IB Sports, exercise and health science C.1 Individual Differences Key Definitions

Agreeableness is a personality trait referring to individuals that are perceived as kind, sympathetic, cooperative, warm, honest, and considerate.

Attribution theory examines how people explain their successes and failures, influencing their future expectations and achievement behavior. Heider (1958) originally categorized attributions into four factors: ability, effort, task difficulty, and luck.

Conscientiousness is a personality that reflects the tendency to be responsible, organized, hard-working, goal-directed, and to adhere to norms and rules.

Extraversion is a personality trait that describes someone who is outgoing, energetic, and sociable

Personalities are created through consistent interactions between the individual and the environment. This is summarized in the equation: B = f(P,E) where behavior (B), function (f) of the person (P) and the environment (E).

A condition in which a person has a sense of powerlessness event or persistent failure to succeed. It is thought to be one of the underlying causes of depression.

Mental toughness is a personality trait that allows a person to perform consistently under pressure. It's a state of mind that can be improved through practice.

Athletic success is influenced by multiple factors, including physical, tactical, technical, and psychological aspects, with psychological strength often being the key differentiator between winners and others.

A malleable personality trait that helps individuals manage challenging situations by enhancing commitment, confidence, perceived control, and resilience.

Neuroticism refers to how individuals experience and manage their emotions. Those with high neuroticism tend to worry frequently, feel anxious or upset easily, and experience stress in various situations. Its opposite is emotional stability, which reflects a calmer and more resilient response to stress.

Openness to experience is a personality trait reflecting curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to embrace new ideas and experiences.

Defined by Morris & Summers (1995) as the strongest predictor of self-efficacy. Performance profiling is a technique used by psychologists to understand how athletes perceive their own performance. Performance profiling helps athletes evaluate strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement (Gucciardi & Gordon, 2009).

Personality refers to the enduring characteristics and behavior that comprise a person's unique adjustment to life.

Persuasion, as described by Bandura, Morris, and Summers (1995), can take the form of verbal encouragement or action-based influence, often coming from a high-status individual such as a coach or role model. It is most effective when used at the right time, in the right place, and by the right person, helping individuals to overcome challengesand boost self-efficacy.

The physiological state of an athlete plays a crucial role in self-efficacy, as their interpretation of arousal before performance can impact focus and decision-making.

Psychological Skills Training (PST) is a change-based approach designed to enhance athletic performance by helping athletes manage their thoughts, emotions, and mental states.

Quality of life is a multidimensional concept describing an individual's subjective assessment of their life, including physical health, mental health, and social wellbeing.

The self-fulfilling prophecy is a concept that suggests our beliefs and expectations about ourselves or others can actually influence the outcomes we experience.

Self-efficacy is the belief in one's own ability to succeed in a specific task or performance.

Individuals learn new behaviors, attitudes, and skills by observing and imitating others. Unique aspect: Learning occurs without reinforcement (rewards/punishments). Emphasizes individual capacity to shape behavior and achieve potential.

Researchers use psychometric tools to measure personality reliably, focusing on two key aspects: state, which refers to temporary thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in a given situation, and traits, which are consistent patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving over time.

Vicarious experience is learning by observing others, also called modelling. Seeing a peer succeed can motivate someone to attempt a task they might not have considered.