Essentials of Exercise and Sport Psychology: An Open Access Textbook

Reviewed by Sara Woodward, Exercise and Sport Science Faculty, Dakota County Technical College on 4/25/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book has an abundance of content and references. It includes topics that I would not have considered previously. The inclusion of new theories or approaches to motivation and adherence are intriguing. The amount of content related to exercise psychology is impressive. In previous textbooks I've seen, sport psychology is the focus and exercise psychology is an afterthought. This provides relatively equal focus on each.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The material that I've looked at appears to be free from errors. I would suspect that with the number of authors contributing to this resource, there will be some mistakes. I have not noticed anything that seems biased in any way.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text includes information about the effects of Covid-19 on sport and exercise psychology. This is an area that will continue to be explored in future research as the consequences of lost athletic seasons and gym closures becomes more apparent. The material may eventually become irrelevant but for now and the foreseeable future, it plays an important role in what it means to be an athlete.

Clarity rating: 5

The text contains numerous in-text citations, footnotes, and references. The language is appropriate for undergraduate college coursework. The terminology that is used is clearly defined and/or explained and is essential for discussing the topics presented in the text.

Consistency rating: 5

The consistency between authors and chapters reveals an intentional effort to create a common framework for students using the resource. Each chapter has an overview, learning activities, and a reference list. Faculty would be able to incorporate the framework into an 8-week, 16-week, or self-paced course.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter is broken down into sub-sections which enhances reader focus and eliminates content fatigue. There are just enough illustrations to break up the verbiage. The sub-section format will also be useful for instructors who only want to cover portions of each chapter. It provides a great framework to build the curriculum to meet the needs of the students in a particular course or program.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

There does appear to be some overlap between chapters but the fact that the chapters are written by different authors with different perspectives may add rather than detract from the flow of ideas. 33 chapters and nearly 800 pages will likely result in some redundancy, but the choice to layout the concepts for exercise and then return to the topics in a sport setting later adds nuance. The breadth of information will require instructors to streamline the required content so as not to overwhelm students, but students can always dive deeper into the content than what is assigned by the instructor.

Interface rating: 4

Navigation to the specific chapters is easy with links provided through the table of contents. I did not notice any issues with images being distorted. I am viewing this on a PC so I'm not sure how things will look for students reading the material on their phones. The layout of the print is similar to a research paper rather than a textbook. It will be interesting to see how students respond to this format.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There were no obvious grammatical errors in the text. It would not be surprising to find some errors during a deeper dive into the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

If there is anything missing from this text, it is a chapter on diversity, equity, and inclusivity in sport and exercise settings. With the current debate regarding trans-athletes as well as common race, ethnicity, and gender issues, a chapter that addresses this area would be beneficial. There are illustrations with people from a variety of backgrounds.

Comments

There are chapters submitted from authors throughout the world which adds to the richness of the content. This text could easily and adequately replace a traditional published textbook. Thank you to all of the authors that contributed.

Reviewed by Katja Sonkeng, Assistant Professor, James Madison University on 4/16/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

It's a very useful textbook for applied psychology courses, as it provides very practical information for coaches, clinical psychologists and professionals, in addition to a comprehensive overview of theory and research in this area. However, it is limited in terms of guidelines for anyone who wants to adopt a new exercise regimen or sport.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content appears to be accurate, unbiased, and current, further supplement by expert reviews of the literature. Overall, the tone and content varies across the chapters, and empirical reviews are bit limited.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content seems to be up-to-date, but could be supplemented by recent research findings to make it more valuable to students.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in fairly easy and straightforward language, with specific theories being consistently spelled out to ensure that everyone can follow and access it equitably.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is very consistent in terms of its writing style and use of terminology. For instance, some theories (e.g., social cognitive theory, self-determination theory) are spelled out consistently, which makes the chapters self-contained, so that one could easily choose to read only selected chapters based on their particular interests.

Modularity rating: 5

As mentioned above, the chapters are somewhat standalone and not building upon one another, which makes it more flexible to adopt in the classroom.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The order of the chapters is a bit awkward and random, as for instance the first chapters should establish the different levels of analysis and types of exercise, physical activity, and sports.

Interface rating: 5

The design is straightforward with helpful visual aids here and there.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not catch any grammatical or spelling errors in my reading.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text could include a bit more context on sociocultural differences and how it impacts participation in sport and physical exercise.

Comments

Overall, I think it's a solid textbook for an undergraduate course, if the focus is on applied sport and exercise psychology. However, at times, the intended audience was not clear and it seemed more aimed at scholars and researchers than students.

Reviewed by David Haaga, Professor, American University on 11/3/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

There is limited information from the vantage point of a person attempting to take up an exercise regimen or new sport, but there is comprehensive coverage relating to theory and research in this vein, as well as practical information for coaches, rehab professionals, and investigators.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Many of the chapters contain up-to-date, expert reviews of the literature. The tone and content vary a good deal across chapters, and some are more overview of different perspectives rather than empirical reviews, but either way the content seemed accurate and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The basic principles are unlikely to change, but as more research is completed on, say, the validity of a new model of the relevance of affective associations to uptake of physical activity (ch. 4), it should be feasible to update the material.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is straightforward and fairly engaging, and little background is assumed.

Consistency rating: 5

Almost to a fault there is consistency. Some basic points (social cognitive theory, self-determination theory) are spelled out repeatedly. This has the advantage of making the chapters self-contained, so that one could easily read the text selectively according to interests, but if someone does read it start to finish skimming will be needed.

Modularity rating: 5

As noted in prior comment, the chapters are independent and really could be read in any order.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The first chapter on levels of analysis, and distinctions among exercise, physical activity, and sport should indeed be first. After that, it seemed almost random.

Interface rating: 5

design is fairly simple, mainly the occasional figure or photo. I don't imagine there would be problems.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice problems in this vein, which is a good sign

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Many of the chapters do not include much on this issue, though I suspect that is more a function of the available literature than any fault of the textbook editors.

Comments

The intended audience was not always clear. For the most part, I think advanced undergraduate courses could make good use of it. But some seemed aimed more at fellow researchers in the sub-area in question.