1. SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION PED4
PERSONALITY EXAM QUESTIONS (WITH ANSWERS)
January 2003
Q 3(b)
(b) (i)
1 Successful athletes were above on vigour,
2 But below the line in terms of more negative moods, tension, depression, anger, fatigue and
confusion.
(Require a minimum of three moods to credit mark)
3 Iceberg profile;
4 But positive mental health does not imply success. (3 marks)
(ii) 1 Valid test when still some difficulty understanding personality;
2 Self answer questions affected by moods, attitude to tests/training;
3 Respondents may not answer honestly or accurately/ misinterpretation;
4 Type of questionnaire-yes or no limited value;
5 Average scores obscure wide individual differences;
6 Highly successful athletes do not always exhibit an iceberg profile;
7 Only moderately predictive/ a measure of moods rather than a global and stable personality
traits.
(N.B Only credit statement of validity if qualified) (4 marks)

2. January 2005
Q4 The outcome of a sprint race may be determined by a performer’s personality and ability to overcome
and generate forces to provide acceleration and maintain velocity.
(a) The performance and behaviour of sports performers may be affected by their personalities.
Discuss this statement, using suitable examples, with reference to both trait and interactionist theories of
personality. (7 marks)
(a) Trait theory
1. Inherited characteristics/born with/innate/genetic;
2. Stable/enduring/unchanging;
3. Same behaviour in a variety of situations;
4. Behaviour is predictable.
5. E.g. aggressive in all situations/extrovert in all situations/etc.
(Sub max 4 marks)
Interactionist theory
6. B = f (PE)/behaviour is a function of personality and environment;
7. Inherited traits are amended by environment/situation;
8. Leads to stable behaviour in a certain situation;
9. Change environment change behaviour.
10. Eg: normally calm, but becomes aggressive in sport environment.
sub max 4 marks
(7 marks)
June 2005
Q2 Personality profiling and biomechanical analysis can be used to prepare performers who compete at the
highest level.
Morgan’s Profile of Mood State (POMS) is a questionnaire given to performers to establish their relative
measures on the six mental health states of fatigue, vigour, tension, depression, anger and confusion.
(a) Research has shown that the profile for POMS differs between elite and non-elite performers. Describe
these differences. (3 marks)
(b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of using questionnaires to provide psychological
information? (4 marks)
2 (a)
1. Elite score higher on vigour/anger;
2. No difference/lower on other scores for both elite and non elite;
3. Iceberg profile;
4. Iceberg profile does not guarantee an elite performer (3 marks)
(Credit annotated diagrams showing iceberg profile)
(b) Advantages
1. High researcher: respondent ratio/lots of subjects at a time/quick/efficient;
2. Cheap/cost effective;
3. Numerical/objective measures achieved;
4. Reliable. Sub max of 3 marks
(Do not credit easy)
Disadvantages
5. Weak validity/non specific/too general/too simplistic for complex areas;
6. Tendency to give expected answer/lie/respond with demand characteristics/biased questions;
7. Difficult to self-assess;
8. Ambiguous questions/misinterpretation.
Sub max of 3 marks
4 marks

3. June 2006
Q1 It was previously thought that certain personality types tended to become involved in particular sports:
therefore, those participating in a triathlon may have shared common personality characteristics.
(c) In terms of personality, explain what is meant by trait and interactionist theories. (3 marks)
(c)
1. Traits. Innate/inherited/stable/enduring factors;
2. Same personality in all situations/pre-disposition to behave in the same way;
(Sub max 2 marks)
3. Interactionist. Concerned with traits;
4. And interaction with the situation;
5. B = f (P.E.). (Sub max 2 marks)
(3 marks)
January 2007
Q1a
Research has tried to establish a link between the psychology and physiology of performance. Trait theories
may be used to explain several psychological constructs.
(i) Briefly explain personality according to trait theory. (3 marks)
(a) (i)
1. Pre-disposition to behave in a certain way/consistent/same behaviour
2. Inherited/genetic/born with/innate;
3. Enduring/stable/unchanging/same personality;
4. Eysenck and introvertism/neuroticism/Catell and 16PF; 3 marks
June 2007
Q3a
The London Marathon participants include both elite athletes and fun runners.
(a) Morgan’s (1987) ‘Profile of Mood States’ questionnaire measures the emotional state of performers.
How would you expect the profiles to differ between elite performers and fun runners? (3 marks)
A. Elite athletes. Iceberg profile;
B. Higher scores on vigour;
C. Lower scores on other emotional states/a suitable eg, such as anger, confusion, depression,
tension, fatigue (only need 1);
D. Fun runners. flatline of population norm/average person/normal person. max 3 marks
January 2008
Q2b
Psychologists have presented different theories to explain personality. One of these theories is trait theory.
Explain the trait theory of personality. (3 marks)
(b)
1. Inherited/genetic/born with;
2. Enduring/stable/unchanging;
3. Predisposition to behave in a certain way;
4. Consistent/same behaviour all of the time;
5. Eysenck and introvertism/neuroticism/Catell and 16PF;
6. Role of Reticular Activating System (RA)S and arousal explained. 3 marks
January 2009
Q5c

4. Explain how the interactionist theories of personality enable us to predict the behaviour of performers.
(3 marks)
(c)
1. Behaviour is a function of personality and environment.
2. B = f(PE)
3. Leads to stable behaviour in a certain situation.
4. Change environment change behaviour. 3 marks
June 2009
Q2c
Morgan’s Profile of Mood States (POMS) may be used to identify an individual’s mental health score before
competition.
(i) How would you expect the profile of elite marathon runners to differ from those of non-elite
performers, in terms of mood states? (3 marks)
(ii) Discuss the validity of using self report tests such as POMS for predicting success in sport.
(3 marks)
(i)
1. Elite performers have high vigour / above non-elite on vigour
2. But below non-elite for, tension, depression, confusion, anger and fatigue
3. Iceberg profile
4. But positive mental health does not imply success
5. Some non-elite get iceberg / some elite performers flatline / show no iceberg profile
max 3 marks
(ii)
1. Based on a questionnaire
2. Self-answer questions affected by mmods, attitude to tests / training
3. Respondents may not answer honestly or accurately / misinterpretation
4. Average scores obscure wide individual differences
5. Highly successful athletes do not always exhibit an iceberg profile
6. Only moderately predictive / a measure of moods rather than global and stable personality
traits / low validity
max 3 marks