Sport Psychology: Attitude

Question 1

What is attitude?

Answer 1

It is a value aimed at an attitude object. It is also referred to a mental and neural state of readiness towards an attitude object

Question 2

Attitudes are…? (4)

Answer 2

*. Can be unstable
*. Are learned
*. Can be changed
*. Directed towards an attitude object
. Cognitive thoughts
. Emotional feelings
. Behavioural responses

Question 3

How is attitude formed?

Answer 3

Through socialisation which is the process where cultural values are learnt by associating with others

Question 4

Who do we learn our attitudes from?

Answer 4

We learn them from significant others when the information is reinforced or repeated

Question 5

How is attitude conditioned?

Answer 5

Conditioned by behaviour that is successful and reinforced - praise will develop a positive attitude between coach and player

Question 6

How can the learning of attitude be bad?

Answer 6

It can be negative if the behaviour learnt is negative or if the reinforcement is negative - this can come from praise for cheating behaviour

Question 7

What are the three parts of the Triadic model?

Answer 7

. Cognitive
. Affective
. Behavioural

Question 8

What is the cognitive part of the Triadic model?

Answer 8

Your beliefs, knowledge and thoughts such as a belief in exercise benefits

Question 9

What is the affective part of the Triadic model?

Answer 9

Your feelings or emotional responses such as enjoying training

Question 10

What is the behavioural part of the Triadic model?

Answer 10

Your actions or intended behaviour such as training three times a week

Question 11

How can attitude be positive or negative? (4)

Answer 11

*. Familiarisation
*. Learned from role models
*. Learned from enjoyable experiences
*. Learned by conditioned behaviour
. Learned from beliefs
. Learned from influence of significant others

Question 12

What are the 2 concepts of attitude change?

Answer 12

. Cognitive dissonance
. Persuasive communication

Question 13

What is cognitive dissonance?

Answer 13

New information given to the performer to cause unease and motivate change

Question 14

What does dissonance mean?

Answer 14

It means to create some conflict/ disharmony in the player

Question 15

How can cognitive dissonance be used?

Answer 15

1. Give new information to promote a person to question their current behaviour and motivate change
2. Making the activity fun or varying practice can make the situation more fun than expected thus changing opinion
3. Using rewards to promote positive behaviour such as prizes for attending training
4. Bring in a specialist role model from another area to promote the topic

Question 16

What is persuasive communication?

Answer 16

You can be talked around but it is hard if core beliefs are stable making people resilient to change

Question 17

What is important about persuasive communication? (4)

Answer 17

*. The message needs to be understood
*. Quality of the new information
. The situation and timing of when the message is given is important
*. The new information should outweigh old beliefs
*. The message should be given by someone of high status
. The individual may be resilient to change

Question 18

What should the person receiving the information do? (Persuasive communication)

Answer 18

. Pay attention
. Understand
. Accept
. Retain
the message being given

Question 19

What should the coach giving the information be? (Persuasive communication)

Answer 19

. Be an expert
. Be trustworthy

Question 20

What should the message be? (persuasive communication)

Answer 20

. Must be clear
. Be unambiguous
. Be balanced between the pros and cons

Question 21

How can negative attitudes be changed to positive attitudes? (4)

Answer 21

. Persuasion from a ‘perceived expert’
*. Making it fun when training
*. Allowing early success
. Using positive reinforcement and rewards
*. Pointing out the benefits of exercise
*. Using role models
. Cognitive dissonance

Question 22

How could a PE teacher change the negative attitude that a pupil may have towards swimming?

Answer 22

. Tell the pupil about the pros of swimming
. Offer rewards
. Present role models from swimming (athletes)

Question 23

What is an attitude and how are they formed?

Answer 23

Attitudes are values aimed at attitude objects. They are formed by socialisation with others, familiarisation and conditioned behaviour

Question 24

Explain the three aspects of the Triadic model.

Answer 24

1. Cognitive - your thoughts (belief in something - exercise)
2. Affective - your feelings (enjoying something - training)
3. Behavioural - your actions (training a certain amounts of times a week)