SEHS Option B (Revised)

Personality

• Mostly stable and enduring aspect of an individual that distinguishes them from others

• Unique to them, but allows for comparisons to be made between individuals

Motivation

Internal mechanisms and external stimuli that arouse and direct behaviour

Differentiate intrinsic and extrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation = reason for exercise is derived internally (knowledge, fun, self-improvement)

Extrinsic motivation = stimulated from external sources (trophies, praise, awards)

Evaluate effect of extrinsic rewards on intrinsic motivation

Strengths

• Can provide information about quality of performance

• Information reward can increase intrinsic motivation

Limitations

• Can be seen as controlling behaviour

• Controlling reward decreases intrinsic motivation

Learned helplessness

• Athlete believes that no matter how much effort they put in, they are doomed to fail

• Because their belief that they won’t succeed, they give up or don’t try

• Negatively effects performance

Attribution theory + Weissman’s classifications

Attribution = what you give credit to for loss/success

• Locus of stability

• Locus of control

• Locus of causality

Locus of stability

Whether factor attributed to success/failure is stable or unstable

• Eg. ability = stable, luck = unstable

Locus of causality

Whether factor attributed to success/failure is internal (the athlete) or external

• Eg. effort = internal, ref/team = external

Locus of control

Whether factor attributed to success/failure is in the athletes control, or out of it

• Eg. workout plan = in-control, weather = out of control

Atkinson’s model of achievement motivation

Achievement motivation = desire to succeed - fear of failure

NAS = desire to succeed largely outweighs fear of failure

• Overachievers - linked to intrinsic motivation

MAF = fear of failure largely outweighs desire to succeed

• Less effort for more difficult tasks

• Linked to extrinsic motivation

Ethical issues with measurement of athlete’s personality

• Confidentiality

• Use of results

• Error + bias

Issues associated with measurement of personality

• Distinguishing between 3 levels of personality

• Limitations of qualitative data collection

• Validity + reliability → measurement errors

Relationship between personality & success

• Complex relationship

• Personality is not the only determinant of success

• Specific personalities may be drawn to certain sports

Sport behaviour link to social Learning Theory

• Behaviour can be learnt through observation of role models, in the absence of rewards

• Reinforced with social reinforcement (feedback)

• Can have positive and negative effect on sports (give example)

Interactionist approach to personality

• Behaviour is a function of personality x environment (interaction between)

• Modified as a person responds to environmental situations

• Genetic + environmental influences are interwined

• 3 levels of personality

Issues with studies on personality and sports performance

• Sport is only one aspect of athletes’ lives

• Personality alone doesn’t account for sports performance

• May discourage non-athletes to try certain sports if personality correlated is not displayed