Attribution Theory

A2 Sports Psychology

Definition of Attribution...

Attributions are the reasons we give for success and failure in physical activity.

e.g. I was not fit enough to play a full game.

Why do we provide reasons?...

Can you think of recent example where you have attributed success or failure to certain things?

Effects of attribution...What can attributions give by a team or

individual to themselves or others affect?

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Effects of attribution...What can attributions give by a team or

individual to themselves or others affect?

Immediate emotional reactionsActual behaviourFuture aspirationsExpectations, motivation and future

participation.

TASK 1

Write a scenario within sport and physical education which illustrates how attribution of success and failure may affect participation.

Weiners model of attributionWeiner’s theory attempts to categorise all

attributions under common categories. He placed these categories across two

dimensions and added a third after further research. The two we need to learn today are:

1.Locus of causality: internal or external factors. What is the cause?

2.Locus of stability: stable or unstable factors. How stable is it?

Causal attributionsList the causal attributions you think

people may give for their level of success or failure.

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Causal attributionsList the causal attributions you

think people may give for their level of success or failure.

abilityefforttask difficultyluck.

Weiner’s attribution model

ABILITY TASK DIFFICULTY

EFFORT LUCK

LOCUS OF CAUSALITY DIMENSION

STABILITY

DIMENSION

Internal attribution

External attribution

Stableattribution

Unstableattribution

Weiner’s attribution model: reasons why I won my tennis match!

I played better than her today

She is younger than me and

inexperienced

I trained really hard up to the

game

I was lucky at match point; the umpire

gave me a line call.

LOCUS OF CAUSALITY DIMENSION

STABILITY

DIMENSION

Internal attribution

External attribution

Stableattribution

Unstableattribution

TASK 2: Copy out Weiner’s model and add examples of causal attributions: reasons why we lost the rugby game!

Task 4: Categorise the statements below using Weiner’s two dimensional model. Use the grids below!‘Our year 8 Hockey team is not really good

enough to win the county cup’‘The rain caused the match to be

abandoned and saved us’‘We did the best we could’‘I wasn't that bothered about winning today’‘I'm not a good gymnast’‘Our opposition were more skilful than us’‘The sweeper misjudged the tackle and

allowed the forward to go on and score’

TASK 4

TASK 4