Attribution in sport

Question 1

Attribution definition

Answer 1

The perceived cause of a particular outcome. The reasons, justification and excuse we give for winning, losing and drawing in sport

Question 2

Weiners model of attribution components

Answer 2

1. Locus of causality

• internal (within the person)
• external (the environment)

2. Stability dimension

• unstable
• stable

1. Ability
2. Effort
3. Task difficulty
4. Luck

Question 3

Self serving bias definition

Answer 3

When performers who lose attribute their failure to external causes while those who success attribute their success to internal causes

Question 4

Weiners 3rd dimension - controllability

Answer 4

Controllability = whether attributions are under the control of the performer or under the control of others eg luck or weather

Question 5

Learned helplessness and mastery orientation

Answer 5

• learned helplessness = the belief that failure is inevitable and that the individual has no control over the factors causing failure
• low achievers often attribute their failures to controllable factors - this can lead to learnt helplessness
• mastery orientation is the view that individuals will be motivated by becoming an expert in skill development
• an athlete who is mastery oriented will often attribute failure to internal, controllable and unstable factors

Question 6

Attribution retraining

Answer 6

• attributions should be encouraged to be controllable, unstable factors