Jan Roscoe Publications
WJEC Examinations
GCE Physical Education
A2 Unit 4 PE4
Performance, Provision and Participation in Physical
Education
Section 1
Refining Sporting Performance and Enhancing Health
Part 12:
Attribution theory
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
INDEX
3
4
5
6
7
10
12
15
16
18
20
21
22
index
- ATTRIBUTION
- ATTRIBUTION - WEINER’S MODEL
- WEINER’S MODEL - LOCUS OF CAUSALITY, ABILITY, EFFORT
- WEINER’S MODEL - STABILITY, TASK DIFFICULTY, LUCK
- ATTRIBUTION
- CONTROLLABILITY - THE THIRD DIMENSION
- THE SELF-SERVING BIAS
- THE ATTRIBUTION PROCESS
- BEHAVIOUR, ATTRIBUTION AND MOTIVATION
- ERRORS IN ATTRIBUTION
- LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH)
- LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH) - GENERAL, SPECIFIC
- LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH) - ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
2
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION
the process of giving reasons for behaviour
and ascribing causes for events
example: the player played badly today
because the weather was poor
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
3
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION
WEINER’S MODEL
has four attributions:
– ability
– effort
– task difficulty
– luck
L O C U S O F C A U S A L I TY
S TA B L E
S T A B ILIT Y
U N S TA B L E
I N TE R N A L
E X TE R N A L
a b ility
ta s k difficu lty
'w e w e r e m o r e 'th e o p p o s itio n are
w o rld c h am p io n s '
sk ilfu l'
lu ck
e ffo rt
'w e tr ie d h a r d '
'th e c o u r t w a s
slip p y '
arranged in two dimensions:
– LOCUS OF CAUSALITY
– STABILITY
with a possible third dimension:
– CONTROLLABILITY (not shown on diagram)
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
4
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
WEINER’S MODEL
LOCUS OF CAUSALITY
– is the performance outcome
caused by
INTERNAL factors
– under the control of the
performer
– ability or effort
ABILITY
– the extent of the performer’s
capacity to cope with a
sporting task
EFFORT
– the amount of mental and
physical endeavour the
performer gives to the task
EXTERNAL factors
– beyond the control of the
performer
– task difficulty or luck
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
5
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
WEINER’S MODEL
STABILITY
– is the performance outcome
caused by:
STABLE factors
– fixed factors which don’t
change with time
– ability or task difficulty
UNSTABLE factors
– factors which can vary with
time
– effort or luck
index
previous
next
TASK DIFFICULTY
– the extent of the problems
posed by the task including the
strength of the opposition
LUCK
– factors attributable to chance
– such as the weather or the
state of the pitch
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
6
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION
SUCCESS
explained by internal attributions
FAILURE
explained by external attributions
FUTURE EXPECTATIONS
related to stability
if we attribute success to stable
factors
or if we attribute failure to stable
factors
then we expect the same next time
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
7
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION
HIGH ACHIEVERS
attribute success to internal factors
and attribute failure to external factors
LOW ACHIEVERS
attribute success to external factors
and attribute failure to internal factors
the process of changing attributions is called
attribution retraining
Wikimedia commons - Russell Garner
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
8
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION
FEELINGS ABOUT SPORT
attributions affect
– pride
– satisfaction
– expectancy
– learned helplessness
– avoidance
Helen Roscoe Photography
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
9
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
CONTROLLABILITY - THE THIRD DIMENSION
LOCUS OF CONTROL
are attributions under the control of the performer or not?
the locus of control dimension relates to the intensity of a
performer’s feelings of pride and satisfaction, shame and
guilt
pride and satisfaction are maximised if success is
attributed to internal controllable factors such as ability
and effort
then motivation would be enhanced
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
10
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
CONTROLLABILITY - THE THIRD DIMENSION
LOCUS OF CONTROL
if success were attributed to external and uncontrollable
factors (such as luck) and the fact that the task was very
easy
then satisfaction would be less intense and motivation less
if failure is attributed to internal controllable factors
such as lack of ability and lack of effort
then the overpowering emotion would be dissatisfaction
and motivation would be reduced
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
11
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
THE SELF-SERVING BIAS
successful performers tend to take credit
for success
they do this by attributing success to their
own overwhelmingly outstanding
qualities (natural ability, ability to respond
to the competitive situation)
thereby enhancing their feelings of pride and
worth
enhancing feelings of self-esteem
Wikimedia commons/Charlie Cowins
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
12
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
THE SELF-SERVING BIAS
successful performers tend to blame external
factors for failure
failure is automatically attributed to avoid internal
controllable and stable factors (even if such factors
may be true)
this is the self-serving bias, people tend to give
attributions to protect their self-esteem rather than
look for true attributions which would reflect the reality
of the situation
Wikimedia commons/Michael Kjaer
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
13
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
THE SELF-SERVING BIAS
unsuccessful performers do not always
attribute failure to external factors
and therefore do not protect their self-esteem
hence reducing motivation
Neal Bishop Notts County
Wikimedia commons/jonnyr1
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
14
Attribution theory
THE ATTRIBUTION PROCESS
suc c ess
O U TC O M E
in tern al
extern al
s tab le
u n s tab le
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
failure
c o n tro lle d
u n c o n tro lle d
A TTR I B U TI O N
spe c ific
glo ba l
in ten tio n al
u n in te n tio n a l
fu tu r e fa ilu r e
E X P E C TA N C Y
future s ucces s
p r id e
E M O TI O N S
satisfac tio n
attr ib u tio n o f
su c c e ss to
in te r n al
stab le fac to r s
M A ST E R Y
O R IE N T A T IO N
attrib u tio n o f
failu re to
extern al
u n s tab le facto rs
d r iv e to
su c c e e d
D E C IS IO N S
ABO UT
PA R T IC IPA T IO N
m o tiv a tio n
la c k o f
m o tiv a tio n
index
previous
LEARNED
H ELP LESSN ESS
next
c o n tin u a tio n
r e in fo r c e d
fa ilu r e
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
15
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
BEHAVIOUR, ATTRIBUTION and MOTIVATION
HIGH ACHIEVER
LOW ACHIEVER
motivation? high motive to achieve success
low motive to avoid failure
focuses on pride on success
low motive to achieve success
high motive to avoid failure
focuses on shame and worry about
failure
attributions ascribes success to stable
internal and controllable factors
ascribes failure to unstable
external uncontrollable factors
ascribes success to unstable
external uncontrollable factors
ascribes failure to stable
internal controllable factors
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
16
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
BEHAVIOUR, ATTRIBUTION and MOTIVATION
HIGH ACHIEVER
goals adopted adopts task oriented goals
LOW ACHIEVER
adopts outcome oriented goals
task choice
seeks challenging tasks and avoids challenge, seeks very difficult
competitive situations
or very easy tasks or competition
performance
performs well in front of
evaluative audiences
index
previous
next
performs badly in front of
evaluative audiences
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
17
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ERRORS IN ATTRIBUTION
THE ACTOR-OBSERVER EFFECT
this is the tendency for actors to attribute their own actions to
situational or external causes
(such as blaming the circumstances - weather, state of the pitch
and so on)
whereas observers attribute the same behaviour of the actor
to dispositional or internal factors
(such as blaming the ability or personal choices of the actor
when facing tactical decisions in a game)
the actor-observer effect is an example of an attribution bias
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
18
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ERRORS IN ATTRIBUTION
THE ACTOR-OBSERVER EFFECT
GENDER DIFFERENCES
girls tend to have attributions
consistent with those of low achievers
boys tend to have higher
expectations of success
Wikimedia commons/Grant Williamson
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
19
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH)
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS
a belief acquired over time
that one has no control over events
that failure is inevitable
a feeling of hopelessness
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
20
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH)
GENERAL (GLOBAL) LH
a person attributes failure to internal or stable factors
applied to all sports
‘I am useless at all sports’
SPECIFIC LH
a person attributes difficulties to internal or stable
factors
applied to one specific sport
‘I am good at soccer but hopeless at cricket’
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
21
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
LEARNED HELPLESSNESS (LH)
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
low achievers need to learn to attribute
success
and failure to the same reasons
as high achievers
success to stable factors
failure to unstable factors
this would raise the self-efficacy of the
performer for his or her sport
index
previous
next
couldn’t be helped!!!
- the track was slippy
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
22
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
this heading describes the process by which a performer is
advised to change his attribution for poor performance
a low achiever will tend to attribute failure to lack of his
or her ability (internal factor)
which produces the feeling of shame and low self-esteem
and helplessness in the face of further situations which
might produce failure
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
23
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
helplessness in the face of further situations which might
produce failure
will produce the need to be trained to attribute failure to an
external factor (such as the weather)
which is the same as a high achiever
which should produce a feeling of disappointment (rather than
helplessness)
hopefully this will initiate a feeling of determination and seeking
out of further opportunities to improve
hence improve motivation to succeed
index
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
24
Attribution theory
WJEC A2 Level Physical Education
ATTRIBUTION RETRAINING
PO O R
PE R FO R M AN C E
index
c h a n g e fr o m :
c h a n g e to :
a ttr ib u tio n o f
la c k o f a b ility
a ttr ib u tio n o f
p o o r w e a th e r
n e g a tiv e
e m o tio n :
sh a m e
p o sitiv e o r n e u tr a l
e m o tio n :
d isa p p o in tm e n t
b e h a v io u r :
b e h a v io u r :
h e lp le ssn e ss
p e r siste n c e
a v o id a n c e o f
c o m p e titio n
se e k in g o u t
c o m p e titio n
previous
next
Unit 4 section 1 Part 12
25