A revised approach to professional philosophy for sport and exercise psychology practitioners
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Professional philosophy is an important part of training and practice for trainee and qualified sport and exercise psychology practitioners (SEPPs) alike. Despite this, there remains limited literature addressing the philosophical premises relevant to the field, and how to navigate them. In this paper, the authors provide an account of how to approach professional philosophy, derived from both their experience teaching philosophy of practice to neophyte SEPPs and their experiences as practitioners. This account is the culmination of a reevaluation of the existing literature in conjunction with the recent changes in the applied field of sport and exercise psychology, and an examination of both the philosophical inheritance of sport and exercise psychology and the broader philosophical literature (e.g., philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, axiology). Given that SEPPs typically receive little, if any, professional philosophical guidance, this paper unpacks and aims to make accessible the components of a professional philosophy, and guides practitioners in interrogating and establishing their professional philosophy using the Philosophy Onion.
Authors: Aura Goldman, Misia Gervis
Institution: Brunel University of London
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4416524285