Personality & sports psychology

Question 1

What was the largest area of research into personality in 1960s and 1970s?

Answer 1

Trait theory

Question 2

Why did trait theory lose favour in sports psychology?

Answer 2

It was not something that could be controlled therefore deemed not relevant.

Question 3

What is personality?

Answer 3

Psychological qualities that contribute to an individuals enduring and distinctive patterns of feeling, thinking and behaving.

Question 4

What do twin studies teach us about personality?

Answer 4

Genetics plays a strong role as identical twins reared apart show stronger correlation in personality traits than fraternal twins reared together.

Question 5

Do adopted children share more personality traits with their adoptive or biological parents?

Answer 5

Biological

Question 6

How do you convert a correlation coefficient into a percentage?

Answer 6

Multiply by itself

Question 7

What is the difference between type and trait in relation to personality?

Answer 7

Type categorises people as having different personalities whereas trait looks at people possessing different traits on a continuum.

Question 8

Who was the founding father of modern personality theory?

Answer 8

Allport, 1927, 1937

Question 9

What was Allport’s original system for personality theory?

Answer 9

Hierarchial system where personalities fall into categories.

Question 10

How many trait names did Allport & Odbert find in the dictionary?

Answer 10

4500

Question 11

Who used the research of Allport & Odbert?

Answer 11

Cattell’s 16PF

Costa & McCrae’s OCEAN

Question 12

What model was Eysenck, 1947?

Answer 12

PEN, two trait model

Extraversion and Neuroticism

Question 13

What trait was added to the two trait model to form the 3 trait model?

Answer 13

Psychoticism - meaning impulsivity and sensation seeking

Question 14

What was Cattel’s 1943 model?

Answer 14

Determined 16 personality trait dimension based on all the traits identified previously

Question 15

Allen 2021 findings on athletes and personality

Answer 15

Athletes show higher levels of extraversion than non-athletes. Some also show lower levels of neuroticism.

Question 16

Rhodes & Smith 2006, Wilson & Dishman 2015 meta-analyses.

1. What were these about?
2. Main findings

Answer 16

1. difference in personality in organised sport versus regular exercise.
2. Extraversion and Conscientiousness are higher, neuroticism is lower

Question 17

Differences in personality traits of team sport athletes and individual athletes?

Answer 17

Team sports were lower on conscientiousness and higher on extraversion.

Question 18

Difference in athletes in high risk versus low risk sports?

Answer 18

High risk sports were lower on conscientiousness and higher on extraversion.

Question 19

Does sport chosen make a difference to personality traits?

Answer 19

No. The type of sport makes a difference, not the sport itself

Question 20

Does position played make a difference in relation to personality?

Answer 20

Mixed findings

Question 21

Schmitt 2008 - Personality differences between men and women?

Answer 21

Women have higher levels of

• extraversion
• Conscientiousness
• agreeableness
• Neuroticism

Question 22

Do athletic women mirror the same traits as women in general?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

What two hypotheses explain the correlation between sport and personality traits?

Answer 23

Gravitation - People who play sport choose to take part in activities that suit their personality.

Change - Taking part in certain activities helps to develop certain traits

Question 24

Does personality change over lifespan?

Answer 24

Yes, in predictable patterns.

Question 25

Allen 2017

Answer 25

Personality is important for changes in physical activity but physical activity is relatively unimportant for change in personality

Question 26

Can personality predict success in a single game?

Answer 26

No

Question 27

Can personality predict success over the long term?

Answer 27

Yes. High conscientiousness and low neuroticism predicted

Question 28

Aidman 2007 - Can personality measures in youth predict progression to professional sport? What %?

Answer 28

Yes 84%

Question 29

Is personality a better predictor of short term behaviours or short term success?

Answer 29

Short term behaviours

Question 30

What team personality traits are linked to success?

Answer 30

High conscientiousness and high agreeableness

Question 31

Is team personality similarity linked to success?

Answer 31

Only when low on extraversion, high conscientiousness and high agreeableness

Question 32

Is agreeableness important for personal success?

Answer 32

No, but it is important for team success

Question 33

Graydon & Murphy 1995 - Are there performance difference between introvert and extroverts?

Answer 33

Only with an audience is there a difference. Extraverts perform better with an audience

Question 34

Lichtensten 2014 are any personality traits linked to unhealthy exercise behaviours?

Answer 34

Low agreeableness was a predictor of exercise addiction