← Physical Education syllabus

EnglandPhysical Education

3.5 Sport psychology

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are anxiety and aggression in sport, and how can they be measured and controlled?

The types of anxiety (somatic, cognitive, state and trait) and methods of measuring it, the theories of aggression (instinct, frustration-aggression, aggressive cue and social learning), and strategies to control anxiety and aggression.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on anxiety and aggression, covering somatic, cognitive, state and trait anxiety, methods of measuring anxiety, the theories of aggression and strategies to control both.
10 min answer →

How do psychologists explain personality and its relationship with sporting behaviour?

The theories of personality (trait, social learning and the interactionist approach), the use of personality profiling, and the relationship between personality and participation or performance in sport.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on personality, covering the trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality, personality profiling and the link between personality and sporting behaviour.
9 min answer →

How are attitudes formed and changed, and how does arousal affect sporting performance?

The components and formation of attitudes, methods of changing attitudes including cognitive dissonance and persuasive communication, and the theories of arousal (drive, inverted U and catastrophe) and their effect on performance.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on attitudes and arousal, covering the triadic model of attitudes, attitude change through cognitive dissonance and persuasive communication, and the drive, inverted U and catastrophe theories of arousal.
10 min answer →

How do groups form and function, and why does a team sometimes underperform?

The characteristics and formation of groups and teams (Tuckman's stages), Steiner's model of group productivity, the Ringelmann effect and social loafing, and cohesion (task and social) and its development.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on group dynamics, covering group formation, Steiner's model of group productivity, the Ringelmann effect, social loafing, and task and social cohesion.
9 min answer →

What makes an effective leader in sport, and how do performers manage stress and confidence?

The theories of leadership (trait, social learning and interactionist) and styles of leadership, Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model, the concepts of self-efficacy and confidence (Bandura and Vealey), and stress management techniques.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on leadership and stress management, covering leadership theories and styles, Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model, self-efficacy and sport confidence, and stress management techniques.
11 min answer →

What motivates performers and how does the presence of others affect performance?

The types of motivation (intrinsic and extrinsic), achievement motivation and the need to achieve and need to avoid failure, attribution theory and learned helplessness, and social facilitation and inhibition.
A focused answer to AQA A-Level PE sport psychology on motivation and social facilitation, covering intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, achievement motivation, attribution theory, learned helplessness, and social facilitation and inhibition.
10 min answer →