How are personality and attitudes defined, measured and changed in sport?
Personality and attitudes: trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality, the components of attitudes, and how attitudes are formed and changed.
A focused answer to Eduqas A-Level PE on personality and attitudes: the trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality, the triadic (cognitive, affective, behavioural) model of attitudes, and how attitudes form and are changed through persuasion and cognitive dissonance.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain the trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality, describe the components of an attitude, and explain how attitudes are formed and changed.
Theories of personality
Why the interactionist view matters
The interactionist theory is the most useful to a coach because it explains why a normally composed athlete might lose control when provoked, or why a confident trainer freezes in competition: the situation activates or suppresses the underlying trait. It also gives the coach a practical lever, because changing the environment (removing a trigger, altering the conditions, managing the crowd) can change behaviour, which the trait theory alone cannot offer.
The components of an attitude
Forming and changing attitudes
Attitudes are formed through direct experience (success or failure), the influence of significant others (coaches, peers, family), the media, and reinforcement. They are changed in two main ways. Persuasive communication uses a credible, expert and relevant message, delivered when the performer is receptive, to shift the beliefs. Cognitive dissonance (Festinger) deliberately creates conflict between the components, producing mental discomfort that the performer resolves by changing the attitude, for example introducing new, varied, enjoyable training (changing the affective feeling) so it no longer matches the belief that training is pointless.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas 20184 marksExplain the interactionist theory of personality and why it is the most useful for a coach trying to predict behaviour.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 personality question. Two marks for the theory, two for its usefulness.
The interactionist theory states that behaviour () is a function of personality (the trait or disposition, ) and the environment or situation (), often written as (Lewin). A performer has underlying traits, but the situation can trigger or suppress them, so behaviour varies between contexts. It is the most useful for a coach because it explains why a normally calm player might react aggressively under provocation, and it allows the coach to change behaviour by changing the situation (removing a trigger, altering the environment), which the trait theory alone cannot do because it assumes behaviour is fixed.
A common dropped mark is describing only traits; the interactionist view combines trait and situation.
Eduqas 20216 marksA player has a negative attitude toward fitness training. Explain the components of an attitude, and describe two ways a coach could change it, including the role of cognitive dissonance.Show worked answer →
A Component 1 attitude question. Markers reward the triadic model and two methods, one using dissonance.
Award marks for: an attitude has three components (the triadic model): the cognitive component (beliefs and thoughts, for example "fitness training is boring and pointless"), the affective component (feelings and emotions, for example disliking the sessions), and the behavioural component (the tendency to act, for example avoiding or skipping training). To change the attitude, a coach can use persuasive communication: a credible, expert message (from a respected coach or elite athlete) that is clear and relevant can shift the beliefs, especially if the performer is receptive. A coach can also create cognitive dissonance by introducing new information that conflicts with one component, creating discomfort the performer resolves by changing the attitude (for example making the training varied and enjoyable so the affective feeling becomes positive while the belief that it is pointless is challenged by visible improvement). Making sessions fun, varied and successful, and using role models, supports both.
A top answer names all three attitude components and explains dissonance as conflict between components driving change.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas A Level Physical Education Specification — Eduqas (2016)