Psychology and Sports Questions and Answers CBSE Class 12 Board Exams

1 Mark Questions

Answer  : Sports psychology is that branch of psychology which is intimately connected with human behaviour on the play field, both under practice and competitive situations, with a view to bring about qualitative improvement in performance and maintain the same even during the stresses of competition.

Answer : According to Ogburn and Nimkodd, ‘The totality of sentiments, attitude, idea, habits, skills and behaviours of an individual is personality.”

Answer : Coping strategies are the conscious effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems. They are of two types, problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping.

Answer : In sports, aggression means the desire to harm another player which is not within the laws of the game. For example, pushing another player over a game in football or using abusive language for other players or teams.

Answer : Motivation means to be inspired to do something a process through which an individual is inspired or stimulated to act in a particular fashion or manner towards a particular direction.

Answer : There are two types of motivation:

i) Internal or intrinsic motivation

ii) External or extrinsic motivation

Answer : How motivation is within an individual and guides him to perform better. It is based upon needs, interests, nature, emotions, social needs etc.

Answer : Extrinsic motivation may kill intrinsic motivation sometimes because the physical appearance of something has more influence on the mind of an athlete.

3 Marks Questions

Answer : The importance of sports psychology can be understood from the following points:

i) It analyses the behaviour of sportsmen.

ii) It identifies talent for specific sports.

iii) It creates a better learning situation.

iv) It stabilises the performance of a sportsperson for a longer period.

v) It is important from the research point of view.

vi) It encourages the players to make a comeback in professional sports.

Answer : Two techniques to manage stress are:

i) Aim to Exercise Regularly : Exercise dissipates the adrenalin that builds up in stressful situations and leaves us with a feeling or sense of achievement and control.

ii) Eat Healthy : Ensure that you are getting adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet. One recommendation that very few of us manage to follow is to eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

Answer : The personality types on the basis of physical attributes are given by William Herbert Sheldon.

These are as follows:

i) Endomorph : The endomorph is physically quite round, with wide hips, narrow shoulders, which makes them pear-shaped. Lot of fat is spread across the body. They are sociable, fun-loving, tolerant, even-tempered, good-humoured, relaxed and love food.

ii) Ectomorph : They are quite the opposite of endomorph. They have narrow shoulders and hips, thin, narrow face, high forehead, thin, narrow chest and very little body fat. They are self conscious, private, introvert, socially anxious, intense, emotionally restrained and thoughtful.

iii) Mesomorph : They are somewhere between endomorph and ectomorph. They have large head, broad shoulders, narrow waist (wedge shaped), muscular body, strong limbs and little body fat. They are well proportioned. They are adventurous, courageous, assertive, bold, competitive, with a desire to dominate, take risk, rise to power.

Answer : The personality types on mental basis is formulated by Carl Jung.

These are as follows:

i) Extroverts : Have more self-confidence, take more interest in others, are outgoing, lively and realistic. They are very social and form friends quite easily. Actors, social and political leaders etc belong to this group.

ii) Introverts : Are too self-conscious, more interested in their own thoughts and ideas, self-centered, shy, reserved and lovers of solitude. They do not make friends easily and keep in the background on social occasions. Philosophers, poets, artists and scientists belong to this class.

iii) Ambiverts : Doubting whether people can be divided into these two extremes, he put most of the people in this category and they have been labelled as ‘ambiverts.’ The ambiverts are a mixture of both the extremes in a balanced manner. Ambiverts are neither outgoing nor reserved to themselves. They are able to adjust themselves to any situation.

Answer : There are two types of aggression in sports:

i) Instrumental Aggression : It is a type of aggression in which behaviour is directed at the target as a means to an end. For example, injuring a player to gain a competitive advantage or stopping an opponent from scoring.

ii) Hostile Aggresion : It is a type of aggression in which behaviour is aimed toward another person who has angered or provoked the individual and is an end in itself. For example, hitting an opponent who has just been aggressive against the player. It is generally proceeded by anger.

Answer : Two techniques of motivation are:

i) Level of Aspiration/ Goal Setting : As we know that achieving performance goals is a sign of competence that affects motivation positively, it is necessary to set realistic goals based on one’s abilities.

ii) Identifying Incentive Factors : If an athlete perceives that any particular kind of experiences are available to him in a given sport and he feels that these will be pleasant, enjoyable or satisfying, then he will choose to participate in that game or sport and not any other.

Answer : Goal setting technique is one of the most important techniques of motivation. If you do not set a goal , you cannot achieve an apex position in life. A person should set goals according to one’s capabilities on a regular basis. Coaches should not be too rigid while setting goals for a sportspersons. There should be some flexibility in their approach.

Answer : Motivation is a process through which an individual is inspired or stimulated to act in a particular fashion or manners towards a particular direction.

Techniques of motivation for higher achievement in sports are:

i) Knowing Your Athlete : Each athlete comes from a different background with varied experiences and having different degrees of maturity.

ii) Level of Aspiration/Goal Setting : As we know that achieving   performance goals is a sign of competence that affects motivation positively, it is necessary to set realistic goals based on one’s own abilities.

iii) Identifying Incentive Factors : If an athlete perceives that any particular kind of experiences are available to him in a given sport and he feels that these will be pleasant, enjoyable or satisfying, then he will choose to participate in that game or sport and not any other.

5 Marks Questions

Answer : Sports psychology is that branch of psychology which is intimately connected with human behaviour on the play field, both under practice and competitive situations, with a view to bring about qualitative improvement in performance and maintain the same even during the stresses of competition.

Importance of sports psychology is due to :

i) Analysing the Behaviour of Sportsmen : Performance of a player depends upon the behaviours which are influenced by various factors such as sex differences, family conditions, personal background, heredity, growth, physical and mental maturity levels etc.

ii) Identifying Talent for Specific Sports : Every sport has specific psychological demands e.g. boxing requires more aggressiveness, whereas archery and shooting require more concentration.

iii) Stabilising the Performance for Longer Period : It helps in stabilising the performance of a player for a longer period. Then the performance of the player largely depends upon his psychological make up and anxiety level.

iv) Important from Research Point of View : Sports psychologists work in very close proximity to coaches to uplift the performance of players. Research findings help in promotion of sports and games.

v) Encouraging the Players to Make a Comeback in Professional Sports : Sports psychology encourages, the players, who, due to injury or some accident, are forced to take a long break from their professional career, to return to their sport.

Answer : The word personality is derived from Latin word persona meaning the mask. In ancient Greece, the actors used to wear masks to hide their identities while portraying their roles in a theatrical play. To an ordinary person the word personality conveys the meaning of their physical appearance, his habits, his ways of dressing, his reputation, his manners and other similar characteristics.

So, personality basically reveals the psychological make-up of an individual through his behaviour. In fact, it is the quality of a person’s total behaviour. Physical activities and sports play an important role in the development of personality of an individual.

One of the primary and apparent aspects of one’s personality is one’s physical appearance. Children as well as adults, boys as well as girls, all are very much concerned about how they look. Physical activities are conducive to the growth and development of the physique. Robust and athletic physique does enhance one’s personality. Poise, grace, agility and the manner one carries oneself have a great impact on one’s personality.

Answer : Games and sports are essential for the all-round development of personality.

It is by participating in games and sports that we can develop and maintain our health, keep our body alert, active, youthful and energetic. Participation increases blood circulation and we get an increased supply of oxygen. This makes a person healthier. Only a healthy person can work long, hard and cheerfully.

An unhealthy person may not take as much interest in work. Games and sports have additional benefits to exercise as they are played in groups and in a healthy competitive spirit.

Among many other things, they help develop cooperation, quality to leadership, team spirit and a willingness to submit to, and further, the rule of law. Games instill in participants the spirit of self-reliance, justice , fair play and sporting spirit. They make people bold, adventurous, social, disciplined and more conscious of their responsibilities towards society and the nation. People participating regularly in games and sports have been found better equipped to fight superstitions, communalism, obscurantism and a narrow approach to issues of national interest.

Games also help in overcoming feelings of violence, arrogance and superiority as these are purged by providing them a sufficient outlet through them. A sportsperson may not lose his or her temper and morale even in the face of defeat because he/she would take it coolly, calmly and then would try to perform better the next time.

Players know that victory and defeat are two aspects of the same coin. There is more joy in playing than in its end result. Thus, participating in sport results in all-round development of personality.

Answer : Stress can be defined as “a physical , mental or emotional demand, which tends to disturb the homeostasis of the body.” Stress is experienced when individuals feel that they cannot cope with a situation with which they are presented. If athletes are in a stressful situation, then their athletic performance will be affected. This stress may arise because of commitments in the areas of work, study, sports, family and social life. When commitments in a number of areas coincide, then stress can arise. By proper planning, the stress can be tackled or reduced. Some steps can be taken to reduce the stress.

These are:

i) Exercise Regularly : Regular exercise can control stressful situation.

ii) East Healthy : Balanced diet enriched with vitamins and minerals should be taken.

iii) Get Enough Sleep : Get enough sleep for proper rest and sleeping hours may vary person to person.

iv) Accept Mistake and Set Realistic Goals : Learn from mistakes and set realistic achievable goals.

v) Knowing your Own Strength and Weakness : Accept your own drawbacks and strength and plan the action according to it.

vi) Better Time Management : Better time management saves time and helps to pre-plan the programme which ultimately can reduce stress.

Following these steps, a player can easily tackle stress in his life.

Value Based Question

Answer : There are two ways by which I can help him to come out of stress. First is by adopting problem-focused coping strategy, in which I will ask him to find the root cause of his problem such as to check the bowling speed, pace, style and length of delivery. Then suggest him to find out ways of improving it. For this, he can take help of his coach. Second is by adopting emotion-focused coping strategy.

Here I will ask him to disengage from that situation by doing some new activity or simply relaxing, watching TV, take him to movies, listen to music etc.