Psychology Notes Flashcards
What is interactionist theory?
An explanation of behaviour that assumes that our personality depends on our traits and the environment
What is trait theory?
Suggests that personality is made up of a number of broad traits. Traits are innate, enduring personality characteristics that allow behaviour to be predicted.
What is the inner layer of Hollanders model?
The psychological core
This is an inner core of beliefs and values and attitudes. This is fairly stable and unlikely to change.
What is the middle layer of Hollanders model?
Typical responses
What is the outer layer of Hollanders model?
Actual responses
The most changeable aspects of our personality. Hollander suggests that our behaviour will vary depending on how we feel and the situation we are in.
What are the three methods of personality testing?
Questionnaire
Interview
Observation
What is Lewins equation?
Behaviour = function (personality x environment)
What are the six factors measured in POMS?
Tension
Depression
Anger
Vigour
Fatigue
Confusion
Who came up with POMS?
Morgan (79)
What is the iceberg profile?
The shape of the results for the elite athlete on POMS
Tend to score higher on vigour and lower on negative mood States
Unsuccessful tend to score approx. equal across all mood States
What are the disadvantages of POMS?
Some elite athletes do not have this profile
Some non elite athletes display the profile
Elite performers may only develop positive mood States as a result of success
What is achievement motivation?
The theory that an individual’s behaviour is determined by their interaction with the environment and their desire to succeed.
What is the formula for achievement motivation?
Achievement motivation = desire to succeed - fear of failure
What factors must be considered when looking at achievement motivation?
Incentive value of success
Chances of success
Personality of performer
What is nAch personality?
The motivation to succeed or attain particular goals. This is approach
What are the characteristics of approach behaviour?
Seek out challenges
Task persistence
Value feedback from others
Concerned with standards of performance and excellence
Enjoy being evaluated
What is nAf behaviour?
The motivation to avoid failure. This is avoidance behaviour.
What are the characteristics of avoidance behaviour?
Avoids challenging tasks
Performs worse when being evaluated
Lacks task persistence
Does not value feedback
What is arousal?
Arousal is the state of general preparedness of the body for action, involving physiological and psychological factors
Summarise hulls drive theory
A theory of arousal that proposes a linear relationship between arousal and performance.
Hulls view was that higher levels of arousal would intensify the dominant response
What is the dominant response?
Max. Skill level
Why is drive theory now considered inaccurate?
Even the most successful performers show that there is a point when arousal reaches a very high level but performance fails to improve.
Summarise is inverted U theory
A theory that considers that optimal performance occurs when the performer reaches optimal levels of arousal. If arousal continues performance will then decrease.
Inverted U theory has had to be adapted because research indicates a number of reasons why beginners are not able to perform as well as experts as arousal levels increase. What are these?
The skill is less habitual to a beginner
Increased arousal may take a performers attention away from the skill performance
Beginners rely heavily on expected cues and signals