Which of the following statements is NOT a true difference between sport and health psychologists?

The assertion that health psychologists conduct much more research than sport psychologists is not necessarily a true difference between the two fields. While ambos specialty areas do engage in research, the volume and focus can vary widely depending on individual professionals, specific interests, and current trends in the field.

Health psychologists indeed focus on understanding how psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors contribute to physical health and illness. This often involves a significant amount of research into health behaviors, disease prevention, and interventions that enhance mental health as a component of overall health.

Sport psychologists, on the other hand, concentrate on enhancing athletic performance, which can equally involve substantial research into performance psychology, motivation, team dynamics, and the psychological effects of sports participation. Their research may focus primarily on the contexts of sport and performance, suggesting that the amount of research conducted is not inherently greater in health psychology compared to sport psychology.

This viewpoint illustrates that both health and sport psychologists contribute significantly to their respective domains through research, making it incorrect to assert that one field consistently engages in more research than the other as a general principle.