Defining Sports - Assignment Example

Approaches of defining sports Introduction Sports are among the ancient practices that have brought human beings together. The current sports technology has made the practice to be among the world’s interesting and most paying careers. Therefore, professionalism is required to keep the legacy in sports alive and help athletes get value of their time and sacrifice. Psychological and sociological approaches are the two major diverse approaches used in defining sports.Psychology approach According to American Psychological Association (2009), sport psychology is defined as the incorporation of psychological principles in sporting activities to help athletes realize and unleash their locked potential.

Sport psychologists are therefore used in identification, development, and execution of mental and emotional knowledge and skills, which are essential in achieving best results. This method is important because it molds and improves athlete performance through consistent execution of inward possibilities. It promotes mental health, motivates athletes, relieves stress in athletes, clarifies values, and is a life-balancing technique. In addition, this approach improves athlete performance because of proper application of psychological principles.

The approach is unreliable because the use of scientific psychological methods to influence athlete perceptions may not be effective if not used in the correct context. Some athletes may not be in a position to understand what trainers require them to do especially if they are illiterate of if the language in use is a barrier.Sociological approach Sports sociology defines sports from a social perspective in the sense that sports is directly linked to society norms and expectations (Dunning, 1992).

Therefore, issues like culture and values are major issues that influence and shape sports. This approach is important because it defines gender-specific roles and thus connects people to their culture and recurring life patterns like Olympics. The main disadvantage for this approach is that every part of the world has its own definition and way of linking society and sport. Therefore, what applies in one region may be difficult to applying in other regions.Conclusion Sports have become an important part in human life.

Therefore, there needs keen scrutiny in making sure that principles applied in modern sports are universally helpful to athletes and the society. This is because the bond between society and sports cannot be ignored and thus both approaches have to be used simultaneously to ensure good results are realized.ReferencesAmerican Psychological Association Division 47. (2009). What is Exercise and Sport Psychology? Retrieved 26 April, 2015, from http://www.apadivisions.org/division-47/about/resources/what-is.aspx.Dunning, E. (1992). ‘Culture’, ‘civilization’and the sociology of sport.

Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 5(4), 7-18.