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Edexcel GCSE Physical Education

Sports psychology — Edexcel GCSE Physical Education revision

Free revision notes, key terms, common exam traps and 5 practice questions with answers. About 7 minutes to read.

Classifying skill and setting goals

  • Skills can be classified on continuums: open (affected by the environment, e.g. a tackle) to closed (unaffected, e.g. a free throw).
  • Basic skills are simple with few decisions (running); complex skills need many decisions and sub-routines (a gymnastics vault).
  • Self-paced skills are started when the performer decides (a golf putt); externally paced skills are started by someone/something else (returning a serve).
  • Gross skills use large muscle groups with little precision (a jump); fine skills use small muscle groups with high precision (a dart throw).
  • SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) are used to set effective goals that improve motivation and performance.

Information processing and guidance

  • The information processing model has four stages: input (information from the senses), decision making (selecting a response), output (the movement/action) and feedback (information about the outcome).
  • Visual guidance shows the performer what to do, e.g. a demonstration; verbal guidance uses spoken explanation, useful for experienced performers.
  • Manual guidance is physical support to move a body part; mechanical guidance uses equipment (e.g. a float) to support or restrict movement, useful for beginners or dangerous skills.
  • Guidance choice depends on the performer's experience, the skill's complexity/danger, and how much feedback is needed.

Key terms

Open skill
A skill affected by the environment and other performers, requiring adaptation.
Closed skill
A skill unaffected by the environment, performed in a fixed, predictable way.
SMART targets
Goal-setting framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound.
Information processing model
Input, decision making, output and feedback stages of performing a skill.
Guidance
Help given to a performer to develop a skill: visual, verbal, manual or mechanical.
Feedback
Information received about performance, used to make corrections and improvements.

Common exam traps

  • Don't confuse basic/complex (number of decisions/sub-routines) with gross/fine (size of muscles used) — they are different continuums.
  • Knowledge of results is about the outcome; knowledge of performance is about the technique/quality — students often swap these.
  • Mechanical guidance uses equipment; manual guidance is physical support from a person — these are commonly mixed up.

Practice questions with answers

  1. 1. A free throw in basketball is an example of which type of skill?

    • • Open skill
    • • Closed skill
    • • Reactive skill
    • • Externally paced skill

    Answer: Closed skill

    It is unaffected by opponents or environment and performed in a fixed way.

  2. 2. Returning a tennis serve is an example of which pacing?

    • • Self-paced
    • • Externally paced
    • • Fine paced
    • • Gross paced

    Answer: Externally paced

    The action is started by another performer's serve, not the receiver's own choice.

  3. 3. What does the 'M' stand for in SMART goal setting?

    Answer: Measurable

    Goals should be measurable so progress can be tracked.

  4. 4. Which is the correct order of the information processing model?

    • • Output, input, decision making, feedback
    • • Input, decision making, output, feedback
    • • Decision making, input, feedback, output
    • • Feedback, input, output, decision making

    Answer: Input, decision making, output, feedback

    Information is received, processed into a decision, acted on, then feedback is given.

  5. 5. Name one type of guidance suitable for a dangerous skill like a trampoline flip.

    Answer: Manual or mechanical guidance

    Physical support or equipment reduces injury risk while learning dangerous skills.

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