1. Personality

2. Why Do We Study Personality in Sports Psychology?
Do you need to be a particular personality type in order to be successful in sport?
If so, can we test young sports performer’s personalities and use those test to predict if they are going to be successful?
Do you need to be a particular personality type to play a particular sport or a certain position in a sport?

4. Definition of Personality:
Personality is:
Stable and enduring(doesn’t change/lasts a long time)
Set of traits (characteristics e.g.??)
Unique (everyone has own personality)
But permits a comparison (we share some similar traits)
Influences behaviour

5. Gross 1992:
‘Those relatively stable and enduring aspects of individuals which distinguish them from other people making them unique but at the same time permit a comparison between individuals.

6. How do we form our personalities?
Born with them
The situation determines them
Bit of both of the above
We learn them – through watching others and having our behaviour reinforced or punished

7. Group Work Trait theory Social Learning theory Interactionist theories
In groups discuss your theory. (Advantages, disadvantages, justification of whether your theory is the best one)

8. Prep: Flipped learning!!!!
Preparation: Watch videos on mypeexam.org (registration is free) on personality 1 and personality 2
Click on ‘courses’, AQA A2 sports psychology, personality
Make notes on video
Cannot watch through ‘internet explorer, use google chrome’

9. Trait Theory Nature side of the argument
B= f (P)
Nature side of the argument
Suggests that we inherit our genes (Innate)
They are stable and enduring
E.g. Aggression shown in all situations
Behaviour is predictable
Therefore useful to predict success in sport/suitability to a specific sport
Eysenck and Cattell were two trait theorists

10. Eysenck’s Personality Types
Extrovert
Sociable, outgoing, talkative, active and optimistic
Introvert
Quiet, passive, unsociable, reserved and careful
Stable
Calm, even tempered, reliable, controlled and logical
Neurotic
Moody, anxious, touchy, restless and aggressive

11. Test: Eysenck's personality inventory
Neurotic
Test: Eysenck's personality inventory
Introvert
Extrovert
Successful character?
The two dimensions are independent of each other
Stable

12. Cattell’s Theory – 16 personality factors
16 categories which give a more accurate picture of people’s characteristics and behaviour patterns
Used 16PF questionnaire to measure
Accepted responses may be different each time
Still no clear evidence to suggest particular personalities were more likely to be successful performers

13. Problems/Evaluations of Trait Theory
Too simplistic
Not good predictors of behaviour/success/sport
Doesn’t account for;
Changes to personality over time
Situational influences
Individuals who actively alter their personality

14. Interactionist Approach
Personality is a mixture of:
Inherited traits and the current situation/social learning
B=f(PE)
Dominance of either personality or situational factors will depend on their strengths at the time. Can you give examples?

15. Hollander – Concentric ring theory
‘The real you!’ Beliefs, values and attitudes
Usual response to a situation – influenced by psychological core
Change according to the perception of the situation

16. What factors may cause behaviour to change?
Crowd/significant other
Derby match
Final outcome is important
Provoked by opposition

17. How can coaches use this information in sport?
Identify why and when players become over aroused/aggressive
Identify situations which have a negative impact on performance

18. Exam question:
‘How can knowledge of the interactionist theory of personality help a coach to improve the performance of an individual player?’ (4 marks)

19. How can we measure personality?

20. What are the advantages of using questionnaires to test personality?
Lots of subjects can be tested at a time
Therefore a quicker, more efficient system to use
They are cheap/cost effective;
Results gathered are numerical/objective measures achieved
Large amounts of data collected in a short space of time

21. Disadvantages of Self-Report Questionnaires
Results vary when test is repeated
Participants affected by mood, situation, attitudes
Respondents may lie
Or give socially acceptable answers
Misunderstand the question
Closed questions limit answer options
Most of these apply to interviews as well

22. Disadvantages of Interviews
Time consuming
Participant may lie/socially acceptable answers
Status of interviewer may affect answers given

23. Disadvantages of Observations
Time consuming
Subjective
If the person is aware that they are being watched they may not act normally and may change their behaviour
The ethics of all tests have been questioned

24. Personality Testing Personality tests are unreliable,
Personality is complex (lots to it) so therefore hard to measure,
Personality tests measure traits – but these do not take into account the situation,
People like to create a positive perception of themselves (won’t say that they have negative traits e.g. aggressiveness)
Only SCAT (test of anxiety) considered to be reasonable valid

25. Prep:
Complete EPI on page 114 in textbook, bring results to next lesson.
Watch ‘POMs’ video on mypeexam.org

26. Profile of Mood States (POMs)
Morgan (1979) suggests that mood states are more useful in the identification of successful athletes
Mood states are temporary and change with the situation – better prediction?

27. Six mood states
Tension
Depression
Anger
VIGOUR
Fatigue
confusion

28. Suggested that score for successful athletes: Vigour should be high – causing the ‘Iceberg’ profile
The more pronounced the profile, the more successful the athlete
Research supports this theory – although not always needed to be a successful athlete!

29. Iceberg Profile
Successful athletes were above the waterline (population norm) on vigour but below the surface on the more negative moods, thus creating the profile of an iceberg

30. Personality and sporting performance
Theories presented contradict each other
Sceptical Approach – questions the link
Credulous Approach – supports the link
Generally accepted that there is no link between personality and success/ personality and sport choice

31. How can knowledge of the interactionist theory of personality help a coach to improve the performance of an individual player? (4 marks)(June 2013)
4 marks for 4 of:
Explanation of theory
A. (Explanation of Interactionist Theory) – mixture of personality traits and the situation/trait theory and social learning theory
B. Behaviour can alter in different situations
C. (Lewin) – Behaviour = function(Personality x Environment) B=f(PE)
D. Psychological core/inner core is fairly permanent beliefs and values
E. Typical response/middle layer is usual behaviour in a given situation
F. Role-related behaviour/specific behaviour in a certain situation
Application of theory
G. Theories suggest performers can be taught to alter their behaviour and improve performance/teach performer to act in certain ways in specific circumstances/learn how to respond to a specific situation
H. Coach identifies aspects of personality or behaviour to be changed
I. Creates situations or experiences to cause a change of behaviour/ eg teach aggressive player to be assertive/introvert performer not to become over-aroused in front of a crowd
J. Coach identifies a suitable situation to avoid specific aspects of personality being displayed, eg move position to avoid aggressive behaviour
Sub max of 3 marks
D, E, F. No explanationRequired
D, E, F. Accept annotated diagrams for Hollander’s model
No mark for just naming Hollander

32. ‘Discuss the suggestion that personality questionnaires can be an effective predictor of performance.’ (4 marks) June 2012
A. Named personality test – EPI, (Cattell) 16PF, SCAT, STA1, POMS, Achievement Motivation (Nach & Naf questionnaires)
Sub-max of 2 marks
Agree
B. Credulous approach
C. Personality traits linked to specific types of sports/characteristics of
elite performance, eg calm under pressure/not aggressive/equiv
D. Used as part of talent identification programmes
E. Iceberg profile (Profile of mood states)
F. Linked into high levels of vigour
Disagree
G. Sceptical approach
H. No clear link between success/choice of sport and personality type
I. Research often contradicts each other
J. Personality can change due to situation
Conclusion
K. Neither approach has proved conclusive/no clear evidence to make accurate predictions.
A. NOT CSAI 2
The focus of the question is 'can personality predict success' rather than evaluating the method of using self-report questionnaires