PhD, Professor T.N. Sakharova¹
Master of Psychology K.T. Aivazova^1
1Moscow State Pedagogical University (MSPU), Moscow

Keywords: sports, semantics, values and priorities system, team sports, individual sports, non-sporting females.

Background. Individual semantic domain may be described as the systemic combination of elementary meanings/ semantic structures with their connections that provide a basis for the individual life activity and expectations in every aspect, as provided by I.V. Kalinin [1]. Sports may be defined in this context as the specific activity field playing a central role in every life with its implications for the semantic domain. Individual progress in modern sports implies the spiritual qualities being developed as persistently as the physical ones. An active sport career never lasts very long in either life albeit it normally makes the largest contribution to the personality formation process with its life goals and senses.

Formative years are commonly viewed as one of the most critical periods in life on the whole and sport career in particular since this is the age of potential competitive accomplishments with the progress in the personality building and physical development aspects. It is quite common for adolescents to rank sports among the key life missions, with the sport accomplishments viewed as opening the ways to self-assertion and wealth, as provided by L.G. Ulyayeva [3]. Physical education and sports provide an effective toolkit for the individual physical progress, health protection and improvement, communication and socializing, plus a good leisure-time business. In addition, sports are viewed as paving the ways to a high social status and respect; providing employment opportunities and shaping up individual intellectual, ethical and aesthetic standards, life values, goals and priorities, as provided by S.A. Khazova [5].

Objective of the study was to analyze the life values and priorities systems for success in team and individual sport versus that in non-sporting junior female groups.

Methods and design of the study. Applied for the study purposes were the following methods: questionnaire survey form of our own design; V.S. Mukhina ‘Who am I?’ Reflexive Self Accounting Test [4]; D.A. Leontyeva Life Values and Priorities Test; Y.B. Fantalova Life Domain Values and Accessibility Rating Test; content analysis; statistical data processing with application of the Kruskal-Wallis One-way Analysis of Variance (H-criterion); cluster analysis; and factorial analysis. Sampled for the study purposes were the 20-23 year-old females split up into the following three groups: Team Sport Group (TSG, n=60) composed of professional basketball players; Individual Sport Group (ISG, n=60) composed of professionals in modern individual sports including cross-country skiing, track and field sports, artistic gymnastics and taekwondo; and a Non-sporting Group (NSG, n=60) of non-sporting females.

Study findings and discussion. It was found that the TSG/ ISG life values and priorities are centered on the individual progress and self-fulfillment in the professional domain, with the TSG more focused on the joint/ team values, and the ISG values dominated by the individual competitive accomplishments. The NSG life values and priorities were also found centered on the individual progress albeit dominated by the family building values rather than the professional careers and accomplishments.

The Kruskal-Wallis One-way Analysis of Variance (H-criterion) found insignificant intergroup differences in the sample, with the individual agendas found typical for this age group i.e. dominated by the self-identification and assertion goals in every domain (individual, family, professional etc.). The processed study data are presented in Table 1 hereunder.

Table 1. Life values and priorities (LVP) of the sample averaged in points, with significance levels

As demonstrated by the above data, no significant intergroup differences were not found in the sample that may be due to the latter being consistent in the age structure.

The factorial analysis found the most significant factors for the sporting versus non-sporting subsamples. The factorial structure of the TSG/ISG versus NSG correlations was different as demonstrated by Figures 1 and 2 hereunder. The sporting groups with multiannual track records were found more confident in themselves, with the highest factorial weight of Self Awareness Locus of Control and with the clearer expectations as to their professional careers. The NSG was found no less centered on the life values albeit the group values are dominated by the family related ones. This means that the non-sporting females give a higher priority to the family building values versus the sporting ones.

Figure 1. Factorial analysis by the key components: TSG/ ISG

Figure 2. Factorial analysis by the key components, NSG

The V.S. Mukhina ‘Who am I?’ Reflexive Self Accounting Test showed the sporting (TSG/ISG) individuals being more focused on the social progress standards and expectations; with the group self-accounts dominated by ‘I am a Master of Sport’, ‘I am a basketball player’, ‘I am a future coach’ etc. identifications. The NSG was found more prone to the personality-colored socially sensitive reflections, with the group self-accounts dominated by ‘I am an individual’, ‘I am a personality’, ‘I am a girl’ etc.: see Figure 3.

Figure 3. Key reflection types in the sporting versus non-sporting subsamples

The Y.B. Fantalova Life Domain Values and Accessibility Rating Test found the sporting subsample rating active life as a special value of high importance for the active professional longevity. The non-sporting group tends to underestimate this value within their life models since an active life is considered unimportant for their professional careers and family values.

Conclusion. The study found the sporting subsample giving a high priority to an active life as the value of high importance for their professional careers. The non-sporting subsample was tested to give a top priority to family values versus their sporting peers, i.e. centered on search for a partner and family building in their life agendas.

References

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2. Leontyev D.A. Test smyslozhiznennykh orientatsiy (SZhO) [Life meaning orientations test], 2nd ed.. Moscow: Smysl publ., 2000, 18 p.
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Abstract

The study analyzes the life values and priorities systems for success in team sports versus those in the individual sport and in non-sporting junior female groups. The empirical study data and analyses may be applied to improve professional training systems, since the individual/ group values and priorities systems are more known to be important for success in sports than intellectual and physical capacities. Due knowledge and motivations are necessary for each athlete to be fully aware of each process and phenomenon in the sport and successfully progress in the intellectual and physical domains feeling him/herself a unique contributor to sports. The world outlook, motivations and ethics related knowledge and values help develop a reasonable world outlook with an apprehension of the social and specific missions of sports in general and the individual mission in elite sports in particular.