A Psycho-Phenomenological Approach to Sport Psychology: The Presence of the Opponents in Hurdle Races

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to discuss a psycho-phenomenological approach in applied sport psychology research. The main aim was to report data detailing the practitioner's own experience in a lived situation and produce some valuable information that could only be obtained in this unique way. So, we present an example of an investigation of the hurdler's experience, to understand how the felt presence of the co-competitors influence the actions. The methods involve explicitation interviews. The basic tenet is to ask the athletes to recall their experience about where their attentional focus was and what they were aware of during the race. We can notice that the opponents are located by the hurdlers in a particular position in their consciousness. This position is used to get maximum speed and to conduct the race.

We thank those athletes who kindly volunteered to participate in the study.

This study is based on a doctoral dissertation (Gouju, 2001).