Sports psychology — AQA GCSE Physical Education
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Sports psychology explained
This section introduces the psychological factors that influence how performers behave and perform in physical activity and sport.
Read the full explanation
Read it to build understanding of how the mind affects performance, not just the body. Typical factors include motivation, arousal, anxiety and aggression, and how each can help or hinder a performer. As you read, link each factor to a sporting example: a nervous penalty-taker shows anxiety, a highly aroused player may rush decisions, and a motivated athlete persists in training. Note how these factors interact with skill and fitness, and how performers and coaches might manage them. Use the material to explain causes and effects rather than to memorise lists.
Your focus
- Identify the psychological factors that can affect performers in sport.
- Explain how a named psychological factor can help or hinder a performer.
- Apply understanding of psychological factors to realistic sporting examples.
Sports psychology exam tips
Examiner Tips
- 💡For each factor, prepare one sporting example showing a positive effect and one showing a negative effect.
- 💡Practise explaining the link between a psychological factor and a specific performance outcome.
- 💡Use precise terms such as motivation, arousal and anxiety correctly rather than vague words like 'nerves'.
Common Mistakes
- Treats psychological factors as separate from physical performance; connect each factor to a concrete sporting situation.
- Memorises definitions without explaining effects; describe how the factor changes a performer's behaviour or performance.
- Assumes all arousal or anxiety is harmful; recognise that some can aid performance and some can hinder it.