insights and/or understand ing ofthe social processes at work in sports settings. To this end, I have drawn ex tensively from mainstream journals in social psychology (e. g. , Journal of Per sonality and Social Psychology), and grounded the discussion of topics and issues on the methodologically sound studies/experiments they generally provide. There is also an equally strong interdisciplinary emphasis that features research from physical education, sociology, management science, and education. I have made a further attempt, not as successful as I would have liked, to incorporate a substan tial amount of the fine sports research that has been conducted overseas, particu larly in Europe and Australia. I am hopeful that in bringing together the works of international scholars from a variety of disciplines a clearer and balanced outline of this field will take shape. And now a word about the audience for this text and how to get the most from its pages. I would suggest that the reader have taken a course in social psychology following an introductory-level course. An introductory course in research methodology would also be helpful.