CONSIDERATIONS FOR GAINING ENTRY TO CONDUCT SPORT PSYCHOLOGY FIELD-RESEARCH

Sport psychology research conducted in field settings has expanded con siderably in the last decade and a half. However, them has been little formal discussion of a number of important issues concerning the noti on of conducting research in ecologically valid settings. Gaining entr y to collect data with sport participants is one such issue. This impo rtant initial stage of the field research process regards not only the feasibility of collecting data but also the very quality of data that one might be able to collect in the setting. This manuscript presents important guiding considerations for efforts to gain entry to field s ettings, including personal attributes of the researcher, connections, accounts, knowledge, and courtesy. Social science and sport psycholog y practitioner literature regarding gaining entry are examined, and re levant examples are integrated into the discussion.