3.2.3.1.2 Attitudes — AQA A-Level Physical Education
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- Triadic model.
3.2.3.1.2 Attitudes exam tips
Quick Revision Summary (Key Takeaway)
Attitudes in AQA A-Level PE are learned predispositions to respond consistently towards attitude objects (such as exercise, teams, or healthy lifestyles), formed through socialisation and influenced by peers, family, media, and experiences. They comprise cognitive, affective, and behavioural components and can be measured using Likert scales, Thurstone scales, or semantic differential scales, with the triadic model explaining how thoughts, feelings, and actions interact.
Topic Overview
Attitudes are a core topic in AQA A-Level Physical Education, exploring how individuals develop predispositions towards exercise, sport, and healthy behaviours. The topic covers the definition of attitudes, the triadic model (cognitive, affective, behavioural components), and the factors that shape them, including socialisation, peers, family, media, and personal experiences. Understanding attitudes is essential for explaining why people adopt or avoid physical activity and for designing interventions to promote active lifestyles.
This topic links closely with other areas such as motivation, aggression, and group dynamics, providing a psychological foundation for understanding behaviour in sport. It is frequently examined through definition, application, and evaluation questions, requiring students to not only recall the components but also apply them to sporting scenarios and suggest strategies for attitude change. Mastery of this topic supports analysis of real-world issues like participation rates and adherence to exercise programmes.
Key Concepts
- →Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond consistently towards an attitude object, which can be positive, negative, or neutral, and are relatively stable but changeable.
- →The triadic model comprises three components: cognitive (beliefs and knowledge), affective (feelings and emotions), and behavioural (intended or actual actions), which interact to form the overall attitude.
- →Attitudes are formed through socialisation processes, including primary socialisation (family) and secondary socialisation (peers, school, media, and culture), and can be influenced by significant others and personal experiences.
- →Measurement of attitudes can be conducted using Likert scales, Thurstone scales, and semantic differential scales, each with strengths and limitations regarding validity and reliability.
- →Attitude change can be achieved through strategies such as cognitive dissonance, positive reinforcement, modelling, and creating positive experiences, often targeting one or more components of the triadic model.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Always define attitudes precisely in your first sentence when a question asks for a definition, using the phrase 'learned predisposition to respond consistently towards an attitude object' to secure the mark.
- 💡When applying the triadic model, explicitly label each component (cognitive, affective, behavioural) and provide a specific sporting example for each to demonstrate understanding and application.
- 💡For questions on attitude change, link your strategy to a specific component of the triadic model and explain how it leads to a change in attitude, using named techniques like cognitive dissonance or positive reinforcement.
Common Mistakes
- Students often think attitudes are innate and unchangeable. Correction: Attitudes are learned through socialisation and experience, and they can be changed through targeted interventions, although they may be resistant to change.
- Students frequently confuse the triadic model components, especially cognitive and affective. Correction: Cognitive refers to thoughts and beliefs, affective refers to feelings and emotions, and behavioural refers to actions or intentions. Use 'Think, Feel, Do' to remember.
- Students sometimes believe that measuring attitudes directly predicts behaviour perfectly. Correction: Attitudes do not always predict behaviour due to factors like social pressure, situational constraints, and attitude strength; measurement tools have limitations such as social desirability bias.
Revision Plan
- 1Day 1-2: Learn the definition of attitudes and the triadic model. Create flashcards for each component with sporting examples and test yourself using active recall.
- 2Day 3-4: Study the formation of attitudes, including socialisation agents and the influence of peers, family, and media. Make a mind map linking each agent to positive and negative attitude outcomes.
- 3Day 5-6: Learn the methods of measuring attitudes (Likert, Thurstone, semantic differential) and their strengths and limitations. Practice writing 4-mark evaluation answers.
- 4Day 7-8: Explore strategies for attitude change, such as cognitive dissonance and reinforcement. Apply each strategy to a sporting scenario and explain which component it targets.
- 5Day 9-10: Complete past paper questions on attitudes, focusing on 6-mark application and evaluation questions. Review mark schemes and refine your answers to include precise terminology and examples.
Exam Question Types
- 📋Definition and component identification questions (2-4 marks): Typically ask students to define attitudes or identify the components of the triadic model. Advice: Use precise definitions and label each component clearly with an example.
- 📋Application questions (4-6 marks): Require students to apply the triadic model to a given sporting scenario, explaining how each component influences behaviour. Advice: Structure your answer by component, using specific examples from the scenario.
- 📋Evaluation questions (6-9 marks): Ask students to evaluate methods of measuring attitudes or strategies for changing attitudes. Advice: Provide balanced arguments with strengths and limitations, and link to sporting contexts.
- 📋Extended response questions (8-15 marks): May combine attitudes with other topics like motivation or adherence, requiring synthesis. Advice: Plan your answer to cover definition, application, and evaluation, using connectives to link ideas.
Command Word Expectations (AQA)
Describe
Provide a detailed account of the characteristics or features of attitudes or their components. Marks are awarded for accurate statements with elaboration, but no evaluation is required.
Explain
Give reasons or causes for how attitudes are formed or how they influence behaviour. Marks are awarded for linking cause and effect, using terms like 'because' or 'therefore', and applying to sporting examples.
Evaluate
Make a judgement about the strengths and weaknesses of theories, methods, or strategies related to attitudes. Marks are awarded for balanced arguments, use of evidence, and a clear conclusion that weighs up the points made.
How Students Lose Marks (Examiner Pitfalls)
Pitfall: Students often confuse the triadic model components, incorrectly labelling the cognitive component as feelings or the affective component as beliefs, which loses marks in definition and application questions.
❌ Weak Answer (Loses Marks):The cognitive component is how you feel about exercise, the affective component is what you think about it, and the behavioural component is what you say.
Example improved answer:The cognitive component refers to the beliefs and knowledge an individual holds about the attitude object, for example believing that exercise improves health. The affective component refers to the feelings or emotional responses towards the attitude object, such as enjoying or dreading PE lessons. The behavioural component refers to the intended or actual actions towards the attitude object, such as regularly attending training sessions or avoiding exercise.
Examiner Tip: Use the mnemonic 'Think, Feel, Do' to remember the order: Cognitive = Think (beliefs), Affective = Feel (emotions), Behavioural = Do (actions). Always link each component to a specific sporting example in your answer.
Pitfall: When asked how attitudes can be changed, students often give vague answers like 'educate them' without specifying the method or linking to the triadic model, resulting in limited marks.
❌ Weak Answer (Loses Marks):You can change attitudes by telling people exercise is good and showing them videos.
Example improved answer:Attitudes can be changed through cognitive dissonance, where new information creates conflict with existing beliefs, prompting a shift in the cognitive component. For example, a student who believes exercise is boring (cognitive) may be shown evidence of fun activities, changing their belief. The affective component can be targeted through creating positive experiences, such as enjoyable PE lessons using varied activities, which improves emotional responses. The behavioural component can be changed through reinforcement, such as rewarding participation with praise or certificates, which encourages repeated behaviour and subsequently improves attitude.
Examiner Tip: Always structure answers around the triadic model: state which component you are targeting, the specific strategy used, and the expected outcome. Use named strategies like cognitive dissonance, positive reinforcement, and modelling to secure full marks.
Step-by-Step Worked Solutions
Question: Explain how the triadic model of attitudes can be applied to a performer who has a negative attitude towards attending fitness training. (6 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Identify the three components of the triadic model: cognitive, affective, and behavioural.
- 2.Step 2: Apply the cognitive component: the performer may believe that fitness training is boring, pointless, or too difficult, which forms the belief basis of the attitude.
- 3.Step 3: Apply the affective component: the performer may feel anxious, embarrassed, or unmotivated when thinking about fitness training, representing the emotional response.
- 4.Step 4: Apply the behavioural component: the performer may skip sessions, arrive late, or put in minimal effort, demonstrating the behavioural intention or action.
- 5.Step 5: Explain how the components interact: the negative belief and feelings lead to avoidance behaviour, reinforcing the negative attitude cycle.
- 6.Step 6: Conclude by stating that to change the attitude, one or more components must be targeted, such as providing enjoyable experiences (affective) or educating about benefits (cognitive).
Final Answer: The triadic model shows that the performer's negative attitude comprises a cognitive belief that training is pointless, an affective feeling of anxiety or boredom, and a behavioural response of avoidance or poor effort. These components interact to reinforce the attitude, and changing any one component can lead to attitude change.
Question: Describe two methods used to measure attitudes in sport and exercise psychology, and explain one strength and one limitation of each. (6 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Identify two measurement methods: Likert scale and semantic differential scale.
- 2.Step 2: Describe Likert scale: a series of statements about the attitude object, with respondents indicating agreement on a scale (e.g., strongly agree to strongly disagree).
- 3.Step 3: State strength of Likert scale: easy to administer and score, allowing quantitative comparison across groups.
- 4.Step 4: State limitation of Likert scale: respondents may give socially desirable answers, reducing validity.
- 5.Step 5: Describe semantic differential scale: pairs of opposite adjectives (e.g., good-bad, enjoyable-unenjoyable) separated by a scale, where respondents mark their position.
- 6.Step 6: State strength of semantic differential scale: provides a more nuanced measure of feelings and can capture intensity of attitude.
- 7.Step 7: State limitation of semantic differential scale: may be ambiguous if adjectives are not clearly understood by respondents, affecting reliability.
Final Answer: Likert scales measure attitudes through agreement with statements, offering easy scoring but risking social desirability bias. Semantic differential scales use opposite adjective pairs to capture nuanced feelings, providing depth but potentially suffering from ambiguity in adjective interpretation.
Active Recall Memory Test
What is the definition of an attitude in sport and exercise psychology?
Key Fact: A learned predisposition to respond consistently towards an attitude object, which can be positive, negative, or neutral.
Name the three components of the triadic model of attitudes and state what each represents.
Key Fact: Cognitive (beliefs and knowledge), Affective (feelings and emotions), Behavioural (intended or actual actions).
List three agents of socialisation that influence attitude formation.
Key Fact: Family, peers, and media (also school, culture, and coaches).
What is cognitive dissonance and how can it change attitudes?
Key Fact: Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when holding conflicting beliefs or when behaviour contradicts beliefs. It can change attitudes by prompting individuals to alter their beliefs or behaviour to reduce the discomfort, often through new information or experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an attitude in A-Level PE?
In A-Level PE, an attitude is defined as a learned predisposition to respond consistently towards an attitude object, such as exercise, a team, or a healthy lifestyle. Attitudes are formed through socialisation and experience, and they comprise cognitive, affective, and behavioural components. They can be positive, negative, or neutral, and while relatively stable, they can be changed through targeted interventions. Understanding attitudes helps explain why individuals engage in or avoid physical activity.
How do you remember the triadic model of attitudes?
Use the mnemonic 'Think, Feel, Do' to remember the triadic model. Cognitive = Think (beliefs and knowledge), Affective = Feel (emotions and feelings), Behavioural = Do (actions and intentions). For example, a performer might think exercise is beneficial (cognitive), feel excited about training (affective), and therefore attend sessions regularly (behavioural). Practising with sporting examples will help cement the order and meaning of each component.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Likert scales for measuring attitudes?
Likert scales are easy to administer and score, allowing quantitative analysis and comparison across groups, which is a key strength. However, they can suffer from social desirability bias, where respondents give answers they think are expected rather than truthful, reducing validity. Additionally, the fixed response format may not capture the complexity of attitudes. Despite these weaknesses, Likert scales remain a popular and practical tool in sport and exercise research.
How can a coach change a negative attitude in an athlete?
A coach can change a negative attitude by targeting one or more components of the triadic model. For the cognitive component, the coach can educate the athlete about the benefits of the activity, using evidence and role models. For the affective component, the coach can create enjoyable and supportive experiences to improve feelings. For the behavioural component, the coach can use positive reinforcement, such as praise or rewards, to encourage participation. Consistency and patience are key, as attitudes may be deeply ingrained.
What is the difference between the cognitive and affective components of attitudes?
The cognitive component refers to the beliefs and knowledge an individual holds about the attitude object, such as believing that exercise is good for health. The affective component refers to the feelings and emotional responses towards the attitude object, such as enjoying or dreading exercise. While cognitive is about 'thinking', affective is about 'feeling'. Both interact with the behavioural component to form the overall attitude, and they can be targeted separately in attitude change strategies.
Why do attitudes not always predict behaviour in sport?
Attitudes do not always predict behaviour because of factors such as social pressure, situational constraints, and attitude strength. For example, a person may have a positive attitude towards exercise but lack time or access to facilities, preventing them from acting on it. Additionally, strong attitudes are more likely to predict behaviour than weak ones. Other influences include habits, perceived control, and subjective norms, as explained by theories like the Theory of Planned Behaviour.