What factors affect whether people take part in physical activity, and what stops them?
The factors that influence participation in physical activity (such as age, gender, peers, family, cost and access) and the barriers that reduce participation.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE PE topic on participation, covering the factors that influence whether people take part in physical activity (age, gender, peers, family, role models, cost and access) and the barriers that reduce participation, with ways to overcome them.
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC wants you to describe the factors that influence participation in physical activity and the barriers that reduce it, and suggest ways to overcome them.
Factors that influence participation
A range of factors make people more or less likely to take part:
- Age: some activities are more popular with certain ages, and participation often falls in older age groups.
- Gender: tradition and media coverage mean some sports have lower participation among women or men.
- Peers: active friends encourage participation; inactive friends can discourage it.
- Family: families who value sport and take part encourage children to do the same.
- Role models: seeing successful performers like themselves inspires people to take part.
- Culture and religion: customs and beliefs can affect which activities people take part in and how.
- Disability: a lack of suitable, accessible provision can reduce participation.
- Time: work, study and family commitments limit the time available.
- Cost and access: fees, equipment, nearby facilities and transport all affect whether people can take part.
Barriers to participation
Common barriers include:
- Cost: membership fees, kit and equipment can be too expensive.
- Time: work, study or caring responsibilities leave little free time.
- Access: no facilities nearby, or no transport to reach them.
- Lack of suitable provision: activities that do not suit a group's needs (for example accessible sessions for people with disabilities).
- Lack of role models: not seeing people like themselves taking part or succeeding.
Overcoming barriers
Barriers can be reduced in practical ways:
- cheaper or free sessions and equipment to borrow (to overcome cost),
- local facilities and subsidised transport (to overcome access),
- sessions at flexible, convenient times (to overcome lack of time),
- suitable, inclusive provision for different groups (to overcome lack of provision),
- positive role models and campaigns to inspire people (to overcome lack of role models).
Why this matters
Understanding participation explains why provision and target groups exist: facilities and schemes are designed to remove these barriers and raise participation among under-represented groups. The benefits of taking part link back to health, fitness and well-being, which is the reason governments encourage activity.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC style4 marksDescribe four factors that can affect a person's participation in physical activity.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark question: one mark for each correct factor, ideally with a brief explanation.
Age can affect participation, as some activities are more popular with certain age groups and older people may take part less. Gender can affect it, as some sports have lower participation among women or men because of tradition or media coverage. Peers and family influence it, as friends and relatives who are active encourage participation, while those who are not may discourage it. Cost and access affect it, as expensive equipment, membership fees or a lack of nearby facilities and transport can stop people taking part.
Markers reward any four genuine factors, such as age, gender, peers, family, role models, cost, access, disability, time and culture.
WJEC style6 marksIdentify two barriers to participation for a group of your choice and suggest how each could be overcome.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark question: reward a clear barrier for the chosen group and a sensible solution for each.
For people on a low income: cost is a barrier, because membership fees, kit and equipment are expensive. This could be overcome by offering free or reduced-price sessions, providing equipment to borrow, and running activities in free public spaces such as parks. Access is a second barrier, because they may not be able to travel to facilities. This could be overcome by providing local facilities, free or subsidised transport, and sessions at convenient times.
A top answer names the group, gives two genuine barriers with explanation, and matches each to a realistic solution. Other groups (people with disabilities, older people, women and girls) and barriers (time, lack of role models, lack of suitable provision) are equally valid.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Physical Education specification (from 2016) — WJEC (2016)