Personality Flashcards
What is personality?
The sum total of an individual’s characteristics, which make them unique
What are the 2 theories?
Trait
Interactionist
What is the trait theory
Suggests that we act a certain way because we are born with a series of traits, inherited from our parents
Trait theory states that everyone has 2 main traits:
Stable or Neurotic
Introvert or Extrovert
Problems with trait theory
Too simple
Fails to recognise that people change
Fails to recognise that people have different personalities to their parents
Too general
Fails to recognise the effects of environmental situations
Validity- produces a limited view of what personality is
What is the interactionist theory
Our personality depends on our inherited traits and the environment and situation we find ourselves in
Social learning - tend to have similar traits to significant others
What is Lewin’s formula:
B=f(P.E)
What does Lewin’s formula stand for:
Behaviour is a function of our Personality traits and the Environment in which we find ourselves
What is Hollander’s model:
Social environment (behaviour/expectations of others affects our role) Role-related behaviour (behave differently due to emotions - most changeable aspect) Typical behaviour (way an individual responds in a certain situation) Psychological core (beliefs & values that remain constant)
What does Hollander’s model suggest?
That our personality is a layered structure
Interactionist theory tells us:
our behaviour will be predictable in a particular environment
Individuals behaviour can change in different environments
Why different people act differently in the same situation
Traits differ they will act differently in the same environment
3 ways to measure personality:
Questionnaires
Observations
Interviews
Positives of questionnaires:
Cheap/easy
fairly reliable
can be used almost anywhere
produce a large amount of data that can be analysed
Negatives of questionnaires:
Questions hard to answer accurately
Difficult to assess personality
Validity: unsure what personality is
Positives of observations:
Produce personality profiles to compare to others
Able to operate as they naturally(in real life situations)
Negatives of observations:
More expensive
time consuming
may have low validity as participant may know they’re being observed - behaviour affected
Positives of interviews:
Greater validity than questionnaire
can uncover issues with individuals as answers are not limited to yes-no
Negatives of interviews:
Lower reliability than questionnaire
Very expensive and time consuming
Profile of mood states (POMS) is designed to measure:
Tension Depression Anger Vigour Fatigue Confusion
POMS is based on:
moods rather than traits of those who participate in sport
Problems with POMS:
Not applicable to all athletes
Not every elite athlete in every sport will show the iceburg profile
What does POMS show:
Successful athletes tend to score higher on vigour
^ tend to score lower on tension, depression, anger, fatigue and confusion
^ show iceburg profile - if an athlete doesnt show it then there may be something wrong with the preparation of the performer, e.g. overtrained
Personality for team sports:
extroverts and neurotic
Personality for solo sports:
introverts and stable
Athletes tend to be competitive and outgoing and have high self-confidence - personality testing might be able to identify:
those who may go on to achieve
What is achievement motivation?
an individual’s behaviour is determined by their interaction with the environment and their desire to succeed
TYPE OF INTERACTIONIST THEORY
2 types of motives:
motive to achieve
motive to avoid failure
Achievement motivation theory suggests that:
we have within our personalities a need to achieve or a need to avoid failure (traits)
a nAch personality is:
someone who has a greater need to achieve
they appear to seek out competitive situations and show ‘approach behaviours’
a Naf personality is:
someone who seems intent on avoiding competitive situations because they have a need to avoid failure
show ‘avoidance behaviours’
2 ways to view success:
beaten someone else - victory is everything and a demonstration of their superiority - EGO ORIENTATED
predominantly internal, due to their own efforts and abilities, they dont mind losing if they have achieved a personal best - TASK ORIENTATED
Measuring achievement motivation can be beneficial for a coach as it:
gives information on what type of motivational strategy should be adapted
Characteristics of nAch:
approach behaviours prefer tasks with at least 50% chance of success would rather play than not seeks out challenges will do extra training enjoys performing in situations where they're being evaluated Not afraid to fail Task persistance Values feedback from others
Characteristics of Naf:
avoidance behaviours
prefer tasks where the outcome is relatively certain
prefers to avoid any competitive situation
avoids challenging tasks
avoids situations where success is 50:50
^ where evaluation by others is possible
lacks task persistence
doesnt value feedback
