Social factors impacting on performance: group and team dynamics, cooperation and competition, roles and responsibilities, group cohesion (task and social) and its development, and the influence of others on performance.

A 6-mark answer needs both types defined, distinguished, and linked to performance.

Task cohesion is the degree to which group members work together to achieve shared performance goals: pursuing the same tactics, covering for each other and committing to the team plan. Social cohesion is the degree to which members like one another and enjoy being together off the field. The distinction is that task cohesion is about the job while social cohesion is about the relationships.

Effects: high task cohesion improves performance directly because players coordinate, communicate and persist towards the same goal. High social cohesion supports performance indirectly by improving morale, communication and willingness to make sacrifices, although a socially tight group with weak task cohesion can underperform if the friendships do not translate into shared effort on the field. Markers reward both definitions, an explicit contrast, and a credible performance effect for each.

A 4-mark answer needs two distinct approaches, each described with how it builds cohesion.

One approach is setting clear, shared team goals and defining each player's role and responsibilities, so everyone knows what the team is working towards and how they contribute; this builds task cohesion by aligning effort. A second approach is team-building activities and shared experiences off the field, such as social events or group problem-solving tasks, which build social cohesion by improving trust, communication and mutual liking.

Other valid approaches include clear communication channels, encouraging mutual support during setbacks, and involving players in decisions. Markers reward two genuinely different approaches, each tied to how it raises task or social cohesion.