Kinesiology & Health
Spotlight On Research
School of Education, Health, and Society
KNH faculty are involved in a variety of research. This site, which is currently being updated, will highlight a sampling of efforts.
• Examining mental toughness in athletes and business.
Who: Robert Weinberg, professor
What: Dr. Weinberg’s current research focuses on mental toughness. What is it? How can coaches and athletes develop it? Can sport psychology principles used to build mental toughness in athletes transfer to the business world?
Specifically, his recent studies are aimed at documenting anecdotal stories that show mental toughness developed by athletes is also advantageous in the business world and life. These attributes include self confidence, focus, motivation, and the ability to deal with pressure. He’s also developing a test that will measure mental toughness in both athletes and business people, and he has begun to identify techniques and strategies to help teach mental toughness in athletic and corporate settings.
He is co-editor of the world’s best-selling textbook on sport and exercise psychology, past president of two national sport psychology associations, and a frequent keynote speaker at sport psychology conferences nationally and internationally, including Portugal, Greece, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia, England and Ireland.
Why: “Businesses are always looking for ways to improve,” he said. One of my goals is to teach employees and managers how to develop mental toughness. Just as such training has enhanced success in the sports world, it can improve performance in the business world. In essence, mental toughness can not only help the “bottom line” but also improve feelings of competency.”