This module has two themes: the psychology of maximizing sports performance and the psychology of optimizing participation in exercise for the benefit of health. The module provides a theoretical framework for students to develop an understanding of relevant psychological constructs and apply these in sport and exercise contexts. For sport, examples include anxiety management, group dynamics, performance profiling and psychological skills training. For exercise, examples include motivations and barriers, stages of change, self-esteem and intervention strategies. Some themes common to both contexts will include eating disorders, goal setting and adherence. The ability to critically evaluate empirical evidence is developed through the appraisal of research abstracts. Practical work will include laboratory experimentation and the use of psychological questionnaires.