How do social factors such as communication, co-operation and roles affect a team's performance?
Social factors that impact on performance, including communication, co-operation, roles and responsibilities within a team, etiquette and respect for rules, relationships and team dynamics, and inclusion, and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on social factors, covering communication, co-operation, roles and responsibilities, etiquette and respect, relationships and team dynamics, and inclusion, and how each helps or hinders a performance.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to identify social factors that impact on performance and explain how each helps or hinders a team or individual. National 5 covers communication, co-operation, roles and responsibilities, etiquette and respect for the rules, relationships and team dynamics, and inclusion. Each can have a positive or a negative effect, and exam answers must link the social factor to a real impact on the performance.
Communication, co-operation and roles
These three features are at the heart of teamwork in National 5.
- Communication. Calling "mine" or "man on" keeps a team organised and avoids confusion. Silence or unclear calls leads to two players going for the same ball, or a runner left unmarked.
- Co-operation. Players moving and passing in time on a set play create an overload and a scoring chance. A lack of co-operation, such as one player ignoring the plan, breaks the move down.
- Roles and responsibilities. When everyone fulfils their role, the team keeps its shape and covers the pitch. If a player abandons their role, gaps appear for the opposition to exploit.
Etiquette, relationships and inclusion
These features shape the spirit and cohesion of a performance.
- Etiquette. Shaking hands, accepting a referee's decision and playing within the rules keeps a game flowing and respectful. Poor etiquette, such as dissent or gamesmanship, can bring penalties and sour the contest.
- Relationships and team dynamics. Players who trust and support each other communicate better and recover from setbacks together. Conflict in a team lowers morale and breaks down co-operation.
- Inclusion. Involving every player, for example passing to a less confident teammate, raises their contribution and confidence. Excluding players reduces options and damages dynamics.
Examples in context
Example 1. Co-operation in a rugby lineout. The jumper, lifters and thrower co-operate so the timing of the lift and throw matches. This secures clean possession. If one player mistimes their job, the throw is lost.
Example 2. Etiquette in tennis. A player calls a ball in honestly even when it costs them the point, and accepts the umpire's overrule without complaint. This keeps the match fair and avoids warnings, while gamesmanship would invite penalties and disrupt their own focus.
Try this
Q1. Name three social factors covered in National 5 PE. [1 mark]
- Cue. Any three of communication, co-operation, roles and responsibilities, etiquette, relationships and team dynamics, or inclusion.
Q2. State one way good co-operation can help a team. [1 mark]
- Cue. It lets players work together, for example timing a set play to create an overload and a scoring chance.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe how two social factors can have a positive impact on team performance.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark describe answer needs two social factors, each with a clear positive impact on the team, with two marks per factor.
Communication. In volleyball, calling "mine" before a dig tells teammates who is taking the ball. This avoids two players going for it or none going for it, so the team keeps the rally alive.
Co-operation. In basketball, players co-operating on a set play move and pass in time with each other to create an overload. Working together opens up a clear scoring chance the team converts.
Markers reward each social factor named and explained (1) plus its positive effect on the team (1), to a total of four.
SQA N5 style3 marksExplain how poor communication can negatively affect a team during a game.Show worked answer →
The command word is explain, so each point needs a cause and its effect on the team's performance.
Poor communication means players do not pass on information, such as calling who will mark a runner.
As a result, two defenders may pick up the same attacker and leave another free, so the opposition has an unmarked player to pass to.
This breakdown in organisation lets the opposition exploit the gap and create a scoring chance, and it can also lower trust between teammates.
Markers reward the link from poor communication to a specific breakdown in the team's performance, up to three marks.
Related dot points
- Mental factors that impact on performance, including the information-processing features (concentration, decision-making, problem-solving and anticipation) and the psychological traits (level of arousal, anxiety, mental toughness and motivation), and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on mental factors, covering the information-processing features of concentration, decision-making, problem-solving and anticipation, the psychological traits of arousal, anxiety, mental toughness and motivation, and how each can help or hinder a performance.
- Emotional factors that impact on performance, including happiness and sadness (affecting confidence, self-belief, resilience and optimism), anger (affecting self-control and decision-making), fear and trust, and how managing emotions can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on emotional factors, covering happiness and sadness and their effect on confidence, self-belief, resilience and optimism, anger and its effect on self-control and decision-making, plus fear and trust, and how managing emotions helps or hinders a performance.
- The skills and tactics parts of the physical factor, including the quality of skills and techniques (accuracy, consistency, control and fluency, and repertoire) and the use of tactics and composition (width, depth, support, penetration, and recognising strengths and weaknesses), and how each can have a positive or negative effect.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on the skills and tactics parts of the physical factor, covering the quality of skills and techniques (accuracy, consistency, control and fluency, repertoire) and tactics and composition (width, depth, support, penetration, strengths and weaknesses), and how each helps or hinders a performance.
- Methods of collecting information on factors impacting on performance, including why data is gathered (the cycle of analysis), general and specific observation schedules, the use of recognised standardised fitness tests, and gathering both initial (baseline) and ongoing data.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on methods of collecting information about the factors impacting on performance, covering why data is gathered as part of the cycle of analysis, general and specific observation schedules, recognised standardised fitness tests, and the value of baseline and ongoing data.
- Approaches to develop performance, including selecting appropriate approaches for each factor, the use of SMART targets, and the principles of effective practice such as progression from simple to complex and from practice to game-like conditions.
An SQA National 5 Physical Education answer on approaches to develop performance, covering how to select an appropriate approach for each factor, the use of SMART targets, and the principles of effective practice such as progressing from simple to complex and from practice to game-like conditions.
Sources & how we know this
- SQA National 5 Physical Education Course Specification — SQA (2024)
- The four factors for Physical Education Courses — SQA (2013)