Looking the Part: Female Sports Psychologists’ Body Mass Index and Dress Influences Athletes’ Perceptions of their Potential Effectiveness

Geoff Lovell; J K Parker; A Brady; S Cotterill; G Howatson

doi:10.1123/tsp.25.1.82

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Looking the Part: Female Sports Psychologists’ Body Mass Index and Dress Influences Athletes’ Perceptions of their Potential Effectiveness

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Looking the Part: Female Sports Psychologists’ Body Mass Index and Dress Influences Athletes’ Perceptions of their Potential Effectiveness

Geoff Lovell, J K Parker, A Brady, S Cotterill and G Howatson

Sport Psychologist, Vol.25(1), pp.82-93

2011

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.25.1.82

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Abstract

sport psychology consultants

Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants' competency are affected by dress and build. This investigation examined how athletes' perceptions of sport psychology consultants (SPCs) are affected by SPCs' physical characteristics of BMI and dress, and whether these perceptions are moderated by the athletes' sex or standard of competition. Two hundred and thirty three competitive sports volunteers classified by sex and competitive standard viewed computer generated images of the same female SPC in sports and formal attire manipulated to represent a range of body mass indexes. Participants were asked to rank the SPCs in order of their preference to work with them, and to rate their perceived effectiveness of each of the SPCs. Results demonstrated that SPCs' physical characteristics do influence athletes' preference to work with them and perceptions of their effectiveness. Furthermore, athlete's competitive standard does significantly moderate initial evaluation of SPCs based on physical characteristics.

Details

Title: Looking the Part: Female Sports Psychologists’ Body Mass Index and Dress Influences Athletes’ Perceptions of their Potential Effectiveness
Authors: Geoff Lovell (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health and Education
J K Parker (Author) - University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
A Brady (Author) - University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
S Cotterill (Author) - University of Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
G Howatson (Author) - Northumbria University, United Kingdom
Publication details: Sport Psychologist, Vol.25(1), pp.82-93
Publisher: Human Kinetics
Date published: 2011
DOI: 10.1123/tsp.25.1.82
ISSN: 0888-4781
Organisation Unit: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Research Institute; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449429502621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism; Psychology; Psychology, Applied; Sport Sciences

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