Attribution (sports phychology)

Question 1

What is attribution theory?

Answer 1

The reason a player gives for their success or failure.

Question 2

What are the 2 dimensions of stability and their definitions?

Answer 2

stable: Permenant factors that cannot be changed easily
unstable: Temporary factors that can be changed

Question 3

What are the 4 dimensions of the locus of causality?

Answer 3

• Internal, stable
• External, stable
• Internal, unstable
• External unstable

Question 4

What is an example of internal, stable attributions?

Answer 4

Ability - Eg, we were too strong for the opposition

Question 5

What is an example of external, stable attributions?

Answer 5

Task difficulty - Eg, they were the team at the bottom of the league

Question 6

What is an example of internal, unstable attributions?

Answer 6

Effort - Eg, we have prepared well and given it everything

Question 7

What is an example of external unstable attributions?

Answer 7

Luck - Eg, a lot of marginal decisions went our way

Question 8

What is Weiner’s third dimension?

Answer 8

Controllability

Question 9

What is controllability?

Answer 9

Reasons perfomer gives for success or failure are chanageable factors within their control.

Question 10

Effect of effort attributions, for success

Answer 10

Eg, we won the game because we practiced set plays

-Player takes credit for succes due to effort.

Question 11

Effect of effort attributions, for failure

Answer 11

Eg, we lost because we didn’t work hard enough defensively

-Performer acknowledges failure was due to insufficient preperation.

Question 12

Explain the term ‘locus of control’

Answer 12

• Consdiers the extent to which an outcome is under control

- Directly affects a performers motivation

Question 13

What is learned helplessness?

Answer 13

The belief that failure is inevitable and that no control can be had over the failure

Question 14

What is mastery orientation?

Answer 14

A high achiever who has a strong desire to succeed and expects to succeed.

Question 15

Performers use attributions to explain reasons for success and failure in sport.
Discuss the impact of an individual’s attributions following a failure in sport.

Answer 15

If failure is attributed to…

• Internal reason (ability) : motivation decreases
• External reason (task dificulty) : motivation will be retained
• Stable reasons (ability) : Lowers motivation
• Unstable reasons (Effort) : perfomrer motivated to change future outcome
• Learned helplessness can be develop if performer attributes failure to unstable reasons
• Mastery orientation can develop if performer attributes failure to internal reasons