Personality (Cognitive)

Personality (Cognitive)

Understanding of Personality

  • Personality refers to the characteristic ways we think, feel, and behave.
  • Sports psychology often explores the relationship between personality traits and athletic performance.

Cognitive Approaches to Personality

  • Cognitive theories focus on how our mental processes, such as thought and perception, can influence our personality.
  • Key cognitive theories to understand include the Beck’s cognitive theory and Kelly’s cognitive personality theory, which focus on the role of negative thoughts and perceptions respectively in shaping personality.

Assessing Personality

  • Personality assessments utilise methods such as questionnaires and interviews.
  • Examples include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Five-Factor Model (FFM), also known as the ‘Big Five’.
  • It is important to ensure these assessments are reliable, valid and standardised for appropriate comparison.

Personality Traits in Sport

  • Certain personality traits, such as extroversion, self-efficacy, and need for achievement, may correlate with success in different sport contexts.
  • Understanding these traits can help guide selection, training, and motivational strategies in sports.

Influence of Personality on Sport Performance

  • Personality can influence aspects of sports performance such as motivation, type of sport chosen, commitment to training, and reaction to victory/defeat.

Personality and Coaching Styles

  • Effective coaches understand their athletes’ personalities to tailor coaching strategies to individual needs.
  • They balance between guiding athletes and allowing autonomy to promote personal growth and autonomy.

Personality and Team Dynamics

  • Team sports require understanding and managing diverse personalities to foster positive team dynamics.
  • Successful teams often have a healthy mix of complementary personalities. Understanding and capitalising on this diversity can lead to enhanced team performance.

Personality Changes through Sport

  • Engaging in sport and exercise can lead to changes in personality over time. Research suggests traits such as self-esteem and extroversion can improve through regular participation in sports.