1. Unit 13- Psychology for sports Performance
Personality P1 M1 D1

2. What is personality???
Research the various definitions of personality…
Cattell (1965): ‘that which tells what a man will do when placed in a given situation’
‘Personality is the set of individual characteristics that make a person unique and will determine their relatively consistent patterns of behaviour’

3. Theories of personality
Each person appears different in the decisions they make and how they behave in a variety of situations… PERSONALITY looks at these differences and how they affect performance.
A number of theories have been proposed over the years to describe personality and its affect on performance. Yet there are always factors that don’t get taken into account within each one…
Trait Theory (dominated much of early research)
Martens ‘Schematic View’
Psychodynamic theory
Social Learning Theory (SLT) ‘Situational approach’
Interactional approach

4. Trait Theory Dominated early personality studies
Eysenck and Cattell
Dominated early personality studies
Based on the nature approach
From Psychologists such as Eysenck and Cattell
Person is the key to personality, not the situation
Personality traits are stable and enduring, and can therefore be used to predict behaviour in all situations
Eg – if someone is competitive, then they will be seen as competitive in all situations

5. Cattell’s Theory of Personality
Cattell identified 16 different personality traits, such as:
Dominance aggressive versus passive
Emotional Stability calm and stable versus high-strung
Liveliness enthusiastic versus serious
Privateness pretentious versus unpretentious
Reasoning abstract versus concrete
Rule Consciousness moralistic versus free-thinking
Self-Reliance leader versus follower
Identified 16 groups of traits.
Abstractedness imaginative versus practical
Apprehension insecure versus complacent
Dominance aggressive versus passive
Emotional Stability calm and stable versus high-strung and
Liveliness enthusiastic versus serious
Openness to Change liberal versus traditional
Perfectionism compulsive and controlled versus indifferent
Privateness pretentious versus unpretentious
Reasoning abstract versus concrete
Rule Consciousness moralistic versus free-thinking
Self-Reliance leader versus follower
Sensitivity sensitive versus tough-minded
Social Boldness uninhibited versus timid
Tension driven and tense versus relaxed and easy going
Vigilance suspicious versus accepting
Warmth open and warmhearted versus aloof and critical
Cattell suggested that these traits are in everyone, with the strongest overriding the secondary traits.
To help your understanding of this, you could try Cattells trait personality test at
Cattell suggested that these traits are in everyone, with the strongest overriding the secondary traits.

6. Cattell’s Theory of Personality
An example of a result from Cattell’s personality test.
Factor
low score
high score
Score
Warmth
cold, selfish
supportive, comforting
50%
Intellect
instinctive, unstable
cerebral, analytical
78%
Emotional Stability
irritable, moody
level headed, calm
42&
Aggressiveness
modest, docile
controlling, tough
74%
Liveliness
somber, restrained
wild, fun loving
Dutifulness
untraditional, rebellious
conforming, traditional
Social Assertiveness
shy, withdrawn
uninhibited, bold
Sensitivity
coarse, tough
touchy, soft
38%
Paranoia
trusting, easy going
wary, suspicious
70%
Abstractness
practical, regular
strange, imaginative
Introversion
open, friendly
private, quiet
62%
Anxiety
confident, self assured
fearful, self-doubting
Openmindedness
closeminded, set-in-ways
curious, exploratory
Independence
outgoing, social
loner, craves solitude
Perfectionism
disorganized, messy
orderly, thorough
82%
Tension
relaxed, cool
stressed, unsatisfied
46%
Identified 16 groups of traits.
Abstractedness imaginative versus practical
Apprehension insecure versus complacent
Dominance aggressive versus passive
Emotional Stability calm and stable versus high-strung and
Liveliness enthusiastic versus serious
Openness to Change liberal versus traditional
Perfectionism compulsive and controlled versus indifferent
Privateness pretentious versus unpretentious
Reasoning abstract versus concrete
Rule Consciousness moralistic versus free-thinking
Self-Reliance leader versus follower
Sensitivity sensitive versus tough-minded
Social Boldness uninhibited versus timid
Tension driven and tense versus relaxed and easy going
Vigilance suspicious versus accepting
Warmth open and warmhearted versus aloof and critical
Cattell suggested that these traits are in everyone, with the strongest overriding the secondary traits.

7. Eysenck’s trait theory
2 Major personality dimentions:
The Extroversion – Introversion dimension
The Stable – Neurotic dimension
Eysenck used a series of questions that would then allow him to plot personality on a graph like this.
You can take Eysenck’s trait personality test here:
eysenck.html

8. Trait theory & Sport
It has been argued that extroverts are more successful in many sports
Introverts are more likely to be successful in individual sports, such as athletics and snooker.
Stable individuals are normally seen as more successful in sport than unstable athletes
It has been argued that extroverts are more successful in many sports
Because they can cope with the distractions from external stimuli, such as other players, and crowds better. It is often suggested that extroverts are attracted to team sports with lots of action, such as football, rugby and netball. This is because these sports offer the high levels of stimulation and a constantly changing environment that extroverts need to stay interested.
Introverts are more likely to be successful in individual sports, such as athletics and snooker.
where they are able to use their concentration skills, within a relatively constant environment.
Stable individuals are normally seen as more successful in sport
Those at the unstable end of the continuum, tend to experience high levels of arousal during the early stages of performance, which tends to reduce the level of their performance.
- Trait approach suggests that personality is enduring across all situations, and that the causes of behaviour comes from within the person…
- They argue that the situation that the person finds themselves in has a very limited effect on behaviour.

9. Trait theory & Sport Strengths Weaknesses
Easily administered through questionnaires
Weaknesses
Doesn’t take situation into account
Eg – You will always be competitive
Therefore seen as simplistic
Trait theorists have tried to argue that personality traits are more stable than they really are.
Questionnaires have been criticised
Honesty
Objectivity
In conclusion, personality trait theory cannot predict sporting success. However, it can give an indication why people choose different sports.
Trait theory can predict behaviour in a limited manner. But, traits cannot predict how an individual will behave in a particular situation.
The strength of trait theory is that it is easy to measure and can be put in place through questionnaires.
The main weakness is that trait theory doesn’t take account of the fact that a situation may affect a person’s performance. It is therefore seen as somewhat simplistic. The self report questionnaires have also been criticised because of problems with honesty, accuracy and a lack of objectivity.
IN conclusion, personality trait theory cannot predict sporting success. However, it can give an indication why people choose different sports. It needs to be used with physiological and situational factors to give a full picture of the likelihood of an athlete’s success.
Trait theory can predict behaviour in a limited manner. But, traits cannot predict how an individual will behave in a particular situation. Furthermore, trait theory doesn’t take into account the fact that some athletes are actively involved in changing their own personalities, through training.

10. Martens ‘Schematic View’
In this view, personality is seen as having three different levels that are related to each other
Psychological Core
Typical responses
Role-related behaviour

11. Role related behaviour
Psychological Core
Is what people often call ‘the real you’
It is the part that contains your beliefs, values and interests and attitudes.
All of these are seen as relatively stable – that is they are unlikely to change over a period of time.
Typical responses
Role related behaviour
Are the usual ways that you respond to the world around you:
For example, an intentional foul may make you angry in football, because you feel that this is unsportsmanlike behaviour. However, in normal everyday life, you may be quiet and shy when you meet people for the first time.
These are your normal responses to these situations.
This is often determined by the circumstances that you find yourself in.
This is seen as a very changeable element of personality
Effectively, your personality changes as your perception of your environment changes.
For example, you may be a captain for one team, where you take on specific roles and demonstrate a lot of leadership behaviours
Later in the same week, you may be a substitute for another team, where you will have to follow a lot of different instructions.

12. Psychodynamic Theory Super Ego – moral conscience
The psychodynamic approach says that personality is made up of conscious and unconscious elements
Id – instinctive drive
Unconscious and makes you do certain things without thinking about them
For example – the expectations as a premier league player steps up to take a penalty may make them freeze
Ego – Conscious part
Super Ego – moral conscience
The effects of these two can be seen on our football player in a penalty shoot out, when the fear of missing causes them to refuse to take a penalty
Not often used in sport as it focuses on reasons that come from within, and tends to ignore the environment, which is an essential part of the athlete’s situation.
However, it is useful, in that it helps to explain that not all behaviour is under the conscious control of the athlete.

13. (SLT) Social Learning Theory
By Albert Bandura and later by Richard Cox (1998)
(SLT) Social Learning Theory
Personality is determined by the environment in which an individual finds themselves as well as the experiences they had when they grew up.
2 mechanisms of learning:
MODELLING
REINFORCEMENT

14. 2 processes Modelling Reinforcement 4 Stages: Attention Retention
It is widely held, that there are two mechanisms of learning
Modelling
Observe and imitate parents and siblings.
As we get older, it becomes our friends, celebrities, sports stars or anyone else we look up to.
Individuals are likely to model themselves on someone they can relate to – age, gender, sport, social background
As they observe the behaviour, they attempt to copy it.
4 Stages:
Attention
Retention
Motor Reproduction
Motivational Response
It is widely held, that there are two mechanisms of learning
Modelling
In early life we observe and imitate the behaviour of parents and siblings. As we get older, it becomes our friends, celebrities, sports stars or anyone else we look up to.
Individuals are likely to model themselves on someone they can relate to – age, gender, sport, social background
As they observe the behaviour, they attempt to copy it.
Reinforcement
This means that when behaviour is positively rewarded, then it is likely to be repeated. On the other hand, if something is negatively rewarded, with a punishment, then we are unlikely to repeat that behaviour.
As youngsters we learn from our parents. In sport, there is a system of negative reinforcement to stop negative behaviour. Think about yellow cards in football, the ‘sin bin; in rugby, and a racket violations in tennis.
Reinforcement
This means that when behaviour is positively rewarded, then it is likely to be repeated.
As youngsters we learn from our parents.
In sport, there is a system of negative reinforcement to stop negative behaviour. Think about yellow cards in football, and the ‘sin bin in rugby.

15. Summary
Social learning theory suggests that our personality is made up of the sum of our experiences, and is not inherited. It suggests that we are made up of what we have seen and learned, and that our behaviour will vary from one situation to the next.
As such it leads us into the next theory – Situational theory.
Social learning theory suggests that our personality is made up of the sum of our experiences, and is not inherited. It suggests that we are made up of what we have seen and learned, and that our behaviour will vary from one situation to the next.
As such it leads us into the next theory – Situational theory.

16. Situational Approach Based on Social Learning Theory…
It says that our behaviour is based on the situation that we find ourselves in rather than the specific personality traits.
There is some support for the situational approach in sport, as extrovert personalities, such as Ronnie O’Sullivan participate in sports like snooker that are more suited to introverts, needing concentration and focus.
However, these are not conclusive, and for every one that does support this theory, there are 5 that don’t.
Consequently, it has been argued that situation is a more powerful predictor of behaviour than personality traits.
However, this has not been fully supported by research, and is in no way conclusive.

17. Interactional Approach
Trait Theory:
Doesn’t look at the situation
Situational Theory:
Not everyone responds in the same way…
A trait- state approach is needed to assess an individuals personailty traits and then assess how such traits affect their behaviour in a situation (state)
Interactional Approach:
Considers persons psychological traits and the situation they are in as a predictor of behaviour.
Behaviour= f (personality, environment
E.G: An athlete with high anxiety levels as a trait, would have an exaggerated response to a specific situation… (pre kick-off)

18. Types of personality… Type A and B Type A:
Highly competitive and strong desire to win
Achievement orientated
Eat fast, walk fast, talk fast, strong sense of urgency
Aggressive, restless, impatient
Find it difficult to delegate and needs to be in control
High level of stress
Type B:
Less competitive
More relaxed
Delegate work easily
Take time to complete tasks
Calm, laid back and patient
Low level of stress
Sport participation promotes qualities that Type B poses
High blood pressure and higher risk of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)

19. Personality and Sports Performance

20. TASK… P1, P2 M1 D1 Will be on 1 document.
For P1, learners must first define personality and then describe how personality affects sports performance…
The description must include – a definition, personality theories, personality
types and the effects on sports performance.