Norman Triplett

Phillippe Tissle (1852-1935) a Frenchman wrote two articles in 1894 that dealt with the physiological and psychological aspects of bicycle racing (Baumler, 1997) Tissie's articles were more naturalistic than laboratory based, but they were important because they are among the first publications with sport psychology as the subject matter. However, Norman Triplett, a 37 year old graduate student is generally given credit for conducting the first sport psychology experiment at the University of Indiana in 1898.

Vaughan and Guerin (1997) indicated that Triplett's research focused on two things. One was pacemaking. Triplett had noticed that paced bicycle racing produced faster times than unpaced. Triplett's other research interest was 

"dynamogenic" factors that might underlie his observation--factors such as competition, desire to win, rivalry, and audience effects on performance. He published his results in the American Journal of Psychology in 1898.

After receiving a master's degree that same year, Triplett moved on to Clark University where he received a doctor of Philosophy degree in 1900. After teaching for a year at Mount Holyoke College, he took a position as head o the Department of Child Study at Kansas State Normal School (later Kansas State Teachers College) in Emporia Kansas. He signed on in 1901 for the princely sum of $200 per month. Nineteen years later he received a raise that boosted his monthly salary to $325, where it stayed through 1929 (Davis, Huss & Becker, 1995). He served as department head until his retirement in 1931.

Intensely interested in athletics, Triplett was a highly visible figure at sports events on campus. An ardent track fan, he temporarily took over the job of head coach at Kansas Stat while the search for a new head coach was taking place. He and a colleague designed the new athletic stadium for the college after a fire destroyed the old facility. Triplett attended many practices in all sports, always encouraging the student athletes. According to Davis et al., Triplett was more than a sport spectator. As a young man, he ran the 100 yard dash in 10 seconds, then a very respectable time.  He also played baseball for the faculty team at Kansas State for many years. His crowning achievements, however, were in the academic domain. He was passionate about his subject area, devoted to the teaching process, and active in persuading top psychologists to come to the campus to teach his students. At Triplett's retirement party, former students talked of his impact on their lives. One of them, Professor A. B. Carlisle of Butler University told Triplett: "As I recall you were not merely a professor of psychology, but you were an institution" (Davis et al., 1995, p.374)

COLEMAN GRIFFITH (1921-1938)

First American to donate career to sports psychology

Considered the father of American sports psychology

Developed first laboratory in sports psychology

Wrote two books

*Psychology of Athletics

*Psychology of Coaching

-Developing positive traits in athletes

-Managing fear

-Motivation

-Dealing with problem athletes

Published 25 research articles

Developed psychological profiles of athletes

DOROTHY HAZELTINE YATES

Taught at Stanford and San Jose State College

Private practice in Psychology

Wrote 2 books and a research article

Developed mental training interventions for boxers and aviators

Developed college course for boxers and aviators at San Jose State College

Many aviators fought in World War II

Aviators praised her mental training

FRANKLIN HENRY

Responsible for the scientific development of the field

Trained many university professors

Laid ground work for future research and study

ESTABLISHMENT OF ACADEMIC

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY (1966-1977)

Recognized as separate from motor learning

Consultants began working with athletes

Bruce Oglivie- Father of Applied Sports Psychology 

HISTORY OF SPORT PSYCHOLOGY- HIGHLIGHTS

Early years- 1895-1920

1899- E. W. Scripture of Yale describes personality traits he believed could be fostered via sports participation.

1903- G.T.W. Patrick describes the psychology of play.

1914- R. Cummings assesses motor reactions, attention, and abilities as they pertain to sports.

1918- As a student Coleman Griffith conducts informal studies of football and basketball players at the University of Illinois.

Griffith Era- 1921-1938

1921-1931- Published 25 research articles about sport psychology.

1925- Established research laboratory at University of Illinois.

1926- Published Psychology of Coaching.

1928- Published Psychology of Athletics.

Preparation for the future- 1939-1965

1949- Warren Johnson assesses precompetitive emotions of athletes.

1951- John Lawther writes Psychology of Coaching.

1965- First World Congress of Sport Psychology held in Rome.

Establishment of Academic Sport Psychology- 1966-1977

1966- Clinical psychologist Bruce Ogilivie and Thomas Tutko write Problem Athletes and how to handle them. Begin to consult with athletes and teams.

1967- B. Cratty of UCLA writes Psychology of Physical Activity.

1967- First annual NASPSPA conference held.

Multidisciplinary Science and Practice- 1977-2000

1979- Journal of Sport Psychology established.

1980- The U.S. Olympic Committee develops Sport Psychology Advisory Board.

1984- American television coverage of Olympics emphasized sport psychology.

1985- The U.S. Olympic committee hires first full time sports psychology.

1986- AAASP established.

1987- APA Division 47 Sport Psychology established.

1989- Journal of Applied Sports Psychology established.

1991- AAASP establishes the Certified Consultant designation.

Contemporary Sport and Exercise Psychology- 2001-Present

- The journal of Psychology of Sport and Exercise is developed and published in Europe.

- The 2009 International Society of Sports Psychology Conference in Morocco has more than 700

   participants from 70 countries.

- Concerns emerge about the best ways of preparing and educating students.

- APA Division 47 focuses on sport psychology as a specialized competency area.

- Exercise psychology flourishes, especially in university environments.

- Strong, diverse, and sustained research programs are evident around the world.

- Increased interest in applied sport psychology.

REFERENCES

Weinberg, R. and Gould, D. (1995). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. 2ND ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Weinberg, R. and Gould, D. (2015). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. 6TH ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Weinberg, R. and Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. 7TH ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.