Attribution theory

Question 1

What are attributions?

Answer 1

The perceived causes of events- the reasons we give for winning or losing can affect our future efforts

Question 2

Weiner’s model

Answer 2

• Weiner devised a model in which 4 categories are places on 2 dimensions
• High achievers tend to attribute success to internal factors and attribute failure to external factors
• low achievers tend to attribute success to external factors and failure to internal factors

Question 3

What is the self serving bias?

Answer 3

The tendency to attribute success to internal factors and failures to external factors

Attributing our successes to internal factors will develop our self esteem and we are more likely to becoming increasingly motivated

If we attribute failure to internal factors, we start to believe that we don’t have the ability and so lose motivation

Therefore performers are encouraged to view failure as a results of factors that are unstable and so can be changed. E.g effort

Question 4

What is learned helplessnesS?

Answer 4

The state that occurs when a performer believes that failure is inevitable and they have no way of changing that outcome

• Repeated failure can lead to learned helplessness
• They are unwilling to try new skills

Question 5

What is the difference between general and specific learned helplessness?

Answer 5

General learned helplessness occurs when a person attributes failure to internal and stale faces and this feeling of failure is applied to all sports

Specific learned helplessness occurs when a person attributes difficulties to internal and stable factors and this feeling is applied to one specific sport

Question 6

How can a coach ensure that the players continue to try in the future?

Answer 6

Allow early success
Make it fun
Attribute success internally
Blame external factors for failure