Leadership in sport: Social cognitive approaches

Citation

Arthur CA (2014) Leadership in sport: Social cognitive approaches. In: Eklund R & Tenenbaum G (eds.) Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology. London: SAGE, pp. 411-416. http://knowledge.sagepub.com/view/encyclopedia-of-sport-and-exercise-psychology/n164.xml

Abstract
The core tenets of social cognitive theory (SCT) focus on the interrelationship among three sets of factors-namely personal, environmental, and behavioral. These factors are often described as being part of a reciprocal causal network whereby environmental, personal, and behavioral factors interact to determine a range of attitudinal and behavioral consequences. One of the key underpinning factors of the SCT approach is that it recognizes that human interactions do not occur in a vacuum; rather, they occur in an ever-changing environmental context, and this context influences the nature and outcomes of these interactions. For example, an identical set of interactions may produce one set of outcomes in a particular context (e.g., elite level sport) but different outcomes in another context (e.g., a youth physical education [PE] setting). Another key underpinning assumption of SCT is that humans are all different and that these differences will influence the nature and outcomes of their interactions with others. That is, an identical set of interactions will have [p. 411 ↓]a different impact depending on the personality of the individuals involved. For example, individuals high in self-esteem may respond differently to coach criticism than individuals low in self-esteem. SCT models of leadership that have been developed in the context of sport delineate the complex social and cognitive processes that influence coach behavior as well as the effectiveness of those behaviors on athlete and team outcomes. The major SCT models included in this entry are mediational model of leadership (MML), the coaching effectiveness model (CEM) of leadership, motivational model of the coach-athlete relationship (MMCAR), and coach-created motivational climate (CCMC).