Psychology Of Physical Activity And Exercise

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.

As modern lifestyles offer ever more opportunities for a sedentary existence, physical activity has become, for many, a marginal aspect of life. Too little physical activity is linked to common, often serious, health problems, and although this link is now widely acknowledged, levels of sedentary behaviour continue to increase throughout western society. Psychology of Physical Activity, 2nd Edition addresses this concern, bringing together a wealth of up to date information about exercise behaviour including: motivation and psychological factors associated with activity or inactivity the psychological outcomes of exercising including the 'feel–good' factor understanding specific clinical populations interventions and applied practice in the psychology of physical activity current trends and future directions in research and practice. Updated to reflect new findings and research directions, this new edition includes full textbook features, and is accompanied by a dedicated website providing lecturers and students with extensive support materials, including powerpoint slides and student MCQ's. Visit the companion website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415366656.

Examines both the basic and applied research that has explored the influence which physical activity has upon psychological states. Organized into three sections: history and theory, research approaches, findings and applications. Individual chapters are contributed by distinguished researchers and practitioners representing three distinct disciplines: health psychology, physical education and exercise physiology. Provides a balanced, critical and up-to-date portrait of the field.

"This is a ground-breaking and comprehensive text devoted solely to the discussion of exercise psychology. Exploring all areas of personal motivation, the benefits of exercise, and the theories, pioneers, and ongoing research, it prepares the exercise science professional for future career opportunities in the pubic and private sector." --McGraw Hill.

Exercise Psychology, Second Edition, addresses the psychological and biological consequences of exercise and physical activity and their subsequent effects on mood and mental health. Like the first edition, the text includes the latest scholarship by leading experts in the field of exercise adoption and adherence. This edition also incorporates research on lifestyle physical activity to reflect this growing area of study over recent years. In contrast to other exercise psychology textbooks grounded in social psychology, Exercise Psychology, Second Edition, presents a psychobiolocal approach that examines the inner workings of the body and their effects on behavior. From this unique perspective, readers will learn the biological foundations of exercise psychology within the broader contexts of cognitive, social, and environmental influences. By exploring the biological mechanisms associated with individuals’ behavior, Exercise Psychology, Second Edition, challenges students and researchers to critically examine less-explored methods for positive behavior change. To reflect the continued growth of information in exercise psychology since the first edition was published, the second edition of Exercise Psychology offers the following new features: • Three new chapters on exercise and cognitive function, energy and fatigue, and pain • Thoroughly revised chapters on the correlates of exercise, neuroscience, stress, depression, and sleep • An image bank featuring figures and tables from the text that can be used for course discussion and presentation Authors Buckworth and Dishman, along with newly added authors O'Connor and Tomporowski, bring subject area expertise to the book and provide an in-depth examination of the relationships between exercise and psychological constructs. The findings on both classic and cutting-edge topics are clearly and cohesively presented with the help of relevant quotes, sidebars, suggested readings, and a glossary to guide students through their studies. Exercise Psychology, Second Edition, provides an in-depth examination of the psychological antecedents and consequences of physical activity, helping readers understand the mental health benefits of exercise as well as the factors involved in exercise adoption and adherence. Thoroughly revised and updated, the second edition of Exercise Psychology balances the biological foundations of the brain and behavior with theory and knowledge derived from behavioristic, cognitive, and social approaches.

The positive benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health are now widely acknowledged, yet levels of physical inactivity continue to be a major concern throughout the world. Understanding the psychology of physical activity has therefore become an important issue for scientists, health professionals and policy-makers alike as they address the challenge of behaviour change. Psychology of Physical Activity provides comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the fundamentals of exercise psychology, from mental health, to theories of motivation and adherence, and to the design of successful interventions for increasing participation. Now publishing in a fully revised, updated and expanded fourth edition, Psychology of Physical Activity is still the only textbook to offer a full survey of the evidence base for theory and practice in exercise psychology, and the only textbook that explains how to interpret the quality of the research evidence. As the field continues to grow rapidly, the new edition expands the behavioural science content of numerous important topics, including physical activity and cognitive functioning, automatic and affective frameworks for understanding physical activity involvement, new interventions designed to increase physical activity (including use of new technologies), and sedentary behaviour. A full companion website offers useful features to help students and lecturers get the most out of the book during their course, including multiple-choice revision questions, PowerPoint slides and a test bank of additional learning activities. Psychology of Physical Activity is the most authoritative, engaging and up-to-date book on exercise psychology currently available. It is essential reading for all students working in behavioural medicine, as well as the exercise and health sciences.

Written for the upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level courses in exercise psychology and behavioral physical activity, Exercise Psychology: The Psychology of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior focuses on the psychological effects of physical activity in a variety of special populations. The first text of its kind to focus on both the psychology of exercise and sedentary behavior, it provides a strong theoretical and applied focus to the field, and includes interesting vignettes and critical thinking activities to engage readers in the learning process. With an engaging, student-friendly approach, the authors provide complete and comprehensive information that examines research on behavioral physical activity and translating research into practice. The text also looks at sedentary behavior and the recent paradigm shift examining the health effects of sedentary behavior.