Exercise Psychology

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The conviction that physical fitness and regular exercise are essential to mental health is by no means new. Such a belief is integral to the philosophy of the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi, as well as the Indian discipline of Yoga. Similarly, in the West, the roots of such thinking can be traced back more than two thousand years to the Golden Age Greeks for whom daily, vigorous exercise was considered indispensable to both the physical and mental well-being of young and old alike. Nevertheless, the link between exercise and mental health and psychological processes in general has only recently come to be considered a legitimate area of scientific research - a fact attested to by the recent formation of a Division of Exercise and Sport Psychology by the American Psychological Association. Bringing together contributions by specialists in the three increasingly convergent disciplines of health psychology, physical education, and exercise physiology, this book examines the state-of-the-art theory and practice in the exciting new field of exercise psychology. Organized into three sections covering history and theory, research approaches and findings, and applications, Exercise Psychology offers a balanced presentation of the various orientations and methodologies of each related discipline. In this sense, Exercise Psychology is the first truly interdisciplinary work in the field. Among key topics covered in the methodology section are the various approaches to measurement and analysis of the link between physical activity and psychological states, how best to review the research literature from a variety of diverse subspecialties, and the underlying rationale and practical implementationof meta-analysis. Chapters in the applications section offer an up-to-date summary of important practical advances in such areas as the use of aerobic exercise to slow down cognitive decline with age, the advantages of regular physical activity for the psychological welfare