AQA GCSE Physical Education Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and wellbeing in physical activity and sport, June 2025: Question 1

1 mark · Easy difficulty · Multiple Choice

Identify which term is defined as 'a physical and mental state of alertness'.

Practise this question

Question

Question 01 asks: 'Which one of these is defined as ‘a physical and mental state of alertness’?' There are four options to choose from: A Aggression, B Arousal, C Health, and D Motivation, each with a corresponding tick box or lozenge on the right. Worth 1 mark.
Question text

01 Which one of these is defined as ‘a physical and mental state of alertness’?

[1 mark]

A Aggression

B Arousal

C Health

D Motivation

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme Mark scheme for Question 01 indicating 1 mark for AO1, with the correct answer stated as 'Answer B – Arousal. (1)'.

01 Which one of these is defined as ‘a physical and mental state of alertness’?

[1 mark]

Marks for this question: AO1 = 1

Answer B – Arousal. (1)

How to answer it

Sports Psychology: Arousal & Performance

📋 What this question tests

This question assesses AO1 (Knowledge and Understanding) recall from Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and sports psychology. Specifically, it tests your ability to recall the precise textbook definition of arousal and distinguish it from other psychological terms such as motivation, aggression, and general health.

Question 01

Multiple Choice: Psychological Terms

Question: Which one of these is defined as 'a physical and mental state of alertness'? [1 mark]

✅ Correct Answer

B — Arousal (1 mark)

Mark Scheme Breakdown:
• 1 mark for selecting option B.
• AO1: 1 mark.

💡 Key Knowledge (AQA Definitions)

  • Arousal: A physical and mental state of alertness or readiness, varying from deep sleep to intense excitement.
  • Motivation: The drive or desire to take part in an activity and succeed (can be intrinsic or extrinsic).
  • Aggression: Direct or indirect force intended to harm or intimidate an opponent (outside or inside the rules).
  • Health: A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

🧠 Exam Technique: Elimination Strategy

  • Look for trigger words: The words "alertness" and "physical and mental state" point directly to readiness to act — this is the exact specification phrasing for arousal.
  • Eliminate distractors:
    • Health refers to overall well-being, not short-term alertness.
    • Motivation is the "drive" or "desire" to do something.
    • Aggression involves intent to harm or exert force.
  • Shade cleanly: Fill in the lozenge completely. If you change your mind, cross it out cleanly and fill in your new choice.

❌ Common Misconceptions

  • Confusing Arousal with Motivation: Many students confuse "drive to perform" (motivation) with "state of alertness" (arousal). Arousal is physiological and psychological activation, not the reason why you compete.
  • Equating Arousal with Aggression: While high arousal can sometimes lead to uncontrolled aggression, they are completely separate psychological concepts.
  • Overthinking the definition: Multiple choice definition questions are straight recall from the specification glossary. Stick strictly to the exact wording you memorised.

Topics

3.2 Socio-cultural influences and wellbeing in physical activity and sport · 3.2.1 Sports psychology

Question and mark scheme from the AQA GCSE Physical Education examination, Paper 2: Socio-cultural influences and wellbeing in physical activity and sport, June 2025. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.