Date | November 2017 | Marks available | 2 | Reference code | 17N.3.SL.tz0.8 |
Level | Standard Level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | time zone 0 |
Command term | Discuss | Question number | 8 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
State one symptom of a sportsperson’s somatic anxiety.
Discuss how emotions experienced during sports competition can influence performance.
Markscheme
increased muscle tension ✔
having “butterflies” ✔
having a headache ✔
having a racing heart ✔
dry mouth and sweating ✔
positive emotions such as excitement/ relief/ pride can affect attentional focus and improve performance as they motivate the performer to keep working hard ✔
For example:
an athlete at the Olympics watching a fellow athlete perform well may provide a sense of pride which encourages the performer to try and emulate this ✔
negative emotions such as anger/guilt/shame/anxiety/boredom can result in de-motivation and reduce performance/ can result in a positive change in performance due to motivating the performer to change ✔
For example:
a performer who gets angry during an event may find that their focus is distracted and misses what the opposition is doing to win ✔
Examiners report
A well understood area.
Many answered this well but some were unable to specify specific emotions and wrote in very general terms. Candidates need to recognise when the question uses a high-level command term and requires a more in-depth response.