5.1 Individual Differences Flashcards
What is the definition of personality?
The patterns of thoughts and feelings and the ways in which we interact with our environment and other people that makes us a unique person
What are the characteristics of a type a person
Impatience, high levels of stress, competitive
What are the characteristics of a type B person ?
Relaxed, lower personal stress, less competitive
What is a stable personality trait
A personality characteristic of someone who does not swing from one emotion to another but has constant in their emotional behaviour
What is an unstable or neurotic personality trait
A personality characteristic of someone who is highly anxious and has unpredictable emotions
What is extroversion
A person who seeks social situations and likes excitement but lacks concentration
What is introversion
A person who does not seek social situations and likes peace and quiet but is good at concentration
What is arousal
The ‘energised state’ or the ‘readiness for action’ that motivates us to behave in a particular way
What is the interactionists approach to personality
We have certain traits from birth but on many other occasions our faults interact with environmental factors in a situation and this affects our behaviour and personality
What is Hollanders structure of personality
An inner psychological core which is not affected by environmental
A middle layer reveals the way we typically or usually respond to certain situations
An outer layer reveals our role-related behaviours( response is affected by circumstances)
What is attitude
A predisposition to act in a particular way towards something or someone in a persons environment
What is self-actualisation
The individuals desire to explore and understand the world so that they can grow personally and reach their potential
What is prejudice
A preconceived opinion based on a faulty and inflexible generalisation
What are the 3 components in the Triadic model
Cognitive- beliefs
Affective- emotions
Behavioural- behaviour
What is the cognitive component
Our beliefs are formed through our past experiences and by what we have learned from others. Many of our beliefs learnt from our parents and peers
What is the affective component
Our emotional reactions to an attitude object, whether we like or dislike it , and past experiences.
What is the behavioural component
Our behaviour is not always consistent with our attitude. We are more likely to behave in a way that reveals our attitude.
What’s a practical example of the triadic model
Your attitude to fitness training is that it will keep you fit(cognitive) you enjoy training (affective) you go fitness training twice a week(behaviour)
What is the persuasive communication theory
A method of changing attitudes where the message given out is believable and makes sense
What is the cognitive dissonance theory
All 3 components of the triadic model should be consistent if the attitude is to remain stable and the individual is content.
If 2 components oppose each other you will experience emotional discomfort (dissonance)
Why do some people posses positive attitudes towards PE
They believe the values of exercise
They are good at activity
They see participation as social Norm
What are social norms
Behaviours that are deemed normal within a culture
What is culture
Members of a community learn in certain behaviours that are shared amount those around them
What’s a stereotype
A belief held by a collective of people about traits shared by a certain category of person
What is trait perspective theory
Personality is made up of traits inherited from parental genes
Behaviour is innate and genetically programmed
What is the social learning theory
All behaviour is learned
Learning occurs through environmental experiences and through influence of others.
What is the interactionist approach
Personality is modified and behaviour is formed when genetically inherited traits are triggered by an environmental circumstance
What is motivation
The internal mechanisms and external stimuli which arouse and direct our behaviour
What is drive
Directed, motivated or ‘energised’ behaviour that an individual has towards a certain goal
What is drive reduction
when a performers drive is perceived as behind fulfilled -drive is reduced
What is intrinsic motivation
Internal drive to participate/perform well
Factors such as : enjoying sport, personal accomplishment, pride or physical feeling of exercise
What is an example of intrinsic motivation
a tennis player who loves the game purely for the joy of playing, improving their skills, and the
They’re driven by their own passion for the sport rather than external rewards or recognition.
What is extrinsic motivation
Being driven by external factors
Such as winning trophies. Focusing on outcomes rather then love for sport
What is an example of extrinsic motivation
Athlete who takes part to win
What is arousal
The level of activation,alertness and anxiety experienced by an athlete
What is the drive theory
Arousal and performance is linear
Performance increases in proportion to arousal
What would a high arousal level result in (drive theory)
High arousal= high performance
What is more likely to occur as the intensity of the competition increases (drive theory)
Learned behaviour is more likely to occur
What is the formula for the drive theory
P= F (H x D)
Performance = function (Habit x Drive)
What is the catastrophe theory
there’s a sudden and dramatic decline in performance when stress or arousal reaches a critical point.
small changes in arousal can lead to a significant drop in performance, causing a “catastrophe” in the athlete’s ability to perform tasks effectively.
What is somatic anxiety
Physiological- eg sweating
What is cognitive anxiety
Anxiety experienced by the mind
For example worry about failing
What is the inverted U theory
As arousal level increases so does level of performance but only to an optimal point - occurs at moderate arousal levels
In relation to the inverted U theory- what would fine movements and complex skills need for optimum performance
Low optimum arousal eg pistol shooter
In relation to the inverted U theory- what would gross movements and simple skills need for optimum performance
Higher optimum arousal levels eg weight lifting
In relation to the inverted U theory- what would a performer in autonomous and cognitive stage need for optimum performance
Low levels of arousal for best performance
In relation to the inverted U theory- what would an extrovert need for optimum performance
Copes in high arousal situation
In relation to the inverted U theory- what would introverts need for optimum performance
Low arousal conditions
What is peak flow experience
When almost nothing can go wrong - IN THE ZONE
What are some examples of strategies athletes use to get in the peak flow
Mental rehearsal, breathing techniques and music
What is the reticular activation system (RAS)
-Maintains our level of arousal
-Enhance or inhibit incoming sensory stimuli
What is anxiety
The negative aspect of stress caused by fear, worry or aprehention
How will fear of failure affect performance
No will to win/ play badly
How will really wanting to win effect performance
Worry and make error
How will audience judging you effect performance
Worry about what they think and play badly
How would type A personality effect performance
Prime to experience stress as are perfectionists
How will making previous errors effect performance
Stress about future performance
How will age effect performance anxiety
Young person experiences increase stress as they haven’t got the maturity to deal with it
How will experience effect performance anxiety
Less experience- increased stress and they have got experience dealing with it
What is cognitive anxiety
Psychological symptoms such as worrying, irrational thoughts and confusion
What is somatic anxiety
Physiological symptoms such as increased HR, blood pressure, sweating
What is trait anxiety
Stable and enduring emotion experienced by the performer
-predisposition to feeling worry and fear
What is state anxiety
Temporary- only experienced in certain situations.
What is competitive anxiety
Worry or apprehension experienced during or about competitive experiences
What are the 4 factors related to competitive anxiety
Individual differences in ways people react
Different types of anxiety
General or specific anxiety
The competition process
What is zone of optimal functioning
An emotional response that facilitates top performance and is often referred to as the PEAK FLOW
What is cue utilisation
Concentration on cues that are relevant
Over arosual = hypervigilance
Too many cues = info overload
What is aggression
A form of behaviour directed toward the goal of harming or injuring another living being who is motivated to avoid such treatment
What is assertion
Forceful behaviour within the laws of the events
Give reasons why we see aggression in sport
Desire to win
Nature of the game
Nature of culture/ society
Extrinsic rewards- pressure to win
Copying others behaviour
Coached to be aggressive
Frustrated
Trait view
What is instinct theory (trait)
Aggression is a natural response to
Expect all people to display similar tendencies
Aggression is instinctive and important for well being
Compared animal instinct to human behaviour
Aggressive energy builds and needs releasing
What are the positives of the trait theory
You can feel a cathartic release when channeling aggression
Some people are always aggressive
What are the negative of the trait theory
Early humans were not warriors but hunter gatherers
Human aggression is often not spontaneous
What is the frustration aggression hypothesis
Frustration always leads to aggression
Aggression once initiated will reduce frustration leading to catharsis
What are the positives of frustration aggression hypothesis
Frustration can increase arousal
If isn’t successful = more frustration
What are the negative of the frustration aggression hypothesis
Frustration doesn’t always lead to aggression
Frustration on its own not enough to cause aggressive behaviour
We may be aggressive but not frustrated
What is the aggression cue hypothesis
Frustration leads to increased arousal which creates a pre-disposition or readiness for aggression
Certain stimuli that acts as cues must be present for aggression to occur.
Athletes in the autonomous phases have the ability and temperament to control the association
What is the evaluation of the aggression cue hypothesis
People have the ability to control their aggression
Some cues might be present but you are not aggressive
What is the social learning theory
Aggression is nurtured through environmental forces and a learned response
Aggression is learned by watching and copying others and if reinforced it can become and an accepted behaviour
If athletes can learn aggressive behaviour then they can learn non-aggressive tendencies
What is the evaluation for social learning theory
We don’t all copy behaviour that we know is socially unacceptable
Does not take into account personality traits/ naturally occurring aggression
Counter- culture- doesn’t conform to aggressive tackles
How does stress management eliminate aggressive tendencies
Control the arousal level of the participant via stress technique
What are the 8 ways to eliminate aggressive tendencies
Stress management
Avoid aggression prone situation
Remove player
Reinforcing non- aggressive behaviour
Role models
Punishment
Peer pressure
Responsibility
What is social facilitation
The influence of the presence of others on performance may help performers or inhibit performance (social inhibition)
What are the effects of others performing the same activity
Coaction effection
What are the other performers called
Coactors
What are spectators known as
Audience
What factors affect performance
1-Presence of audience or coactors
= increased arousek levels of a performer
2- increased arousal makes it more likely that the performers dominant response will occour
3- if the skill is simple the dominant response = correct and performance will improve
4- if the skill is complex or performer is a nobixe the DR is likely to be incorrect
What is evaluation apprehension
refers to the perceived fear of being judged. This can be stronger when a significant other is attending or the person is not confident about the outcome.
What is the home/away effects
Teams will more often at home then they do away due to nature of audience
Some may prefer it if home crowd is hostile
How do personality factors influence performance
High anxiety individuals = less well when others are there
Extroverts = seek high arousal - perform better with people
Introverts- better with less people
How does levels of experience influence performance
Previous experiences in from of an audience affect future response
High skilled performer= more likely to do well in front of an audience DR correct
How does the type of activity or skill influence on performance
Simple or gross = high arousal better performance
Comped or fine = low arousal
What are the strategies to minimise social inhibition
Team member support
Over learn skills
Train in front of an audience
Instinct theory
-Trait
-Biological dirve
-Flight for surivial
-sport channels aggression
-cathartic release
Positives of trait theory
-seems natural
-hard to control
-consitanly aggresive
-predictable in some people
- do experience catharsism
Criticisms of trait theory
Simplistic
genralised
agression often copied
not all people
you can unlearn aggressio
provoked
