Note that your final mark will not be saved in the system.
Individual differences (personality and social facilitation) GapFill
You must fill all the gaps before clicking ‘Check Answers!’
Personality can be defined as a collection of distinct which are unique to an individual. However, various theorists have chunked personalities into more generic types. These have been studied in sports performance with researchers investigating the potential hypothesis that certain personality types have the ability to maximise performance in specific sports.
Trait theories of personality - A trait can be defined as an enduring quality that characterises an individual. Therefore, the trait theory of personality proposes that behaviour is , with individuals being predisposed to act in a certain way to specific situations.
- Extroversion/introversion - how energy is generated and applied in social situations. Extroverts are characterised by their nature and generate their energy from social interaction in large groups; thus, they often work well in team environments and in front of crowds. Introverts are self-energised by spending time , with their energy being drained if they engage in social situations. They are more inclined to perform in individual sports and make an effort to stay out of the public eye.
- Stable/unstable - refers to how controllable and predictable an individual’s emotions are. Unstable personality types are characterised by mood swings and that can be detrimental to sporting performance, whereas stable personality types are and have unchanging moods, leading to more consistent performances.
- Type A/Type B - purely arbitrary categories. Type A individuals are highly competitive, demand control of situations, and can get easily stressed if things aren't going their way, performing skills with speed, often to the detriment of precision. The polar opposite, Type B individuals are social loafers, non-competitive, prefer to be led, and are calm regardless of performance outcome.
theory of personality - proposes that behaviour is determined by previous observation which dictates how individuals respond to certain social situations. This allows behaviour to be modified based on how another individual, usually highly regarded or someone who shares similar characteristics, has handled a similar situation. Therefore, the behaviour displayed is as a function of the . A prime sporting example is the exaggerated reaction of a young football player falling to the ground following a tackle, due to it being a regular occurrence in the modern professional game.
theory of personality - proposes that an individual’s behaviour is governed by the relationship between their and the environment. The typical responses to situations underpinned by the enduring attitudes of an individual's psychological core are modified by the social environment to reveal role-related behaviours. For example, the more hostile environment of a local derby may bring out aggression in a player who is usually calm.