Sports Psychology

• Personality 


  What makes a person unique
• Trait theory (A01)

  States our personality is innate and stable

  Does not believe the environment or situation has any bearing on a person’s personality
• Trait Theory Introversion 


  Less sociable

  Does not seek excitement

  Likes peace and quiet

  Focused

  Aroused more quickly

  Sensitive reticular activating system
• Trait Theory Extroversion 


  Sociable

  Outgoing

  Seeks excitement

  May lack concentration

  Aroused more slowly

  Low sensitivity reticular activating system
• Trait Theory Stable 


  Predictable

  Calm

  Even tempered

  Controlled

  Constant

  Doesn’t experience high stress

  Recovers from stressful situations easily
• Trait Theory Unstable 


  Unpredictable

  Moods are likely to be inconsistent

  Prone to worry and high anxiety

  Unrealistic perception of a situation
• Trait Theory Type A


  Prone to anxiety

  Impatient

  Intolerant

  Likes to be in control

  Competitive

  Works fast

  Strong desire to succeed

  Ambitious
• Trait Theory Type B 


  Relaxed

  Patient

  Tolerant

  Experiences lower personal stress

  Does not like to be in control

  Less competitive

  Works at a slower pace

  Lack of desire to succeed

  Unambitious
• Trait Theory Strengths (A03)

  If theory is correct personality can be predicted

  There is some evidence personality os influenced by genetics e.g. aggressive tendencies
• Trait Theory Weaknesses (A03)

  Maybe be deemed inaccurate, likely not just genetics that determine our personality

  Doesn’t account for how personality seems to change in different environments

  Identical twins brought up in different environments do not demonstrate the same personality (suggest not just traits determine personality)
• Social Learning Theory (A01)

  Rather than being born with characteristics we learn them from other people

  Especially those we hold in high regard

  Our personality is learned by observing, modelling and imitating behaviour
• What makes personality more likely to be copied?

  Attention

  Retention

  Motor reproduction

  Motivation
• SLT Strengths (A03)

  Bobo doll experiment adds validity

  Evidence to suggest some aspects of personality are learned by watching and copying significant others
• SLT Weaknesses (A03)

  May be viewed as too simplistic, likely not just our environment that determines our personality

  Siblings brought up in the same way don’t always display the same personality

  If theory was true we would all have the same personalities and copy our role models
• Interactionist Theory (A01)

  The trait theory and slt both have a role in determining behaviour and personality

  More realistic explanation of personality

  Different behaviours produced for different situations

  Base behaviour on inherent traits that we adapt to the situation we are in

  Behaviour=function(personality environment)

  B=f(PE)
• Who‘s work is the intercationist theory based on?

  Hollander (1967)
• Psychological Core

  Beliefs and values that remain more or less permanent
• Typical Responses


  Ways in which a person responds in certain situations
• Role Related Behaviour 


  In other situations we may behave differently
• Social Environment

  How the behaviour and expectations of others affect our role
• Interactionist Theory Strengths (A03)

  Takes into account the effect of both traits and the environment

  Explains why an individual may act differently in different situations

  Explains why people in the same environment may behave differently
• Interactionist Theory Weaknesses (A03)

  Lack of research

  Sports affect our personality rather than the other way around
• Attitude

  A predisposition to act in a particular way towards something or someone in a person’s environment
• Factors Affecting Attitude Formation

  Past Experience

  Peer pressure

  Family’s views

  Programmes a performer watches/listens to

  Role model‘s views

  Stereotype

  Culture
• Components of Attitude Cognitive

  Refers to our beliefs and knowledge that are formed through past experiences and from others
• Components of Attitude Affective

  Refers to our emotional reactions towards an attitude object

  Whether we like or dislike something
• Components of Attitude Behavioural

  Refers to how we actually behave

  May or may not reflect our cognitive belief
• Cognitive (A02)

  You know spinning class is good for your health
• Affective (A02)

  You enjoy going to spinning class and feel good after going
• Behavioural (A02)

  You go to spinning class twice a week
• Methods of Attitude Change

  Persuasive Communication

  Cognitive Dissonance
• Persuader

  Must be of a high status

  The more persuaders the better
• Message

  The information must be accurate
• Recipient

  The recipient needs to be open to persuasion
• Situation 


  The environment where the persuasion is to take place should be where the recipient feels comfortable
• Cognitive Dissonance 


  Two or more opposing attitudes results in an imbalance in the triadic model

  Introduction of new information to challenge current belief to bring attitude components into line

  More uncomfortable to individual the greater the desire to change
• Motivation


  The internal mechanisms and external stimuli which arouse and direct our behaviour
• Intrinsic Motivation (A01)


  The internal drive to participate in

  Wanting to take part for enjoyment
• Intrinsic motivation (A02)

  Wanting to complete a marathon for fun
• Extrinsic Motivation (A01)

  External drive to anticipate

  Taking part for rewards or money