Postgraduate Course: Psychology for Performance (SPRT11021)
Course Outline
| School | Moray House School of Education and Sport |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | This course explores psycho-social elements required for the achievement of performance. Specifically, this course focuses on a combination of: a) addressing performance pressures (e.g., attentional models of anxiety, interpersonal relations); b) individual and group elements of performance (e.g., traditional psychological skills, decision-making in teams). The content in this course, will therefore address 'what is needed for/to realise performance¿.
The teaching, learning, and assessment in this course is research informed. Team teaching will be utilised to best utilise staff knowledge and expertise and to maximise student experience. Members of academic staff from the Institute for Sport, Physical Education and Health Science (ISPEHS) who contribute to this course are all members of relevant research groups hosted by ISPEHS, including the Applied Coaching Science Research Group and the Human Performance Science Research Group. |
| Course description |
Performing in hyperdynamic environments requires individual and teams to contend with multiple demands such as time-pressure, uncertainty, ill-defined and competing goals, high stakes, and stressful conditions. Practitioners are required to understand the psychological impact of these challenges, as well as how to utilise a balance of skills, strategies and systems to prepare for, support and maintain high-level performance.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
392 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Presentation 20 mins (including Q&A)- 40%«br /»
Applied case study 3200-words equivalent - 60% |
| Feedback |
Formative feedback will be a key feature of the 40-credit course, ensuring students are supported through their learning and development as well as from an assessment perspective. To achieve this and avoid extended periods of time where students receive no feedback on their academic performance, but also without over assessing, we will embed smaller, meaningful feedback opportunities (e.g., formative assessments, group/peer discussions etc.), thus avoiding elevated risks from solely end-of-course assessments. The multiple formative feedback opportunities would help increase the likelihood of progression. Furthermore, the formative feedback opportunities will be structured such that they act as a logical scaffolding to help students formulate summative assessments.
Given the trend within the performance psychology field, future practitioners and researchers are increasingly required to develop brief, concise communication skills. Therefore, whilst we acknowledge the summative assessment are brief, as a team we strongly believe this has significant advantages, including: preparing students for future career pathways, efficiently manage students and staff workload. The incorporation of formative feedback opportunities will, therefore, accommodate for potential concerns around 'briefer' summative assessments.
Summative assessment feedback will focus on areas of development for students that they can use throughout their learning/studies.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the effects, mechanisms and performance consequences of the stress process, on individuals and teams.
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the evidence for applying psychological skills and strategies to address performance issues.
- Critically review team and group psychological processes and systems relevant to maintaining high-performance in hyperdynamic environments.
- Apply knowledge and understanding of key concepts to develop a psychological intervention designed to facilitate achievement of high- performance.
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Reading List
1. Collins, D., Button, A., & Richards, H. (2011). Performance Psychology: A Practitioner's Guide. London: Elsevier
2. Cruickshank, A., & Collins, D. (2022). Getting Help: What to Look for and What to Expect in a Consultant. Sport Psychology Essentials, 323.
3. Ytterbøl, C., Collins, D., & MacPherson, A. (2023). Shooter ready? Integrating mental skills training in an advanced sniper course. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1198986.
4. Specchia, M. L., Cozzolino, M. R., Carini, E., Di Pilla, A., Galletti, C., Ricciardi, W., & Damiani, G. (2021). Leadership styles and nurses¿ job satisfaction. Results of a systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(4), 1552.
5. Vine, S.J., Moore, L.J. & Wilson, M.R. (2016). An integrative framework of stress, attention, and visuomotor performance. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1-10. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01671 |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Graduate Attributes and Skills
This course addresses 12 of the 20 graduate attributes developed on the MSc Sport and Performance Psychology degree.
Skills and abilities in Research and Enquiry -
- critically question current Sport and Performance Psychology (hereafter SPP) knowledge and training recommendations and how they relate to global challenges (e.g., preparation for future performance vs. performance today; challenge vs. support);
- identify and evaluate typical research methods employed in SPP research
Skills and abilities in Personal and Intellectual Autonomy -
- be able to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in academic activities, including decision making on the basis of independent thought;
- be able to recognise diversity of opinion in SPP, reflecting and evaluating this range and formulating justified and evidence-based ideas for application;
- be able to reflect on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments in SPP
Skills and abilities in Communication -
- be able to engage in critical discussion demonstrating listening skills, effective use of evidence and own experience to support assertions, and clear articulation of points;
- be able to transfer knowledge, skills and abilities from one professional context to another (e.g., development vs. performance context, or between different sports);
- be able to effectively work collaboratively with others (e.g. fellow students), recognising the diversity of contributions individuals can make
Skills and abilities in Personal Effectiveness -
- have the confidence to make informed decisions relating to problems and issues in SPP
- be able to identify and manage risks appropriately (e.g., during applied experiences, designing a suitable research project)
- be able to transfer knowledge, skills and abilities from one professional context to another (e.g., development vs. performance context, or between different sports)
- be able to effectively work collaboratively with others (e.g. fellow students), recognising the diversity of contributions individuals can make |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | |
Course secretary | |
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