Understanding Attribution Theory in Sports Psychology

What is an attribute in the context of sports psychology?

• A type of physical training

• A perceived reason for a result

• A specific skill set of an athlete

• A psychological disorder

Which of the following is considered an internal factor in attribution theory?

• Effort

• Referee's decision

• Opponent's skill level

• Weather conditions

Which attribute is considered stable over the course of a competition?

• Luck

• Ability

• Weather conditions

• Effort

Which factor is considered external in attribution theory?

• Personal ability

• Task difficulty

• Mental toughness

• Training intensity

What distinguishes a high achiever from a low achiever in their attribution of success?

• High achievers credit external factors

• Low achievers credit their effort and ability

• High achievers credit their effort and ability

• Low achievers credit luck and task difficulty

How do high achievers typically attribute their defeats?

• To their opponents' lack of skill

• To uncontrollable factors like luck

• To their own superior ability

• To their own lack of effort

What is the primary goal of attribution retraining?

• To improve physical fitness

• To enhance team cooperation

• To shift attributions from external to internal factors

• To reduce the emphasis on winning

What is the self-serving bias in the context of sports psychology?

• Believing that effort does not impact outcomes

• Assuming success is due to luck

• Blaming others for one's failures

• Attributing success to internal factors and failure to external factors

What does learned helplessness in athletes refer to?

• The inability to learn new skills

• Feeling that failure is inevitable

• Resistance to coaching advice

• Lack of motivation to train

What is a key characteristic of specific learned helplessness?

• It affects all aspects of an athlete's performance

• It is related to a general lack of skill

• It is limited to a specific aspect of performance

• It cannot be overcome with training