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.

Generated by Claude Opus 4.810 min answerUpdated 2026-06-02

Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed

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Quick answer

Personality is explained by three approaches. The trait theory says we are born with stable, enduring traits (Eysenck's dimensions of introvert-extrovert and stable-neurotic; Type A and Type B) that predict behaviour across situations. The social learning theory says personality and behaviour are learned from the environment by observing and copying others. The interactionist theory combines them: behaviour is a function of the person and the environment, $B = f(P, E)$ , so a coach manages the situation to bring out desired behaviour. An attitude is a learned tendency toward something, with three parts (the triadic model): cognitive (beliefs), affective (feelings) and behavioural (actions). Attitudes form through experiences, socialisation and role models, and can be changed by persuasive communication and by creating cognitive dissonance.

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What this dot point is asking
Theories of personality
The structure and formation of attitudes
Changing a negative attitude

What this dot point is asking

OCR wants you to explain the trait, social learning and interactionist theories of personality, describe the structure and formation of attitudes, and explain how a coach can change a negative attitude.

Theories of personality

The structure and formation of attitudes

Changing a negative attitude

Applying the interactionist theory to manage behaviour

Identify the trait and the situation

A rugby player is normally a calm, stable extrovert (their trait), but a heated local derby with a hostile crowd is a highly charged environment (the situation).

Apply the interactionist equation

By $B = f(P, E)$ , the player's behaviour in the match depends on both their traits and this specific environment, so even a calm player may behave aggressively when the situation is provocative enough.

Predict and plan

Knowing the trait and reading the situation, the coach predicts a risk of an aggressive reaction and plans to manage the environment, calming the player before kick-off, setting clear behavioural goals and substituting them if the situation escalates.

State the principle

Behaviour is neither purely trait-driven nor purely situational; it is the interaction of the two, which is why managing the environment changes behaviour even when traits are fixed. Always link the prediction to both P and E.

Common traps

Saying the trait theory alone fully explains sporting behaviour: Traits are stable but do not predict behaviour reliably across all situations; the interactionist theory ( $B = f(P, E)$ ) is preferred because behaviour also depends on the environment.
Listing the attitude components without naming them correctly: The triadic model is cognitive (beliefs), affective (feelings) and behavioural (actions). Use the correct terms.
Confusing persuasive communication with cognitive dissonance: Persuasive communication changes the attitude with a credible message; cognitive dissonance changes it by creating an inconsistency the performer resolves themselves. They are different methods.
Treating attitudes as innate: Attitudes are learned through experience, socialisation and role models, which is why they can be changed. Do not describe them as inherited.

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 marksExplain the interactionist theory of personality and how a coach could use it to predict a performer's behaviour.

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A Component 02 Section B application question. Marks for the theory and its coaching use.

Award marks for: the interactionist theory states that behaviour (B) is a function of the personality traits (P) and the environment (E), often written $B = f(P, E)$ (Lewin). It combines the trait view (we have enduring dispositions) with the social learning view (behaviour is learned from the situation), so a performer's behaviour in a given moment depends on both their underlying traits and the specific situation. A coach can use it to predict behaviour by knowing a player's typical traits and reading the situation, then managing the environment to bring out the desired behaviour (for example calming a normally aggressive player before a tense derby, or psyching up a passive one).

Markers reward the B equals f of P and E relationship and the idea that the coach manages the environment to influence behaviour.

OCR 20218 marksAnalyse how a coach could change the negative attitude of a young performer toward training, using a theory of attitude change.

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A Component 02 extended-response (levels of response) question. Markers reward the structure of attitudes (AO1), a change theory applied (AO2) and a reasoned plan (AO3).

Award credit for: an attitude has three parts (the triadic model): the cognitive component (beliefs about training), the affective component (feelings toward it) and the behavioural component (the tendency to act, such as skipping sessions). To change the attitude, the coach can use persuasive communication (a credible, expert message delivered well, tailored to the performer) to shift the cognitive component, and cognitive dissonance, deliberately creating an inconsistency between the components (for example making training enjoyable and successful so the positive feelings clash with the negative belief), which the performer resolves by changing the belief. Making training fun, varied, successful and led by a respected role model, with rewards for attendance, all help. A reasoned answer judges that cognitive dissonance is powerful because the performer changes their own attitude to remove the discomfort, but it must be paired with genuinely positive experiences.

A top answer uses the triadic structure, applies persuasive communication and cognitive dissonance, and reaches a judgement on changing the attitude.

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Sources & how we know this

OCR A Level Physical Education (H555) specification — OCR (2016)