Attribution

Question 1

The locus of causality

Answer 1

■ Is it in the control of the performer (internal) or out of their control (external)
■ Internal Attribute- Within the performers control- Effort
■ External Attribute- Outside of the performers control- the referee

Question 2

The stability dimension

Answer 2

■ Is it a permanent or changeable reason
■ Unstable Attribute- Can change in a short amount of time- Luck
■ Stable Attribute- Unlikely to change in a short amount of time- Quality of a team

Question 3

Factors that affect Attribution

Answer 3

■ Refs decision
■ Your ability
■ Luck
■ Coaching you have received
■ Playing a good team
■ The effort applied
■ The amount of practice that occured

Question 4

Self Serving Bias

Answer 4

Self Serving Bias- Using external and/or unstable reasons for losing

Question 5

Learned Helplessness

Answer 5

■ Using Internal Stable reasons for losing – I’m not good enough and never will be- blaming oursleves
■ The performer perceives failure as inevitable
■ When doubt in ability affects the player and confidence is lowered
■ Lack of effort and Motivation
■ Task persistence drops as they believe failure/ giving up is the only option
■ Lack of effort
■ Exhibit avoidance behaviour

Question 6

Global / General learned helplessness

Answer 6

general sporting situations, e.g. not good at racket sports

Question 7

Specific/Situational learned helplessness

Answer 7

specific sporting situations, e.g. not good at serving to win the match

Question 8

Strategies to avoid Learned Helplessness

Answer 8

■ Develop self confidence/ efficacy/ esteem
■ Attribution retraining- attributing reasons for failure to effective things
■ Avoid social comparisons
■ Blame external causes- coaches, equipment, tactics etc
■ Goal setting
■ Set performance/ process/ task orientated goals rather than outcome goals
■ Mental rehearsal/ Visualisation/ Imagery
■ Positive feedback/ reinforcement/ peer support/ Verbal persuasion
■ Motivate
■ Allow success (especially early)
■ 1 to 1 attention
■ Vicarious experiences
■ Positive self talk/ thought stopping
■ Performance accomplishments- previous success
■ Ensure success/ gradually increase task difficulty

Question 9

Self Serving Bias

Answer 9

Internal and Stable reasons for winning
Unstable and External Reasons for losing

Question 10

Learned Helplessness

Answer 10

Internal and Stable reasons for losing

Can be global or specific

Question 11

Attribution Retraining

Answer 11

■ Changing the reasons given for success and failure
■ Must change perceptions by using the Weiner box
■ Change in internal stable attribution to external unstable ones- Don’t blame player ability, blame luck
■ Promotes self esteem
■ Increase self confidence by removing learned helplessness
■ Set realistic/achievable process and/or performance goals
■ Raise self efficacy using Bandura’s model
■ Highlight previous successful performances
■ Give positive reinforcement and encouragement