Personality and Attitudes

What Personality and Attitudes covers

Personality and Attitudes is examined in Paper 2, Factors affecting optimal performance in physical activity and sport. It covers trait and social learning theories of personality, the interactionist perspective in sport, the triadic model and how attitudes form and changing attitudes: cognitive dissonance and persuasive communication.

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Trait and social learning theories of personalityPersonality and the nature versus nurture debate, trait theory and its criticisms, and social learning theory, role models and socialisation.Open →
• The interactionist perspective in sportThe interactionist perspective and Lewin's formula, Hollander's psychological core, typical responses and role-related behaviour, and how coaches use the approach.Open →
• The triadic model and how attitudes formAttitudes and the triadic model's cognitive, affective and behavioural components, how past experience, significant others, the media and conditioning form attitudes, and prejudice.Open →
• Changing attitudes: cognitive dissonance and persuasive communicationFestinger's cognitive dissonance and how it changes each component of an attitude, and persuasive communication through the persuader, message, recipient and situation.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Personality and Attitudes further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Trait theory vs Social learning theory

  Trait theory: the claim that inborn characteristics fixed from birth decide behaviour. Social learning theory: the claim that behaviour is acquired by watching and imitating other people.

• Psychological core vs Role-related behaviour

  Psychological core: the deepest, most stable level of personality holding values and beliefs. Role-related behaviour: the surface level of personality that shifts with the situation.

• Cognitive component vs Affective component

  Cognitive component: a person's beliefs and knowledge about an attitude object. Affective component: a person's feelings and emotions towards an attitude object.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is personality?

   Model answer

   Personality is the unique set of characteristics that makes each person distinct. Personality shapes how an individual typically behaves and responds to situations.

2. 2

   What is the nature versus nurture debate about personality?

   Model answer

   The debate asks whether personality is inherited at birth or learned from the environment. Trait theory takes the nature side and social learning theory takes the nurture side.

3. 3

   What does trait theory claim about personality?

   Model answer

   Trait theory claims that personality is made up of inherited traits present from birth. Inherited traits are stable and enduring, so behaviour should be consistent and predictable.

4. 4

   Why does trait theory predict that a performer will behave the same way in every situation?

   Model answer

   Trait theory treats traits as fixed parts of the person rather than responses to the setting. A naturally aggressive player should therefore be aggressive in training, in matches and away from sport.

5. 5

   Give two examples of personality traits a coach might recognise in a performer.

   Model answer

   Extroversion is a trait seen in a sociable, outgoing performer who seeks excitement. Introversion is a trait seen in a quieter performer who prefers solitary activity.

6. 6

   Why might an extrovert be drawn to a team sport such as rugby?

   Model answer

   An extrovert seeks social contact and excitement, which team sports provide. Fast, gross activities also supply the high stimulation an extrovert looks for.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Personality and Attitudes revision questions

What does Personality and Attitudes cover in AQA A-Level Physical Education?

4 subtopics: trait and social learning theories of personality, the interactionist perspective in sport, the triadic model and how attitudes form and changing attitudes: cognitive dissonance and persuasive communication. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Personality and Attitudes organised?

By the AQA 7582 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.