Gershon Tenenbaum

Reichman University | IDC · B.Ivcher School of Psychology

The study examines the link between technology readiness/acceptance, motivation for exercising, and sensation seeking and using or avoiding Smart Sport Watches (SSW). A sample of 315 adolescents, Mage = 29.6 (SD = 11.01) and healthy male (n = 95, 30.2%) and female (n = 179, 56.85%), completed all the measures of these variables' dimensions via the...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamical distribution of pain in constant cycling and running tasks up to the point of exhaustion. Ten participants (M = 20.8 years old, SD = ± 1.03) ran and cycled at a “hard” intensity level (e.g., Borg’s RPE (6–20) = 15). During task performance, participants reported their pain on a body map eve...

Our special issue comprises a diverse collection of ten research and review articles, each offering unique insights into the psychological dimensions of athletic performance. From studies examining the role of resilience in over- coming extreme score shifts to explorations of the mental toll caused by external crises like the COVID-19 pan- demic an...

The war experience (WE) presents a highly troublesome period for sport performers, with severe effects on their lives and career trajectories. In this article, we initially conceptualize the WE through the scheme of change for sport psychology practice (Samuel & Tenenbaum, 2011a). The WE is considered a longitudinal, multifaceted, unpredicted, nonc...

We aimed at studying the role technology readiness/acceptance, motivation for exercising, and sensation seeking plays in using or avoiding Smart Sport Watches (SSW). A sample of 315 adolescents, Mage = 29.6 (SD = 11.01) and healthy male (n = 95, 30.2%) and female (n = 179, 56.85%) completed all the measures of these variables’ dimensions via the in...

In an analysis of NBA big data (4,196 cases over 21 seasons; 2000– 2021), we examined the effect of technical fouls (TFs) on game momentum. Considering leading or trailing positions in home and away games, we studied performance metrics like points, rebounds, assists, and fouls across immediate, short-term, and medium-term timeframes. Using a quant...

This study explored the emotional and cognitive dimensions associated with technical fouls (TFs) in basketball coaching. Using in-depth interviews with Israeli first-division basketball coaches, we aimed to uncover the emotional and cognitive intricacies involved in TFs. Through rigorous thematic content analysis, we delved into coaches' ability to...

This research explores how emotional contagion within a team impacts emotions, team cohesion, collective efficacy perception, effort perception, perceived performance, and actual performance outcomes. Forty-seven non-competitive amateur cross-fit participants were split into two experimental groups: high pleasantness-high arousal (HH) and low pleas...

The aim of this paper is twofold: (1) to integrate several theoretical perspectives into a novel Meta-model of Adaption in Sport (MAS model) and (2) to support the MAS model with a narrative literature review on change-provoking events and related adaptation processes, factors involved, and outcomes. The MAS model is designed to account for two pot...

The NBA has undergone formative changes since commissioner David Stern began his tenure. Stern has endeavored to make the NBA a consumer-friendly and marketable league by implementing sanctions on physical violence. This study takes a closer look at Stern’s efforts by examining the interplay between two forms of violence in NBA basketball players o...

Upon the emergence of the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic (CP), football referees were forced to cope with the interruption of leagues and experience quarantines, with a potential threat to their physical and psychological well-being. This study examined referees’ perceptions of the CP change-event, particularly the effects on refereeing engagement and p...

Introduction: Children's maximal muscle strength is consistently lower than adults', even normalized to body size. Lower volitional muscle activation (VA) in children is often considered one of the main reasons for age-related differences in muscle performance. However, some recent studies have reported similar VA in children and adults, bringing...

Postmenopausal women experience an increase in bone remodeling with the rate of bone resorption superseding the rate of bone formation. This results in a net bone loss with a subsequent increased risk for osteoporosis and fractures. High blood pressure (BP) has been associated with loss of bone mineral density and increased propensity to fractures....

This book brings to light the most pressing questions that must be addressed to advance the field. The book, which contains 25 chapters organized into three categories (Performance and Learning, Health and Well-Being, and Cultural and Professional Issues), includes contributions from leading experts in the field. Each chapter starts with a brief su...

Unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) are negative ruminations that occur commonly and show similar characteristics between clinical and nonclinical forms. Despite their prevalence and impact, the control processes of UITs remain unclear. This study aimed to capture the effects of three thought-control strategies on UITs through an interventional desi...

Decision-making (DM) has been studied from two main perspectives: cognitive and ecological. Findings indicate that experts have advanced DM skills that enhance performance. The underlying mechanisms of DM skills relate to the attention and anticipation capacities to function without interruption under pressure of time and to counter various sources...

הספר שלפנינו, "מומחיות ומצוינות: פרספקטיבה רב-תחומית" הוא הראשון בשפה העברית שמאגד 23 פרקים ו 4 ראיונות עם מומחים בתחומי-ידע שונים, ששופך אור על רכישה ויישום של פעולות וביצועים ברמה גבוהה של מיומנות לאורך זמן. לפיכך, החלטנו לחלק את תכני הספר לשלושה חלקים: חלק א', הגדרות, גישות ומחקר, מתבסס על תשעה פרקים שמתייחסים לבסיס הגנטי (בן זקן) והעצבי (עמדי)...

The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of a learned preperformance routine (PPR) with an intuitively developed one before a simulation race on advanced swimmers’ speed and motor efficiency, as well as self-efficacy and emotional regulation. In total, 46 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I swimmers were stratif...

The aim of the current compendium on the psychology of sport, performance, and ethics was to assemble both theoretical and applied research from experts within the field of sport psychology, sociology, performance, and exercise. Twelve articles, written by researchers from Brazil, China, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Ta...

Inquiry of the psychological states during the exercise experience failed to fully account for the role of motivation to adhere and the disposition of exertion tolerance (ET). The current study expands the scope of the integrated cognitive–perceptual–affective framework by measuring the motivation to sustain effort in two physical tasks and account...

The purpose of this study was to explore the flow dynamics during incremental velocity running performed until voluntary exhaustion. Twenty runners performed an incremental-velocity test (The Université of Montréal Track Test; UMTT) while self-reporting their “in flow” and “not in flow” experienced states. Task endurance was divided into five-time...

The aim of the current compendium on the psychology of sport, performance, and ethics was to assemble both theoretical and applied research from experts within the field of sport psychology, sociology, performance, and exercise. Twelve articles, written by researchers from Brazil, China, Germany, Israel, Netherland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Taiwan,...

The present study tests the new Expanded Sport Official’s Decision-Making Model (ESODMM), which expands the existing Official’s Specific Decision-Making Model by integrating emotion, anticipation, and information-processing into its conceptual framework. To test the role of anticipation and emotion in the ESODMM, 56 basketball officials (32 high sc...

Objective performance measures are vastly used in sport psychology despite their inherent limitations (e.g., unaccounted baseline differences). Founded on the nature of group goals in team sports, we aimed at developing the Perceived Performance in Team Sports Questionnaire (PPTSQ) to capture the team members’ perception of their team’s performance...

Objectives Despite a growing body of literature on athletes' migration, the mobility and migration experiences of coaches have received limited attention. In this study, we explored the mobility and migration experiences of transnational coaches operating within the Israeli handball context. Design A qualitative study was conducted, underpinned by...

The benefits of exercise on cognitive functioning in older adults are well recognized. One limitation of the current literature is that researchers have almost exclusively relied on well-controlled laboratory tasks to assess cognition. Moreover, the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise in older adults have received limited attention. The pr...

The inclusion of the video assistant referee (VAR) in the Laws of the Game [International Football Association Board (IFAB)] reflects a historic action in the world of soccer. The VAR was designed to reduce critical errors in soccer referees’ decision-making (DM), thereby increasing the social perceptions of justice. From the referees’ perspective,...

The role of psychological processes in team sports has been studied extensively. The chapter focuses on the psychological factors that are unique to basketball. These factors include: (a) free throw shooting – examining the role of gaze behavior in enhancing shooting percentages, (b) ‘’the hot hand’’ – the underlying mechanisms leading to a ‘’hot s...

The Coronavirus experience (CE) presents a highly challenging period for sport performers (e.g., athletes, coaches, referees), with potential effects on their lives and career trajectories. In this article, we initially conceptualize the CE using the scheme of change for sport psychology practice (Samuel and Tenenbaum, 2011a). Within this framework...

Goal celebration in sport is mostly spontaneous and is manifested via vocal expressions and bodily gestures aimed at communicating emotions. The aim of this study is to deconstruct the celebratory acts among elite professional football players in the European Champions League following scoring a goal, and to capture the multiple acts and functions...

Goal celebration in sport is mostly spontaneous and is manifested via vocal expressions and bodily gestures aimed at communicating emotions. The aim of this study is to deconstruct the celebratory acts among elite professional football players in the European Champions League following scoring a goal, and to capture the multiple acts and functions...

Age-related cognitive impairment has been associated with arterial stiffening and decreased cardiorespiratory fitness. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to compare cognitive function domains and cardiovascular parameters in older adults (> 65 years old) with high and normal aortic stiffness (via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, cfPWV)...

This study examined the effects of slow and fast music tempi on effort-related thoughts, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), affect, heart rate, and performance during isometric strength exercises. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (no-music control, fast-tempo music, and slow-tempo music) and performed two isometric st...

Living with a physical disability (PD) withholds serious health problems that can be significantly alleviated through participation in regular exercise. Gyms offer a legitimized and safe exercise environment, however people with PD are limited in their opportunities to integrate within gyms. In this scoping review, the current knowledge on barriers...

Physical activity is an important consideration for breast cancer survivors as research has elucidated a variety of psychological, social, and physical benefits of being active during and post‐treatment. Considerable research in exercise psychology is focused on the psychological, social, and quality‐of‐life effects of exercise and physical activit...

This chapter takes a theory‐based approach to the exploration of the purpose and application of music in the exercise and physical activity domain. It begins with an outline of key concepts, continues with detail on the evolution of relevant theory—focusing primarily on the present author's 2016 theoretical model detailing the antecedents, moderato...

This chapter focuses on Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM), incorporating bifactor‐ESEM, which represent an overarching data analytic framework in which classical exploratory factor analysis methods have been integrated into the confirmatory factor analyses (CFA)/structural equation modeling framework. It discusses limitations related...

Research in sport psychology has investigated the determinants of physical activity at the individual level. Behaviors depend on individual motivations, but also on contextual determinants. Although research on the impact of stereotypes on physical activity behaviors has developed within different models according to the target group, this research...

In this chapter, the authors use the term “high‐risk sports” to delineate sports where one has to reckon with the possibility of severe injury or death as a consequence of something going awry. Sensation seeking theory began as a theory of the optimal level of cortical arousal. There exists a large body of evidence that suggests sensation seeking d...

This chapter provides a reference for researchers and clinicians interested in exercise and its applications in multiple sclerosis (MS). It presents a review of the state of science regarding exercise and physical activity for people with MS, including 54 clinical trials performed between 2006 and 2016. The chapter also presents data on exercise an...

This chapter discusses enduring “nature‐nurture” debate as it is central to an understanding of the extent to which expertise in sport can be developed via training and practice. It presents a conceptual framework that captures the current understanding of the developmental pathway toward expertise in sport from a psychological perspective. The cha...

In sport performance, patterns in perceptions, actions, intentions, ideas, feelings, and thoughts continuously emerge under environmental, task, and personal constraints. This chapter summarizes advances in ecological dynamics and discusses their implications for sport psychologists. Key concepts in ecological dynamics capture the nature of skill t...

Self‐compassion represents an emerging construct in sport and exercise psychology, but has garnered considerable attention with novel research findings and practical applications surfacing at an exponential pace. This chapter provides an overview of self‐compassion, situating it within the psychological literature and establishing how the construct...

Self‐presentation typically involves the selective presentation of particular self‐relevant information and the selective nondisclosure of other information, rather than attempts to convey false images. This chapter discusses self‐presentation in sport and exercise, with a particular focus on motivation for self‐presentation in these settings. It c...

This chapter examines the role that early developmental experiences play in the realization of exceptional performance in sport. It focuses on a contentious topic of expertise development in sport: early specialization and early sampling, and also on the outcomes associated with early specialization and early sampling. The chapter also examines the...

This chapter focuses on sport skills and their underlying movement foundations. It reviews findings of studies that examined the effects of an instructed external focus versus internal focus (or control conditions) on the performance or learning of sports‐related skills. The chapter discusses whether skill level affects the value of external focus,...

This chapter takes a broad view of culture, including gender and extending beyond race and ethnicity. It begins with a guiding framework that recognizes intersecting cultural identities, power relations, and calls for social justice. The chapter reviews sport psychology scholarship on gender and culture, and ends with recommendations for cultural c...

Structural equation modeling (SEM) has become a methodological mainstay for evaluating theoretical models in the sport and exercise psychology (SEP) domain. This chapter provides a survey of both the essentials and the most recent advances in Bayesian SEM, interspersed with references to relevant SEP examples. It describes the core principles of th...

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is an asset‐building approach to youth development research and practice that emphasizes enhancing strengths and developing potential in all youth. This chapter explains how PYD emerged and the ways in which it has been applied to sport. It details the origins of PYD, and discusses conceptual approaches to PYD and a...

This chapter provides a summary of the ethics‐related codes and issues associated with the field of sport psychology within the areas of practice, teaching, and research. It focuses on the major issues affecting the work of individuals in sport psychology. Most of the literature reviewed is specific to the field of sport psychology, but specific po...

This chapter presents the benefits of exercise benefits. Stronger exercise habit is beneficial because it should increase the likelihood of frequent exercise, as is supported by the commonly observed association between self‐reported habit and exercise frequency. Having strongly formed exercise habits makes it less likely that people will seek out...

This chapter presents the foundations of a research area that has attracted great interest in social psychology and social cognition. It discusses the general psychological concept of automaticity, explaining its relevance to exercise motivation, and presenting related theoretical concepts (automatic evaluation, automatic facilitation of behavior,...

Owing to the increasing publicity that comes with professional and collegiate NCAA sports, concussion has become a major concern for players and spectators of sport. With concussion, many symptoms and physiological changes occur affecting both the short‐term and long‐term functioning of the patient. Many facets of daily activity including cognitive...

This chapter explains the relationship between physical activity (PA) and cognition in aging. It starts with the basic, correlational and cross‐sectional level of evidence that PA habits, both unstructured motor activities and structured exercise training, are associated with a comparatively higher maintenance of cognitive efficiency in old age. Th...

Presenting research and defining the relation between different areas of research (e.g., performance psychology and sport psychology) enhance the potential for cross‐fertilization on theoretical, methodological, and practical levels. This chapter clarifies the distinctions between performance psychology and sport psychology, and provides a general...

This chapter introduces the assumptions of the dynamic psychobiological model of exercise‐induced fatigue and reveals the dynamic behavior and properties of perceived exertion (PE) with workload accumulation. After introducing the basis of the extant cognitive and physiological models of PE, it provides the debate about the afferent or efferent nat...

Randomized controlled trials have consistently demonstrated that mindfulness‐based interventions create a positive impact on a multitude of outcomes, including those relevant for sport and performance psychology. The components of mindfulness that are consistently noted across mindfulness definitions and measures are: attention to, and awareness of...

This chapter reviews the origins of the deliberate practice (DP) concept and explains how these ideas have stimulated applications to research in sport. It appraises both conceptual and methodological aspects of the deliberate practice framework (DPF) and discusses the reasons the DPF has remained a framework for examining expert performance rather...

This chapter reviews the empirical articles published between 2012 and 2016 in journals to help get a sense of the prevalence of multilevel designs in sport and exercise psychology research. It explains the most commonly used techniques to analyze data from longitudinal and group‐based multilevel designs. The chapter introduces two frequently used...

The growth of, and importance attached to, qualitative research in sport and exercise psychology is evident in the increasing number of qualitative journal research articles published. This chapter provides a flavor of the current qualitative research landscape by addressing in some depth "what is qualitative research." In a modest attempt to advan...

This chapter presents an overview of psychological research on doping behaviour and discusses its implications for future anti‐doping education in both elite and amateur sports. It provides a discussion on performance and appearance enhancing drugs (PAEDs) use by distinguishing betweendifferent forms of performance enhancement substances and discus...

The sport experience is shaped by many factors, including the array of social exchanges that sport involvement affords. Sport is often structured to produce participatory and competitive opportunities that are considered fair and enjoyable. This chapter overviews the conceptual underpinnings of peer‐focused sport psychology research, presents the k...

This chapter examines research that has uncovered motivation gains when working in group settings. It examines the Köhler effect in both sport and exercise settings. The Köhler effect is hypothesized to function based on two key mechanisms: upward social comparison and group indispensability. Sports provide an avenue to study the individual behavio...

This chapter focuses on expressive features of nonverbal behavior (NVB) that are associated with certain internal states and (potentially) influence personal and interpersonal outcomes in the broader context of sport. It reviews relevant theoretical work on NVB, the regulation of NVB, and explains how NVB influences impression formation and exerts...

This chapter provides working definitions of emotion and related concepts utilized in the study of emotions and sport performance. It overviews multiple important roles that emotions serve in the resultant behaviors that ultimately influence sport performance. The chapter reviews influential conceptual frameworks that have advanced understanding of...

This chapter presents the theoretical propositions of self‐determination theory (SDT) mini‐theories and reviews some key findings from pertinent sport and exercise work. The mini‐theories are: cognitive evaluation theory, organismic integration theory, causality orientations theory, basic psychological needs theory, goal contents theory, and relati...

This chapter highlights progressions in the theoretical approaches to motivational models in exercise science. It describes that the theoretical perspective driving most physical activity motivation research has been expectancy‐value models originating from social, sport, and education psychology. The chapter presents perspectives on how and why th...

Athletes and others charged with their development (e.g. sport psychologists) strive to attain and sustain high levels of mental toughness or catalyze these efforts. This chapter focuses on the scientific interest to take stock of the accomplishments within the past two decades of conceptual and empirical research on mental toughness. It considers...

This chapter provides a review of disability sport and exercise psychology research that has recently started to receive substantial research attention. It discusses why sport and physical activity (PA) is so important for disabled populations and provides a brief overview of disability models. The chapter extends the work of Jeffrey Martin, who ex...

Sport and exercise contexts are inherently social and achievement‐oriented, entailing comparisons with others and self, evaluations of the self, and self‐relevant behaviors. This chapter presents an overview of self‐conscious emotions, both global and body‐specific, and discusses their relevance to sport and exercise contexts. It starts with an ove...

Dedicated athletes, coaches, and exercisers are often referred to as being passionate toward their sport or activity. This chapter reviews the available literature in sport and physical activity to describe the role of passion for sport and physical activity in adaptive and less adaptive outcomes, as well as look at the determinants of passion. In...

Physical activity (PA) promotion takes on many forms with the goal of encouraging others to be more physically active. This chapter applies the social ecological model (SEM) as a guide to identifying strategies proven effective in promoting PA. Ecological models describe how interactions among individuals, influential others, and their environments...

This chapter introduces the historical development of research focused on exercise and cognitive function and provides a perspective on future directions. It focuses on the relationship of chronic exercise or fitness with cognitive performance as evidenced in studies using human subjects. Three stages are identified relative to the historical devel...

Case studies offer a non‐experimental approach to the evaluation of specific events that can provide a more holistic picture of a phenomenon. This chapter develops a broader holistic understanding of case studies as they relate to sport and exercise psychology. It clarifies the essence of case studies, beginning with defining the case study term. T...

The phenomenon of choking under pressure (hereafter called “choking”) has continued to be a popular and hotly debated topic of inquiry in sports science. Of particular interest has been the potential role of attentional processes in choking. This chapter examines where attentional theories of choking stand and considers where they should be going....

This chapter focuses on the functional role of mental representations and intentionality in sport actions from a systems‐related perspective. It evaluates the function of representation and discusses the cognitive architecture of actions in more depth. The chapter describes the building blocks and levels of the action system that enables to control...

Over recent years, moral action has been a significant focus for much of the research on sport morality. This chapter commences with a discussion of some of the key definitional considerations relating to moral action. It briefly reviews the main theories that have guided sport‐morality research over the preceding decades, along with important outc...

The sport and exercise psychology literature is replete with comprehensive (and contemporary) reviews of self‐efficacy. This chapter provides an overview of self‐efficacy theory, and briefly traces self‐efficacy research in physical activity (i.e., sport, exercise) settings. The chapter highlights (some of) the unresolved issues that require the at...

This chapter describes three theories such as the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the earlier theory of planned behavior (TPB), and the later reasoned action approach (RAA), and the correlational and experimental evidence supporting them. It provides critiques aspects of these theories, and reviews potential additions to the theories and moderator...

Together, the stress‐related conditions of anxiety and depression represent the two most common mental health disorders. This chapter provides an overview of the research addressing the antidepressant and anxiolytic responses to exercise. It focuses primarily on the results of large‐scale epidemiological studies, randomized controlled trials, and m...

This chapter focuses on a specific team process, namely team mental models (TMM), which has been the subject of extensive theoretical and empirical work in sport, exercise, and performance psychology in particular, and applied psychology at large. It explains the terminology and provides an operational definition of TMM. The chapter discusses the r...

An understanding of supportive relationships, the specific assistance they provide, and how social support benefits athletes is important in the design of evidence‐based interventions. This chapter provides a brief history of social support before outlining different ways support has been conceptualized and measured. The key theoretical models exam...

Creativity research and theories have much to offer to the study of sport. This chapter begins with a review of relevant theories of creativity, with an emphasis on the concepts and ideas that are directly tied to motor performance. It reviews sport‐specific literature and identifies the main cognitive, affective, and environmental resources allowi...

Discussing sport injuries and their psychological sequelae is part of a larger field of study called sports medicine psychology. This chapter overviews literature on theory, research, and intervention encompassing both negative and positive psychological sequelae subsequent to sport injuries in a way that provides grounding for theory‐driven resear...

This chapter reviews the various leadership theories and models, as well as empirical investigations within the sport leadership context. It traces the development and application of leadership theories in a sport context and reviews this substantial amount of work. Within the leadership and sport coaching literature there have been a few strands o...