Personality

Trait Theory of Personality

Personality was defined by sports psychologist Diane Gill as a person's 'unique psychological make-up' – because each performer has their own personality profile, understanding personality differences can help coaches tailor training and competition approaches, and can help players understand how their own personality affects their performance.

• Explanations of personality are usually discussed as a nature versus nurture debate – nature suggests characteristics are innate, while nurture suggests they are learned
• Trait theory represents the nature side of the debate – it argues that individuals are born with innate, stable characteristics called traits, which stay consistent across different situations, meaning behaviour can be expected to remain the same in most contexts
• Because behaviour is assumed to be consistent, trait theory attempts to predict future behaviour – a performer with a known trait profile (e.g. an extrovert who is loud, bright and opinionated) is expected to display those same characteristics in training, matches and team discussions
• A key limitation is that trait theory does not account for personality change – performers often behave differently depending on the situation or their experience (e.g. reacting aggressively after a foul but calmly in a post-match interview), which pure trait theory struggles to explain

Social Learning Theory of Personality

Social learning theory represents the nurture side of the debate – it suggests personality characteristics are not innate but are learned from other people, particularly significant others such as role models, friends and parents.

• Personality traits develop through socialisation – a process of associating with others and picking up their behaviour. Learning is more likely when the observed behaviour is reinforced (seen as successful or powerful) and when it is witnessed live rather than through media
• The learning process follows four steps: observe → identify → reinforce → copy – e.g. young players often copy the goal celebrations of professional athletes they have seen play in person

The Interactionist Perspective

The interactionist perspective combines trait theory and social learning theory, suggesting that the traits a person is born with are adapted according to the situation (the environment) they find themselves in.

• Lewin's formula summarises this idea:

• Hollander extended this into a model with three layers of personality: the core (stable values and beliefs, least likely to change), typical responses (the usual reactions a person makes in a given situation), and role-related behaviour (behaviour adapted to the specific demands of a situation, most likely to change as the environment changes)
• Practical coaching applications include: predicting and substituting a player before they display unacceptable behaviour; recreating pressure situations in training so players learn to cope (e.g. practising penalties under simulated crowd pressure); and using knowledge of a player's traits to guide them toward more effective role-related behaviour in specific match situations