Run by School of Human and Behavioural Sciences

10.000 Credits or 5.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Prof Tim Woodman

Do you want to understand what motivates athletes and to understand more about yourself at the same time? Then you will love this module! The aim of this module is to understand the human condition; who we are, our motivation, and our interactions with others. We will propose tasks that psychologists use across all performance domains such as sport, medicine, and business. You will do practical exercises from home, which will help you understand more about yourself and others. These exercises form the basis of the work that the course leaders do with elite sport and business, so you will receive first-hand experience of these environments.

Delivered by two sport and exercise psychologists who have worked with Olympic performers and coaches, stock exchange businesses. This module will include a variety of practical exercises that will help us cover a broad array of theories of personality, including:

Theories of personality such as psychodynamic theories and derivatives, different methods of assessment and application, self theories (e.g., self determination, self discrepancy), the Big Five, the Giant Three; specific personality traits (e.g., neuroticism, narcissism, perfectionism, optimism) in relation to performance; body-centre personality theories and their relation to performance and health; "high-risk" sports, including affect/emotion regulation and individual differences in sensation seeking and risk-taking and how these apply to elite environemnts.

good

60%> For an answer to receive a high mark, it will reflect a largely concise, precise, critical, and accurate synthesis of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question. This synthesis will incorporate many of the relevant theoretical explanations and empirical findings that we covered in the module and beyond (via some extra reading) and will reflect a largely accurate and critical appraisal of that literature with sound reference to primary sources. The writing style will be largely precise, clear, concise, and logically structured with few errors.

excellent

70%> For an answer to receive a very high mark, it will reflect a concise, precise, critical, and accurate synthesis of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question. This synthesis will incorporate the vast majority of the relevant theoretical explanations and empirical findings that we covered in the module and beyond (via extra reading) and will reflect an accurate and critical appraisal of that literature with sound reference to primary sources. The writing style will be precise, clear, concise, and logically structured with very few errors.

threshold

50%> For an answer to receive a pass mark, it will reflect a synthesis of some of the main theories and research findings in relation to the question. This synthesis will incorporate the some of the relevant theoretical explanations and empirical findings that we covered in the module, although these explanations will be rather cryptic and unclear at times, and the referencing will be incomplete or imprecise at times. The writing style will be acceptable with some errors.

1. • Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between personality, individual differences, and behaviour/performance .

2. • Demonstrate a critical understanding of theory and associated research findings

3. • Provide a critical and in-depth analysis of a specific personality construct as it relates to performance domains

Type	Name	Description	Weight
COMPREHENSION TEST	Short-Answer Questions	Students will be required to provide short answers to specific questions that pertain to the material covered within the course. The primary aim of this particular assessment is to provide students with some formal feedback on their understanding of the course material during the course rather than all at the end of the course.	20.00
COURSEWORK	Academic evidence-based essay on a personality construct	Students will choose a specific personality construct or issue as it relates to a performance domain. They will then develop the theory and associated empirical research with a view to critically answering their specific question. If they choose, students will have the opportunity to address the question as it relates specifically to themselves based on their understanding of themselves as developed throughout the material within the module and beyond.	80.00

		Hours
Private study	Reading time, preparing and taking assessments	80
Lecture	The 20 hrs of 'lectures' will be a mixture of live (interactive) video conferences and pre-recorded panoptos recordings	20

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
• Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
• Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

• research and assess paradigms, theories, principles, concepts and factual information, and apply such skills in explaining and solving problems
• plan, design, execute and communicate a sustained piece of independent intellectual work, which provides evidence of critical engagement with, and interpretation of, appropriate data
• apply knowledge to the solution of familiar and unfamiliar problems
• develop a sustained reasoned argument, perhaps challenging previously held assumptions
• demonstrate effective written and/or oral communication and presentation skills
• work effectively independently and with others
• take and demonstrate responsibility for their own learning and continuing personal and professional development
• self-appraise and reflect on practice
• demonstrate an understanding of the philosophical basis of scientific paradigms
• develop transferable skills of relevance to careers outside of sport, health and exercise sciences.

Reading list

The performance of narcissists rises and falls with perceived opportunity for glory. in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Article by Harry M. Wallace; Roy F. Baumeister 2002 Testyn Craidd - Core Text

There Is an “I” in TEAM in Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport Article by Tim Woodman; Ross Roberts; Lew Hardy; Nichola Callow; Catherine H. Rogers

Great expectations: Different high-risk activities satisfy different motives. in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Article by Matthew Barlow; Tim Woodman; Lew Hardy 2013

Perfectionism in the self and social contexts: Conceptualization, assessment, and association with psychopathology. in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Article by Paul L. Hewitt; Gordon L. Flett 1991

Positive Conceptions of Perfectionism: Approaches, Evidence, Challenges in Personality and Social Psychology Review Article by Joachim Stoeber; Kathleen Otto 11/2006

Differential Associations of Dispositional Optimism and Pessimism With Coping, Goal Attainment, and Emotional Adjustment During Sport Competition. in International Journal of Stress Management Article by Patrick Gaudreau; Jean-Pierre Blondin 2004

Optional in courses:

• C6AT: MSc Performance Psychology year 1 (MSC/PP)
• C6AU: MSc Performance Psychology (DL - 2 year) year 1 (MSC/PRP)