C7 Personality and Sport Behavior.pdf

# Definition and characteristics of personality Personality refers to the unique and enduring patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize an individual's way of adapting to their environment. It encompasses the relatively enduring characteristics that distinguish people from one another, making each individual unique [1](#page=1) [2](#page=2). ### 1.1 Key components of personality Personality is understood to be composed of several key elements: * **Enduring characteristics:** These are the long-lasting or permanent traits that form the foundation of an individual's personality. They are relatively stable over time [1](#page=1) [2](#page=2). * **Unique thoughts, emotions, and behaviors:** Personality is defined by the distinctive ways an individual thinks, feels, and acts. These cognitive, affective, and behavioral patterns are central to differentiating one person from another [1](#page=1) [2](#page=2). * **Behavioral tendencies:** This includes a range of aspects such as attitudes, beliefs, emotions, interests, motives, behaviors, thinking patterns, and values [2](#page=2). * **Psychophysical systems:** Personality can be viewed as an organization within the individual of these systems that shape their unique adjustments to their surroundings [1](#page=1). > **Tip:** Remember that while personality is characterized by enduring traits, it also involves the specific and unique manifestations of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that drive an individual's interactions with the world. ### 1.2 Summary of personality characteristics In essence, personality is characterized by: * **Behavioral tendencies:** Attitudes, beliefs, emotions, interests, motives, behaviors, thinking, and values [2](#page=2). * **Unique characteristics:** Qualities specific to a particular person, differentiating them from others [2](#page=2). * **Enduring nature:** Traits that are long-lasting or permanent [2](#page=2). --- # Factors influencing personality development Personality development is shaped by a complex interplay of factors, primarily heredity and environmental influences, understood through models that delineate different levels of personality structure [4](#page=4) [5](#page=5). ### 2.1 Key determinants of personality A person's personality is understood to be determined by three main factors [3](#page=3): * **Heredity:** This refers to the genetic inheritance that forms a person's biological heritage. The genes inherited from parents are seen as direct determinants of an individual's personality and can influence how people behave consistently over time [3](#page=3). * **Interaction perspective:** This perspective posits that personality emerges from a complex interaction between genetic inheritance and the external environment. Both heredity and environment are considered crucial and equally influential in the development of personality. This interaction ensures that personality is generally stable and consistent over extended periods [4](#page=4). ### 2.2 Hollander's model for understanding personality . Hollander's model proposes that personality can be understood as existing on three distinct, yet interconnected levels. These levels represent a continuum from internally driven to externally driven behaviors [5](#page=5) [7](#page=7). #### 2.2.1 Psychological core The psychological core represents the most basic and fundamental level of personality. It is the deepest component and includes an individual's core beliefs about themselves, their self-worth, attitudes, values, interests, and motives. This level is considered internally driven [5](#page=5) [7](#page=7). #### 2.2.2 Typical responses Typical responses are the habitual ways an individual learns to adjust to their environment or how they generally react to the world around them. Examples of typical responses include being happy-go-lucky, shy, or even-tempered. These responses often serve as indicators of an individual's underlying psychological core. Typical responses arise from the interaction between the psychological core and role-related behaviors, placing them in the middle of the internal-external continuum [6](#page=6) [7](#page=7). #### 2.2.3 Role-related behaviors While not explicitly detailed in the provided text with a separate heading, role-related behaviors are implied as the third level, distinct from the psychological core and typical responses, and are influenced by external demands and situational contexts. These behaviors are the most externally driven aspects of personality [7](#page=7). > **Tip:** Understanding these three levels helps in recognizing both the stable, core aspects of personality that provide structure, and the dynamic, changing aspects that allow for learning and adaptation [7](#page=7). > **Example:** A person's **psychological core** might include a deep-seated value of honesty. This core value could lead to **typical responses** such as always returning lost items or admitting mistakes readily. In a specific situation, their **role-related behavior** might be to confidently present an argument in a professional meeting, influenced by the demands of their role as a team leader, which in turn is informed by their core values and typical responses [5](#page=5) [6](#page=6) [7](#page=7). --- # Major theories of personality in sport and exercise This section explores prominent psychological theories that explain personality in the context of sport and exercise. ### 3.1 Psychodynamic theory Psychodynamic theory, initially developed by Sigmund Freud and later refined by Neo-Freudians like Carl Jung, Eric Erickson, and Erich From, posits that mental activity occurs at three levels: conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. Techniques such as free association (encouraging open talk about thoughts and images), dream interpretation (analyzing dreams for hidden meanings), and observing slips of the tongue are used to uncover unconscious forces [8](#page=8) [9](#page=9). The theory proposes three components of personality structure: * **Id:** The source of psychic energy, driven by the pleasure principle to satisfy biological needs such as food, sleep, sex, water, and warmth [10](#page=10). * **Ego:** Operates on the reality principle, mediating between the id's desires and the superego's constraints through problem-solving [10](#page=10). * **Superego:** Represents internalized moral standards and ideals [10](#page=10). #### 3.1.1 Defence mechanisms in sports Defence mechanisms are unconscious strategies employed by the ego to protect an individual from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings. They have various applications and examples in sports: | Mechanism | Definition | Example | | :-------------- | :----------------------------------------------------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Denial | Refusal to accept reality | A rugby player missing a last-minute penalty kick that would have secured victory might respond with disbelief, stating "no, oh no! I can’t believe that I failed to score, this is not real, it can’t be true". | [11](#page=11). | Rationalization | Justifying unreasonable behavior or feelings with created reasons | A poorly performing rugby player might claim they played badly because they forgot to wear their lucky boots. | [11](#page=11). | Regression | Behaving in a manner characteristic of an earlier developmental stage | A coach throwing a temper tantrum at players after losing an important game. | [11](#page=11). | Displacement | Redirecting unwanted feelings or thoughts from a more powerful to a weaker target | A rugby coach, upset by their team's poor performance, shouts at the captain. The captain then retaliates by shouting at their teammates. | [11](#page=11). | Inhibition | Controlling thoughts or actions | A rugby player refusing to take a sudden-death penalty kick. | [11](#page=11). | Repression | Actively pushing painful memories out of consciousness | A rugby player having no memory of a reckless tackle that caused a career-ending knee injury. | [12](#page=12). | Reaction formation | Exaggerating thoughts or feelings to repress opposite ones | A rugby player displaying excessive enthusiasm and commitment during games to defend against underlying feelings of less enthusiasm and commitment. | [12](#page=12). | Sublimation | Redirecting unwanted impulses or feelings into socially acceptable behaviors | A person with strong aggressive urges becomes a boxer, channeling these feelings into a socially accepted competitive activity. | [12](#page=12). | Projection | Attributing one's own shortcomings or difficulties to others | A rugby team captain who lacks commitment blames teammates for their lack of commitment and enthusiasm. | [12](#page=12). | Splitting | Dividing the world into "good versus bad" categories | After one refereeing error against their team, a rugby coach declares all referees are bad or biased. | [12](#page=12). ### 3.2 Social learning theory Social learning theory, also known as modeling or imitative learning, was developed by Albert Bandura. It suggests that individuals learn behaviors by observing and imitating others, who are referred to as models [13](#page=13). #### 3.2.1 Characteristics of effective models Effective models are typically those who are liked, respected, and considered attractive by the observer [13](#page=13). ### 3.3 Humanistic theory Humanistic theory, primarily associated with Abraham Maslow, proposes a hierarchy of five needs that are stimulated in a specific order for personal growth and self-actualization. These needs are [14](#page=14): 1. **Physiological:** Basic survival needs such as food, water, and shelter [14](#page=14). 2. **Safety:** Security and safety needs [14](#page=14). 3. **Love/Belonging:** The need for intimate relationships and friends [14](#page=14). 4. **Esteem:** Needs related to self-esteem, confidence, and respect [14](#page=14). 5. **Self-actualization:** The highest level, encompassing morality and creativity [14](#page=14). --- ## Common mistakes to avoid - Review all topics thoroughly before exams - Pay attention to formulas and key definitions - Practice with examples provided in each section - Don't memorize without understanding the underlying concepts

| Term | Definition | |------|------------| | Personality | The unique and enduring organization of psychophysical systems that determines an individual's adjustment to their environment, encompassing distinct thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. | | Heredity | The process by which biological traits and predispositions are passed from parents to offspring through genetic inheritance, influencing personality development. | | Interaction perspective | A viewpoint suggesting that personality is a result of the complex interplay between an individual's genetic inheritance and their external environmental influences. | | Psychological core | The most fundamental and deeply embedded level of personality, comprising an individual's core attitudes, values, interests, motives, and self-worth. | | Typical responses | The habitual ways an individual learns to adjust to their environment and interact with the world, often serving as indicators of their underlying psychological core. | | Psychodynamic theory | A theory developed by Sigmund Freud, focusing on unconscious forces and early childhood experiences shaping personality through concepts like the id, ego, and superego. | | Id | The primitive and instinctive component of personality, driven by the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of basic biological needs and urges. | | Ego | The component of personality that operates on the reality principle, mediating between the demands of the id and the constraints of the superego, engaging in problem-solving and rational thought. | | Defense mechanisms | Unconscious psychological strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings, such as denial, rationalization, and repression. | | Social learning theory | A theory developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizing that personality is learned through observation, imitation, and modeling of others' behaviors, often referred to as observational or imitative learning. | | Humanistic theory | A psychological perspective, championed by Abraham Maslow, that highlights an individual's inherent drive towards self-actualization and personal growth, organized in a hierarchy of needs. | | Self-actualization | The highest level of psychological development in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, representing the realization of one's full potential, including morality, creativity, and problem-solving. |