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EnglandPhysical Education

Sports psychology (Component 02)

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What causes aggression in sport, and what drives a performer to achieve?

The theories of aggression (instinct, frustration-aggression, aggressive cue and social learning), strategies to control aggression, and the theory of achievement motivation and goal setting.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on aggression and motivation: the instinct, frustration-aggression, aggressive-cue and social learning theories of aggression, strategies to control it, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, achievement motivation (need to achieve versus need to avoid failure), and goal setting.
11 min answer →

How do arousal, anxiety and stress affect sporting performance?

The theories of the arousal-performance relationship (drive, inverted U, catastrophe, zone of optimal functioning), the types of anxiety, and the stress management techniques that control them.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on arousal, anxiety and stress: drive theory, the inverted U hypothesis, catastrophe theory and the zone of optimal functioning, the somatic and cognitive types of anxiety, and the cognitive and somatic stress management techniques used to control arousal.
11 min answer →

How do confidence and the way performers explain success and failure affect performance?

Self-confidence and self-efficacy (Bandura), Vealey's model of sport confidence, attribution theory (Weiner), and learned helplessness and how to develop mastery orientation.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on confidence and attribution: self-confidence and Bandura's four sources of self-efficacy, Vealey's model of sport confidence, Weiner's attribution model (locus of causality, stability, controllability), and learned helplessness versus mastery orientation.
10 min answer →

How do groups form and perform, and what makes an effective leader in sport?

The formation and cohesion of groups, Steiner's model of group productivity and social loafing, and the theories of leadership including styles and Fiedler's and Chelladurai's models.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on group dynamics and leadership: the stages of group formation, task and social cohesion, Steiner's model of group productivity and the Ringelmann effect and social loafing, the styles of leadership, and Fiedler's contingency model and Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model.
11 min answer →

How do personality and attitudes shape a performer's behaviour in sport?

The theories of personality (trait, social learning and interactionist), the structure and formation of attitudes, and how attitudes can be changed to encourage participation and performance.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on individual differences: the trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality (including Hollander's structure and Eysenck's dimensions), the triadic structure of attitudes, how attitudes form, and the methods used to change a negative attitude.
10 min answer →