RAG questions

Question 1

What are the limitations of personality testing

Answer 1

performers may change their behaviour if they know they are being tested
May be inhibited wearing testing equipment
performers may not give reliable answers to questionnaires. Behaviour analysis may differ between observer.
little evidence to suggest a certain personality type fits a certain sport

Question 2

What is the equation for personality in the interactionist theory

Answer 2

B = F (P x E)

Question 3

What are the 6 emotions in POMS

Answer 3

Tension, depression, vigour, fatigue and confusion

Question 4

An iceberg profile shows high levels of what emotion

Answer 4

vigour

Question 5

What are the causes of anxiety

Answer 5

• Task importance
• Losing, or fear of failing
• Perceived inaccuracy of an official’s decisions
• Being fouled
• Injury, or fear of being injury
• Lack of self-confidence of efficacy
• Audience effect such as an abusive crowd
• Evaluation apprehension

Question 6

What are the cognitive stress management techniques

Answer 6

Imagery
Positive self talk
Thought stopping
Attentional control

Question 7

what is attention control

Answer 7

Changing the focus of attention to detect only relevant cues
Broad / external – used during games to detect fast changing situations and identify the best option;
External / narrow – used to concentrate on specific objects or tasks, possibly with limited number of cues;
Narrow / internal – used to mentally rehearse a skill or task;
Internal / broad – used to analyse performance and plan future strategies and tactics.

Question 8

What is imagery

Answer 8

Formation of mental pictures of good performance / imagine in a calm place;
Internal – creating the feeling of the movement / sensations;
External – seeing themselves completing the movement.

Question 9

What is self talk

Answer 9

Use when negative thoughts occur;
Replace with positive statements about performance;
Example – nerves are good before the race.

Question 10

What is thought stopping

Answer 10

Use of cue / action / word;

Re-directs attention to positive thoughts.

Question 11

What are the somatic strategies to control anxiety

Answer 11

muscular relaxation
biofeedback
Centring

Question 12

Explain the process of muscular relaxation

Answer 12

Often combined with effective breathing control.
Focus on specific muscle groups / working inwards from the periphery.
Contract muscles – hold – relax.

Question 13

Explain the process of centring

Answer 13

Deep breathing / diaphragmatic breathing.
Breath in through nose – expand abdomen fully – breath out through mouth.
May involve repeating key words / mantra.

Question 14

Explain the process of Biofeedback

Answer 14

Measuring physiological responses.
eg heart rate / breathing rate / galvanic skin response.
Learn to recognise and control anxiety responses.

Question 15

What strategies can a coach a adopt to control anxiety

Answer 15

•Set performance not outcome goals
•Ensure success by setting easy targets that become progressively harder
•Ensure skills are over – learned - become dominant habit 
•Raise self-efficacy
•Give positive reinforcement
•Remind the performer or successful past
experiences
•Correct use of attributions

Question 16

What is Easterbrook’s cue utilisation theory

Answer 16

• Links ability to sustain focus on the correct cues with the level of arousal experienced
• At low levels of arousal, the performer isn’t stimulated enough and takes in a lot of environmental cues. This makes cue distinction difficult – making the performer confused.
• At high levels of arousal, the performer takes in a small number of cues because of excessive stimulation. This reduces performance because cues are missed.
• At moderate levels of arousal the performer is able to filter the relevant cues
• Supports the inverted U theory – performance is best at moderate levels.

Question 17

what is a process goal

Answer 17

• Relatively short term goals
• Set to improve technique
• E.g. an ice dancer aims to improve her toe loop technique

Question 18

How are attitudes formed

Answer 18

Learned from experiences
social learning from significant others
Media

Question 19

What is prejudice

Answer 19

A formed opinion normally unfavourable based on inadequate facts

Question 20

What is discrimination

Answer 20

unjust treatment of different categories of people

Question 21

What is a stereotype

Answer 21

a standardised image or concept shared by all members of a social group

Question 22

What are the 3 components of attitudes

Answer 22

Cognitive, Affective, Behavioural

in that order

Question 23

What is instrumental aggression

Answer 23

An individual purposely harms an opponent but the aim is to gain an advantage over the opponent

Question 24

What is assertive behaviour

Answer 24

An act within the rules that aims to achieve a goal and any injury caused is incidental

Question 25

What is an aggressive act

Answer 25

an act that intends to cause harm and is outside the rules

Question 26

Explain the instinct theory of aggression

Answer 26

born/ inherited aggression Aggressive in all acts possible that aggression can be channelled through catharsis

Question 27

Explain the frustration aggression theory

Answer 27

Blocked goal causes frustration Frustration causes aggression Release of aggression catharsis

Question 28

Explain the cue arousal theory

Answer 28

Goal blocked causes an increase in arousal An increase in frustration causes this increase in arousal Aggressive act will only occur if a socially acceptable cue is present Response can be triggered thorough previous negative experiences

Question 29

Explain the social learning theory

Answer 29

Aggression in learnt by observing and copying others / Vicarious experience Reinforcement causes behaviour to be repeated Repeated especially if not punished Instrumental aggression Possible to learn that aggression can lead to success

Question 30

How can aggressive behaviour be reduced

Answer 30

Punish aggressive acts eg. fine player / drop for next match Develop player’s code of conduct / promote fair play Focus is on encouraging non-aggressive behaviour Remove from situation Encourage group pressure Give role of responsibility Set performance goals Highlight non-aggressive role models Reduce importance of event / avoid ‘win at all cost’ attitude Stress management techniques Rewards / positive reinforcement

Question 31

What are the 4 factors of Bandura's self efficacy theory

Answer 31

past performance accomplishments vicarious experience verbal persuasion emotional and physiological arousal

Question 32

Explain performance accomplishment as part of Bandura's self efficacy theory

Answer 32

thinking back to past successes in similar situations

Question 33

Explain Vicarious experience as part of Bandura's self efficacy theory

Answer 33

using a role model, of similar ability, gender, age to show what can be achieved

Question 34

Explain verbal persuasion as part of Bandura's self efficacy theory

Answer 34

Encouragement about the performers ability especially from significant others

Question 35

Explain emotional arousal as part of Bandura's self efficacy theory

Answer 35

learning how to control arousal levels using cognitive and somatic strategies.

Question 36

What is social facilitation

Answer 36

the influence of the presence of others on performance, which has a positive effect.

Question 37

What is social inhibition

Answer 37

the negative influence on performance caused by the presence of others during performance

Question 38

What were the 4 types of others that Zajonc suggested were present during performance

Answer 38

Passive others •The audience – does not speak but watches. Their presence makes you anxious and affects your game. •Co-actors - perform the same task at the same time but do not compete against you. Interactive others •Competitive co-actors – the opposition •social reinforcers e.g. coach

Question 39

Performance will be facilitated if the performer is:

Answer 39

* An expert performing in front of an audience * Performing a gross skill that doesn’t need precision or accuracy * Performing a simple skill, needing limited decision making or info processing * An extrovert who seeks social situations and had high levels of natural arousal. The presence of an audience is an opportunity to ‘show off’.

Question 40

Performance will be inhibited if the performer is:

Answer 40

* A novice who finds an audience intimidating * Performing a fine skill, difficult to maintain at high arousal * Performing a complex skill needing several decisions to be made and a lot of info processing * An introvert who dislikes social situations and has high levels of arousal. Audiences are demanding, detrimental to performance.

Question 41

Zajonc suggested that at high levels of arousal a performer would revert to what

Answer 41

Their dominant habit

Question 42

What is evaluation apprehension

Answer 42

a sense of anxiety experienced by a performer caused by the feeling that they are being jugged by those in the audience

Question 43

When the performer perceives that they are being judged, their performance will be affected.Other factors that affect social facilitation are :

Answer 43

•A knowledgeable audience (scout) •Presence of significant others (parents/peers) positive and negative effect •Supportive or abusive audience •Naturally high trait anxiety, inhibited by an audience •Low self-efficacy causes inhibition -proximity of the audience -size of the audience

Question 44

Explain Baron's distraction conflict theory

Answer 44

* Suggests that we pay attention to the task in hand but may also pay attention to ‘distractors’ * These can be external (crowd) or internal (negative thoughts) * This causes psychological conflict, increasing arousal * Leads to inhibition or facilitation, depending on the ability of the performer and type of task.

Question 45

What are the strategies that can combat social inhibition

Answer 45

•Familiarisation training (letting an audience watch you, or play crowd noises) •Increase self-efficacy •Practice skills until they are well-known •Selective attention improvements - use of stress management techniques - correct use of attributions - use of mental rehearsal •Decrease the importance of the task •Support the performer with encouragements, positive reinforcement and praise.

Question 46

What do you understand by the term learned helplessness?

Answer 46

- Performer perceives failure is inevitable - No control over the situation - Causes avoidance behaviour - Caused by attributing failure to ability / internal stable factors - Global / general learned helplessness – general sporting situations, eg not good at water sports - Specific / Situational learned helplessness – specific situations, eg not good at diving in the pool

Question 47

How can coaches help attribution retraining

Answer 47

* Setting realistic process and/or performance goals * Raise self-efficacy using Bandura’s model * Highlight previous quality performance * Give positive reinforcement and encouragement

Question 48

How can governing bodies reduce aggression in sport

Answer 48

``` Bans and fines Reduce media sensationalism Promote positive role models Use of experienced officials Codes of conduct Update rules Counselling Fair play awards Sanctions ```