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University professor talks mind games ahead of the Olympic Games

30 AS and A2 Psychology students welcomed a guest to speak about a topical issue a few months ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Dr Marc Jones, who is a Reader in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, came in to give a guest lecture about the psychology of sport, specifically with the Olympics in mind.

Dr Jones spoke about the impact that psychology can have on sport and presented a number of findings from his years of research. “Some of his findings were a real surprise to the students”, said Angela Keane, teacher of Psychology. “He found that at big sporting events, it isn’t pitch size or surroundings which boost an athlete’s or team’s performances, but the home crowd and the level of noise that they generate. He also found that teams who wear red have a psychological advantage too. The students found both of these facts very interesting. The talk will also be useful for parts of their exams in the summer”.

Alex Dracup, an AS student who attended said; “Dr Jones was a magnificent speaker and was really engaging. We could ask him questions during the presentation if we wanted, and he fired questions at us to get us thinking about the issues he was discussing. He gave us quotes from established athletes such as Sir Chris Hoy to back up what he was saying. The whole session was really useful and has really made me excited about sports psychology.”