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.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to explain how groups form and cohere, explain Steiner's model of group productivity and social loafing, and explain the styles and theories of leadership (Fiedler's contingency model and Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model).
Group formation and cohesion
Steiner's model and social loafing
Leadership styles and theories
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR 20194 marksUsing Steiner's model, explain why a talented team can underperform, and identify the two types of losses involved.Show worked answer →
A Component 02 Section B application question. Marks for the model, the two losses and the link to underperformance.
Award marks for: Steiner's model states that actual productivity equals potential productivity minus losses due to faulty processes, . A talented team has high potential productivity (the sum of the players' abilities), but it underperforms if losses are large. The two types of losses are coordination losses (poor teamwork, timing, tactics and communication, the Ringelmann effect) and motivation losses (individuals reducing effort, social loafing). So a team of stars can lose to a well-drilled, motivated side because its coordination and motivation losses outweigh its greater potential.
Markers reward the actual equals potential minus losses relationship and naming coordination and motivation losses.
OCR 20218 marksAnalyse the factors a coach should consider when choosing a leadership style, using Fiedler's contingency model or Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model.Show worked answer →
A Component 02 extended-response (levels of response) question. Markers reward an accurate model (AO1), application (AO2) and a reasoned judgement (AO3).
Award credit for: leadership styles range from autocratic (the leader decides, task-focused, fast), through democratic (the leader shares decisions, relationship-focused), to laissez-faire (the leader steps back). Fiedler's contingency model says the best style depends on how favourable the situation is: in the most favourable and the least favourable situations, a task-oriented (autocratic) style works best, while in moderately favourable situations a relationship-oriented (democratic) style works best. Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model says effective leadership depends on the match between the required behaviour (set by the situation), the preferred behaviour (what the group wants) and the actual behaviour of the leader; the better the match, the better the performance and satisfaction. A coach therefore reads the situation (the danger, time pressure, the group's size, ability and preferences) and adapts; for example, an autocratic style suits a dangerous activity or a hostile, time-pressured situation, while a democratic style suits skilled adults who want involvement. A reasoned answer judges that the most effective leaders flex their style to the situation and the group, as both models imply.
A top answer applies one model in detail, links style to specific situational and group factors, and reaches a judgement on flexing the style.
Related dot points
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- The types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical), the types of feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, knowledge of results and performance), and matching each to the stage of learning.
A focused answer to OCR A-Level PE on guidance and feedback: the four types of guidance (visual, verbal, manual, mechanical) and their strengths and limits, the types of feedback (intrinsic, extrinsic, positive, negative, knowledge of results and knowledge of performance), and how a coach matches each to the stage of learning.
Sources & how we know this
- OCR A Level Physical Education (H555) specification — OCR (2016)