Practice IB Sports, exercise and health science (SEHS) Topic C.1.2 Mental Toughness with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for C.1.2 Mental Toughness and mirrors Paper 1A, 1B, 2 style where relevant.
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An athlete says, “I lost because I didn’t train hard enough, but I can improve for next time.” Which combination of locus of causality and controllability best describes this attribution?
Attribution theory describes how athletes explain their successes and failures along two dimensions: the locus of causality (internal or external) and the locus of stability (stable or unstable). These attributions can affect an athlete's subsequent confidence. The figure shows the attribution model.
Figure: Attribution model (after Weiner)
Using the figure, state the attribution that is both internal and stable.
An athlete says, ‘I lost because I was unlucky.’ Using the figure, classify this attribution.
Outline what is meant by the ‘locus of stability’ dimension of an attribution.
A mentally tough athlete attributes a defeat to a lack of effort (internal and unstable). Explain how this attribution helps to maintain their confidence for future performances.
Explain how repeatedly attributing failure to low ability (internal and stable) could reduce an athlete's confidence.
Suggest how attribution retraining could improve a struggling athlete's confidence.
Athletes were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a task they could succeed at, a failure they could control, or a failure they could not control. They were then all given the same solvable task. The figure shows the mean persistence on this task for each group. The uncontrollable-failure group shows signs of learned helplessness.
Figure: Persistence after different prior experiences
Using the figure, state the mean persistence of the uncontrollable-failure group.
Using the figure, compare the persistence of the controllable-failure and uncontrollable-failure groups.
Explain why the uncontrollable-failure group showed the lowest persistence.
The athletes were randomly assigned to the groups. Explain why this strengthens the conclusion that uncontrollable failure caused the lower persistence.
Suggest one strategy a coach could use to help an athlete showing learned helplessness regain persistence.
Which health outcome is most closely linked to higher mental toughness?
Which statement best links attribution theory and confidence in sport?