Case study 2
Aayuska 
Chapter3PP.pptx
Personality and Sport
Chapter 3
Personality and Its Structure
Personality: The characteristics or blend of characteristics that make a person unique
The structure of personality:
Psychological core
Typical responses
Role-related behavior
Figure 3.1 A schematic view of personality structure.
Adapted by permission from R. Martens, Social Psychology and Physical Activity (New York: Harper & Row, 1975), 146. Copyright 1975 by Rainer Martens.
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Psychological Core
The most basic and deepest attitudes, values, interests, motives, and self-worth of a person—the real person
Example: A person’s religious values
Typical Responses
The way one typically adjusts or responds to the environment
Example: Being happy-go-lucky, shy
Role-Related Behavior
How one acts in a particular social situation
Example: Behavior as a student, parent, or friend
Approaches to Understanding Personality
Psychodynamic approach
Trait approach
Situation approach
Interactional approach
Phenomenological approach
Integrated, or biopsychosocial, approach
Psychodynamic Approach
Behavior is determined by several unconscious, constantly changing factors that often conflict with one another.
Emphasis is placed on understanding the person as a whole rather than identifying isolated traits.
Research Support for Psychodynamic Approach
Current impact: Has little influence and hasn’t been adopted by most contemporary sport psychologists.
Weakness: Focuses almost entirely on internal determinants of behavior, giving little attention to the social environment.
Contribution: Has increased awareness that unconscious determinants of behavior exist.
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Trait Approach
Behavior is determined by relatively stable traits that are fundamental units of personality.
These traits predispose one to act in a certain way, regardless of the situation.
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Research Support for Trait Approach
Current impact: Has some influence, especially in recent years.
Weakness: Knowing traits will not always help predict behavior in particular situations. Predictive effects tend to be small.
Contribution: Emphasizes the importance of traits and the measurement of such dispositions. The greatest contribution will come from looking at how personality constructs interact with environment considerations to produce behavior.
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Big 5 Model of Personality Components
Personality traits of extroversion and conscientiousness were positively correlated with physical activity levels, whereas neuroticism was negatively related to physical activity.
Evidence shows that athletes have higher levels of extroversion than do nonathletes and that athletes who play high-risk sports and team sports score higher on extroversion and lower on conscientiousness than do athletes who play low-risk sports and individual sports.
Traits have some utility in predicting behavior across a number of situations, but the effects are relatively small.
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Five Dimensions of Personality
Neuroticism
Extroversion
Openness to experience
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
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Situation Approach
Behavior is determined largely by the situation or environment.
The situation is a more important determinant of behavior than particular personality traits.
The situational approach is not as widely embraced by most sport psychologists. Situations alone are not enough to predict behavior accurately; an individual’s traits must also be considered.
Research Support for Situational Approach
Current impact: Has some influence.
Weakness: Situation will not always influence individual behavior.
Contribution: Emphasizes the importance of the situation.
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Interactional Approach
Behavior is determined by both the person and the situational factors as well as by their interaction.
The majority of contemporary sport and exercise psychologists favor the interactional approach.
Research Support for Interactional Approach
Current impact: Has considerable influence and has been adopted by most contemporary sport psychologists.
Weakness: None.
Contribution: Emphasizes the consideration of both trait and situational variables and their interaction.
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Phenomenological Approach
Behavior is best determined by accounting for situational and personal characteristics.
A person’s understanding and interpretation of one’s self and environment are critical.
The phenomenological view is often used by today’s sport psychologists.
Research Support for Phenomenological Approach
Current impact: Has considerable influence and has been adopted by many contemporary sport psychologists.
Weakness: None.
Contribution: Emphasizes the contribution of a person’s interpretation of one’s self and environment while considering both trait and situational variables and their interaction.
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Integrative, or Biopsychosoical, Approach
To understand personality, a “whole person” perspective is required, wherein one needs to consider the dynamic interaction of biological factors, dispositional traits, adaptations one makes to situations, and self-defined life stories or narratives that are all situated in one’s social context or culture.
Research Support for Integrative, or Biopsychosoical, Approach
Current impact: The integrative model is relatively new and is only now being used to guide sport and exercise psychology research.
Weakness: Only a few studies have adopted this approach.
Contribution: While support is limited, initial research shows promise in understanding individuals involved in sport and exercise in a more complete and holistic way than if they had examined only disposition.
Measuring Personality
Measure both traits and states:
A trait is a typical style of behavior.
State is the situation’s effect on behavior—a “right now” feeling that can change from moment to moment.
There are general versus situation-specific (sport-specific) measures.
Situation-specific trait tests predict behavior more accurately than do general trait measures.
(continued)
Measuring Personality (continued)
It is often more effective to compare personality test scores to a person’s own previous test results than to group norms.
Projective tests are interesting but difficult to score.
Dos and Don’ts in Personality Testing
DO
Integrate personality test results with other information obtained about the participant.
Use sport- and exercise-specific tests whenever possible, giving them in consultation with a sport psychologist.
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Dos and Don’ts in Personality Testing (continued)
DON’T
Use personality tests to decide who makes a team or program and who doesn’t.
Selected Findings in Personality Research
Some relationship exists between personality traits and states and sport performance, but it is far from perfect or precise.
Consistent personality differences distinguish athletes from nonathletes. However, these differences tend to be very small.
Personality alone doesn’t account for behavior in sport and exercise.
No single definitive personality profile has been found that consistently distinguishes athletes from nonathletes.
(continued)
Selected Findings in Personality Research (continued)
Few personality differences are evident between male and female athletes, particularly at the elite level.
Morgan’s (1980) mental health model shows that successful athletes exhibit greater positive mental health than do less successful athletes. However, precise predictions have not been achieved and should not be used for team selection.
Extroversion and conscientiousness are positively related to physical activity involvement, while neuroticism is negatively related.
(continued)
Morgan, W.P. (1980). The trait psychology controversy. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 51, 50–76.
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Figure 3.2a Iceberg profiles for elite wrestlers, distance runners, and rowers.
Adapted by permission from W. Morgan, Coach, Athlete and the Sport Psychologist (Toronto: University of Toronto School of Physical and Health Education, 1979), 185. By permission of W. Morgan.
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Figure 3.2b Psychological profiles of more and less successful elite athletes.
Adapted by permission from W. Morgan, Coach, Athlete and the Sport Psychologist (Toronto: University of Toronto School of Physical and Health Education, 1979), 185. By permission of W. Morgan.
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Selected Findings in Personality Research (continued)
Initial evidence points to the importance of grit in predicting athlete and exerciser performance and motivation.
Type A behavior patterns (particularly the anger–hostility component) that are associated with cardiovascular disease might be alterable via exercise. Exercise and increased fitness appear to be associated with increases in self-esteem, especially in individuals with low self-esteem.
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Cognitive Strategies and Athletic Success
Cognitive strategies and mental strategies are among the skills and behaviors that athletes use in competition.
Although they’re not personality traits in the traditional sense, cognitive strategies reflect the behavior aspect of personality and interact with personality characteristics.
Both quantitative and qualitative cognitive strategy measures have been shown to differentiate between more and less successful athletes.
(continued)
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Cognitive Strategies and Athletic Success (continued)
Overachieving high school athletes scored higher on coachability, concentration, coping with adversity, and total cognitive strategy than average and underachieving athletes.
Cognitive strategies have been shown to be related to superior performance in elite sport.
Elite athletes show superior ability to cope with adversity and mentally prepare compared to nonelite athletes.
(continued)
Cognitive Strategies and Athletic Success: Guidelines for Practice
Enhance confidence and practice specific plans to deal with adversity during competition.
Practice routines to deal with unusual circumstances and distractions before and during competition.
Concentrate wholly on the upcoming performance and block out irrelevant events and thoughts.
(continued)
Cognitive Strategies and Athletic Success: Guidelines for Practice (continued)
Use several mental rehearsals before competition.
Don’t worry about other competitors before a competition; instead, focus on what you can control.
Develop detailed competition plans.
Learn to regulate arousal and anxiety.
