Group Dynamics in Sport

Introduce students to the study of sport group dynamics.

Group Dynamics in Sport, Fifth Edition, provides readers with the most current theories of group dynamics in sport teams as well as practical application. In this updated edition, each chapter identifies and discusses key theoretical concepts of group dynamics and offers extensive and relevant examples that reinforce the principles covered. Topics include

• the nature, study, and development of groups;
• foundational elements of a group, including member attributes and the group's environment;
• structural elements, including group positions, roles, norms, and status; and
• group processes and emergent states such as leadership, communication, cohesion, collective efficacy, and team building.

Authors Mark Eys, M. Blair Evans, and Alex Benson stress the theoretical significance of studying groups to gain a richer understanding of human nature. They also highlight important applications to real life, linking concepts to elite sport examples and practical strategies to enhance groups.

As a comprehensive and formative text for sport group dynamics, Group Dynamics in Sport, Fifth Edition, is an invaluable introductory resource for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and practitioners interested in better understanding how groups work both on and off the sport field.

Formerly published in 2020 by FiT Publishing.

Mark Eys, PhD, is a professor in the department of kinesiology and physical education and the psychology department (joint) at Wilfrid Laurier University. Dr. Eys is the Laurier Research Chair in Group Dynamics and Physical Activity, and he previously was a Tier II Canada Research Chair. His research projects consider the social environments within sport and exercise and focus on topics such as cohesion within youth sport teams (funded by SSHRC for 2005-2008 and by an Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation Early Researcher Award for 2007-2012) and role commitment and acceptance in groups (funded by SSHRC for 2013-2017). Most recently, Dr. Eys leads a partnership development initiative (funded by SSHRC for 2019-2022) to facilitate physical activity participation for New Canadian women and children. He has published his work in top sport and exercise psychology journals and as a coeditor of Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology, Second Edition (2014) and The Power of Groups in Youth Sport (in press). In 2001, he was named Women's Soccer Coach of the Year by Canadian Interuniversity Sport.

M. Blair Evans, PhD, joined the kinesiology department at Pennsylvania State University in 2015 in his current role as an assistant professor. His educational pathway includes doctoral studies in social psychology at Wilfrid Laurier University (2014), along with a master's education from the University of Lethbridge and an undergraduate education from Laurentian University. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Queen's University in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies. Research conducted by Blair and his students in the team lab focuses on how peers within small groups can influence well-being and health behaviors. Although this research spans varying contexts, developmental stages, and populations, he focuses on young athletes and individuals with disabilities. His research is published in leading journals related to sport and health psychology and is supported by sport-related research foundations as well as federal funding bodies in Canada and the United States. He lives with his wife and two young children in State College, Pennsylvania.

Alex Benson, PhD, joined the department of psychology at Western University as an assistant professor in 2017, bridging the cluster areas of industrial/organizational psychology and social, personality, and developmental psychology. He completed his formal education at Wilfrid Laurier University, beginning with a bachelor's degree (BSc) and master's degree (MSc) in kinesiology, before going on to complete his doctoral studies in social psychology. He was awarded a SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship to investigate group dynamics in youth sport teams at Nipissing University. He is the director of the Group Experiences Laboratory, where he and his students integrate a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches to better understand the conditions and processes that shape people's experiences in teams. Reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his work, he has published in top-tier journals in the areas of sport psychology, organizational behavior, social psychology, and personality psychology. His lab's research is supported by funds from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and Mitacs.