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The conversation delves into the transition from traditional sport focus to the broader interest in physical activity and exercise. Dr. Christian Swan shares his journey from researching golf psychology to exploring physical activity's psychological aspects.
Dr. Swan discusses his Ph.D. research, focusing on understanding how elite golfers enter 'the zone' or experience flow during competitions. Observing various golf tournaments, he looked into how exploratory goals rather than specific goals can enhance performance.
Introducing the concept of 'open goals', the discussion explores non-specific, exploratory goals that trigger athletes to test personal limits without the pressure of traditional specific goals. Research findings suggest open goals as a viable alternative to achieving positive psychological experiences.
Smart goals face criticism for their lack of consistent application and theoretical basis. The discussion highlights how the acronym's criteria have evolved and deviated from their original intended use, creating confusion and hindering standardized goal setting practices.
The dialogue points towards the need for informed decision-making in goal setting strategies. Emphasizing the importance of aligning goal types with desired outcomes, it encourages practitioners to explore alternatives beyond traditional smart goals. Future directions involve consolidating evidence-based approaches and developing a nuanced understanding of goal setting.
Dr. Swan's insights underline the necessity for revisiting goal setting theories and their practical implications. Balancing the usage of acronyms with robust theoretical foundations, the conversation advocates for a more evidence-based and flexible approach to goal setting across varied contexts.
I’m delighted to speak to Christian Swann in this week’s episode. Christian is Associate Professor in Psychology at Southern Cross University, Australia.
Christian’s research areas are in goal setting, mental health, and the psychology of exceptional performance.
We discuss a research article that Christian has written alongside a number of authors which aims to critically examine the use of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timebound) goals for physical activity promotion.
The paper recognises that SMART is a highly prominent strategy for setting physical activity goals. And, while it is intuitive, and its practical value has been recognised, the scientific underpinnings of the SMART acronym are less clear. Therefore, the paper’s aim is to narratively review and critically examine the scientific underpinnings of the SMART acronym and its application in physical activity promotion. Specifically, the review suggests that the SMART acronym: is not based on scientific theory; is not consistent with empirical evidence; does not consider what type of goal is set; is not applied consistently; is lacking detailed guidance; has redundancy in its criteria; is not being used as originally intended; and has a risk of potentially harmful effects. These issues are likely leading to sub-optimal outcomes, confusion, and inconsistency. Recommendations are provided to guide the field towards better practice and, ultimately, more effective goal setting interventions to help individuals become physically active.
Read the article here https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17437199.2021.2023608
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