Cohesion

Sports Psychology – Performing with Others

In this course, Dr Matthew Slater (Staffordshire University) explores how we perform with others in sport and exercise. In the first lecture, we think about cohesion and the factors which make up Carron’s model of cohesion. In the second lecture, we think about social identity, split into social identity theory and self-categorisation theory. In the third lecture, we think about how our understanding of leadership has developed over time. Next, we work through Smith and colleagues’ 1979 study on coach effectiveness training. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about two key strategies to improve team performance as team goal setting and the 3R model.

Cohesion

In this lecture, we think about cohesion, focusing in particular on: (i) Carron’s 1985 definition of cohesion pertaining to the unity of a team in the pursuit of goals; (ii) the nature of cohesion as a dynamic process which can be improved; (iii) cohesion as split into task and social cohesion; (iv) the four determinants of cohesion, according to Carrons model, being environmental, team, personal and leadership factors; (iv) Carron’s group environment questionnaire (GEQ), which serves as a measure of cohesion; (v) research, which has found that more cohesive teams perform better in sport.