Aggression – Exam style questions
1. You will have played in a team game and you may have had some players
in your team who have been aggressive. They may have displayed
aggression frequently and this would probably have been detrimental to
your team’s performance.
(a) What does the term aggression mean when related to sports psychology?
Explain the possible causes of aggressive behaviour in these team players.
(4mks)
(b) Briefly discuss the view that aggression is learned rather than an instinctive
response? (4mks)
(c) What strategies could be employed by these players to control their
aggressive tendencies (3mks)
2 (a) Define the terms aggression and assertion in relation to sports
performance (4mks)
(b) Explain how competitive game situations can create aggression, referring to
the appropriate theory in social psychology. (4mks)
(c) Describe the social learning theory of aggression, using examples from
sport to illustrate your answer. (8mks)
(d) What can a referee do to control aggression in sporting competitions?
(4mks)
3. It has been suggested that aggression in sport is the result of frustration, as
shown by the simple model
Aggressive
tendency
(a) Name the theory represented by this
model. (1mk)
Frustration
Aggression
(b) What are the similarities and differences between assertive and aggressive
behaviours in sport? (5mks)
(d) State two methods, each with a relevant example, that a games coach might
use to control aggression in players. (4mks)
4. With particular reference to football crowds, give an account of how and
why violent behaviour can occur. (20mks)