Hogue presents interdisciplinary research at Association for Applied Sport Psychology Annual Conference

Candace M. Hogue, PhD, assistant professor and director of the Sport, Exercise & Performance Psychology Lab (SEPPLab) in the School of Kinesiology, presented her interdisciplinary research, “Experimental Investigation Reveals Ego-Involving Climates Trigger Inflammation and Stress Responses in Division I Athletes During a Free Throw Shooting Clinic” at the annual meeting of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) held in Montreal, Canada.  Hogue’s research, funded by the AASP, revealed that hyper-competitive coaching climates, where star players are favored, intra-team rivalry is fostered, athletes are punished for making mistakes and losing, and winning is prioritized above all else, can trigger inflammation and shame-related emotions in elite level collegiate athletes. More athlete-centered, caring climates, that prioritize skill development and a cooperative approach toward achievement, led to an increase in positive affect and greater social and performance self-esteem compared to the ego-involving (hyper-competitive) coaching climate.