Component 02 Revision — Sports Psychology

This lesson provides a comprehensive revision resource for the Sports Psychology content in OCR GCSE PE Component 02. It covers characteristics of skilful movement, skill classification, goal setting and SMART targets, mental preparation techniques, types of guidance, and types of feedback. This is the OCR-specific content — make sure you use the OCR definitions and terminology throughout.

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Characteristics of Skilful Movement

The OCR specification identifies five characteristics of skilful movement. You must know each one and apply it to sporting examples.

Characteristic	Definition	Sporting Example
Efficient	Uses only the muscles and energy needed — no wasted effort	A skilled marathon runner with a smooth, relaxed stride conserves energy and avoids early fatigue
Pre-determined	The performer knows what they want to achieve before executing the movement — the outcome is planned	A tennis player decides where to aim their serve before striking the ball
Co-ordinated	Different body parts work together in the correct sequence and timing	A cricket bowler coordinates run-up, arm swing, wrist position, and follow-through
Fluent	The movement flows smoothly from one phase to the next without hesitation	A gymnast performing a floor routine moves seamlessly between tumbles
Aesthetic	The movement looks pleasing to the eye — it appears effortless and graceful	A skilled diver's movements look beautiful to spectators and judges

Exam Tip: Remember the five characteristics using the mnemonic E-P-C-F-A: "Every Player Can Fly Amazingly." This is a distinctive feature of the OCR specification — other exam boards may not test all five.

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Skill Classification — Two Continua

The OCR specification classifies skills using two continua:

1. The Basic–Complex Continuum

Basic Skills	Complex Skills
Simple, few decisions	Many decisions, high information processing
Easy to learn	Take a long time to master
Few sub-routines	Many sub-routines that must be combined
Example: Running, catching a large ball	Example: Triple jump, tennis serve, gymnastics vault

2. The Open–Closed Continuum

Open Skills	Closed Skills
Performed in an unpredictable, changing environment	Performed in a stable, predictable environment
The performer must constantly adapt	The performer controls when and how the skill is executed
Externally paced (the environment dictates timing)	Self-paced (the performer dictates timing)
Example: Dribbling past opponents in football	Example: A free throw in basketball, a gymnastics routine

graph LR
    A["Basic"] -->|"Continuum 1"| B["Complex"]
    C["Open"] -->|"Continuum 2"| D["Closed"]
    A --> A1["e.g. Running"]
    B --> B1["e.g. Triple Jump"]
    C --> C1["e.g. Dribbling<br/>in football"]
    D --> D1["e.g. Free throw<br/>in basketball"]
    style A fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
    style B fill:#c0392b,color:#fff
    style C fill:#2980b9,color:#fff
    style D fill:#e67e22,color:#fff

Exam Tip: A common OCR question gives you a sporting skill and asks you to classify it on both continua. Always justify your answer with a reason. "A penalty kick is a closed skill because the environment is stable and predictable — the ball, goalkeeper, and goal are all in fixed positions, and the performer controls when they take the kick."

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Goal Setting and SMART Targets

Goal setting is a fundamental psychological tool for improving motivation, focus, and adherence to training.

The OCR Version of SMART

This is critical — OCR uses a specific version of SMART that is different from some other exam boards.

Letter	Stands For	Meaning
S	Specific	The goal must clearly state exactly what is to be achieved — not vague or general
M	Measurable	The goal must have a way of being measured so progress can be tracked objectively
A	Achievable	The goal must be realistic and within the performer's capability — challenging but not impossible
R	Recorded	The goal must be written down and documented so it can be reviewed and tracked
T	Timed	The goal must have a clear deadline or timeframe for completion

CRITICAL Exam Tip: OCR defines "A" as Achievable and "R" as Recorded. Other exam boards may use "Accepted/Agreed" and "Realistic." You MUST use the OCR definitions in the OCR exam. Using definitions from a different exam board may cost you marks.

Example SMART Goals

Non-SMART goal: "I want to get faster."

SMART version: "I will reduce my 100-metre sprint time from 13.2 seconds to 12.8 seconds by the end of March, recording my sprint times in my training diary after every session."

SMART Element	How It Is Met
Specific	Reduce 100m sprint time — clear and precise
Measurable	From 13.2s to 12.8s — can be measured objectively
Achievable	A 0.4s improvement is challenging but realistic
Recorded	"Recording my sprint times in my training diary"
Timed	"By the end of March" — clear deadline

Why Each Element Matters

If Missing...	Consequence
Not Specific	The performer does not know exactly what they are working towards
Not Measurable	Progress cannot be tracked, so the performer does not know if they are improving
Not Achievable	The performer becomes frustrated and demotivated because the goal is impossible
Not Recorded	The goal is easily forgotten, and progress cannot be reviewed
Not Timed	There is no urgency, so the performer may procrastinate

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Mental Preparation Techniques

The OCR specification covers four mental preparation techniques:

1. Mental Rehearsal / Visualisation

Aspect	Detail
What it is	Creating a mental image of performing a skill successfully before actually performing it
How it works	The brain sends similar signals to muscles during visualisation as during actual performance, strengthening neural pathways
When to use	Before a performance, during breaks in play, or as part of regular training
Sporting example	A gymnast mentally rehearsing their floor routine before stepping onto the mat
Best for	Closed skills in stable environments; experienced performers who have a clear mental image to draw on

2. Imagery

Aspect	Detail
What it is	Using all the senses to create a vivid mental experience of performing successfully
How it differs from visualisation	Imagery involves multiple senses (sight, sound, feel, even smell), not just visual images
Sporting example	A sprinter imagining the sound of the starting gun, the feel of the blocks, the wind on their face, and themselves crossing the line first

3. Selective Attention

Aspect	Detail
What it is	Focusing on the relevant information and blocking out distractions
How it works	The performer filters out irrelevant stimuli (crowd noise, opponents, negative thoughts) and concentrates only on what is important
Sporting example	A tennis player focusing only on the ball and their opponent's positioning, ignoring the crowd
Why it matters	Reduces information overload, improves decision-making speed, and helps the performer stay calm under pressure

4. Positive Thinking