Sport and Competition

With one exception, everyone I have spoken to has expressed an intense dislike, even hatred, for the vaunted Yankees. Why do people find them so objectionable? One number: $208,097,414. Read More

No explanation for the Chicago Cubs' history of failure has been more appealing than the "curse of the billy goat." Supernatural cures, however, have not helped them to win a World Series. "Stereotype threat" is a social psychological concept that might help to explain why the Cubs continue to choke under pressure. Read More

I have challenged the global ideas of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. I believe there are 16 intrinsic motives or needs, and no extrinsic motives. Since nothing is common to all 16 needs, intrinsic motivation is fundamentally multifaceted. Read More

There are good reasons why a kid should not run with scissors, or touch a hot stove, or cross the street without looking, or talk to strangers, or eat without washing their hands but unmeasured parental fear is not something that we want them to inherit either.

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If American football were a food additive or a drug, it would be banned by the FDA. Or, if financial interests prevented its banning, its package would at least carry a surgeon general's warning: Football causes brain damage. The evidence that football causes brain damage is now indisputable. But the deleterious effects of our strong focus on winning go beyond football and brain damage. The compulsioin to win, in general, may be bad for our health. Read More

A recent New York Times article by Gretchen Reynolds asked and answered the question: Does exercise boost immunity? The answer may surprise some, and its lessons extend well beyond the world of working out. Read More

Swing and miss.  “Strike Two.” cried the umpire.  I threw one more pitch right in at the player’s wrists.  He swung hard, but the ball just dribbled right back to the pitcher’s mound.  I picked it up and gently tossed it to the first baseman for the out. As the batter turned back toward the dugout, his team captain stepped out and screamed, “Darrell, you’ve got to get over your fear of this guy!” The words poured like sweet honey into my ears. Read More

Watching our first practice got me to wondering...if this hope and optimism can be such a positive force (see previous Goal Posts for background on hope and learned optimism), what would each day of our lives be like if we could replicate the energy and passion of the first day of practice with our families, our work, our personal growth, and our relationships? What if we could treat every day like college basketball players treat October 15th? Read More

Winning a race is more than simply running your best. Sometimes it's also a psychological duel. If you've ever watched Olympic distance races or a major marathon on TV, for example, you'll have seen competitors throwing "surges" at each other, as they pick up the pace in an effort to psyche out their rivals. The goal is to make the other runner feel defeated - "broken" in the parlance of racing. Read More