A Comparative Study of Aggressive Tendency, Intelligence and Adjustment Among Sportspersons

In the world of stiff competition, technological advancement and ever changing social scenario, people are bound to suffer from psychological disorders like frustration, tension and anxiety. Sports may provide remedy to overcome these maladies affecting modern society. Sports help in breaking the monotony of mechanical life which the people are living today. Sports help the participants and the spectators as well. By playing strenuous games the performer derives real happiness and satisfaction from them. They help in bringing out positive aspects of one’s personality, like self-perception, confidence, intelligence, endurance, adjustment and will power to remain calm and cool in most compelling circumstances, appreciation and learning of skills even of opponents and to contest in friendly manner and accept both the victory and the defeat with the same grace. In modern times, the spirit of extreme competition has changed the entire scenario in sports. The craze for winning medals in the Olympics and in other international competitions has catalyzed the sports scientists to take interest in exploring all the aspects and possibilities which can contribute to enhance sports performance to undreamt heights.

Direct assistance from various sports sciences such as sports physiology, sports medicine, and biomechanics and sports psychology, have raised the sports performance to a great height. The sports scientists have now started looking beyond these horizons. The idea that athletes must perform under similar conditions of training and competition is getting entrenched firmly because physical efforts are important during training and psyche state is important during competition.

In the modern era of cut throat competition, one cannot afford to remain immune to competition with aggression, intelligence and adjustment but a review of available literature among the wide variety of psychological variables which directly or indirectly influence the sports performance may conclude that no study has been conducted to investigate the intelligence, adjustment and aggression of individual and team event sportspersons such as Boxing, Judo, Gymnastic, Athletic, Football, Basketball and Cricket, etc. So, to assess the effect of intelligence, adjustment and aggression on the sportspersons of different games. Further the study was spited over these two objectives : 1. To find out whether there was any difference in aggressive tendency, intelligence and 2. To find out whether there was any difference in aggressive tendency, intelligence and adjustment between male and female players of different games.

In the present study, multistage sampling plan in which stratified random sampling technique and simple random sampling technique were used for selecting the samples. The present investigation was conducted on a total of 600 sportspersons of Haryana state, who had participated at National and Inter University level tournaments n contact, semi-contact and non-contact games. The subjects were in the age group of 18-25 years. Out of total samples of 600 students, 200 players were of contact games, whereas 200 players were from semi-contact games and rest 200 players were from non-contact games. These three groups were further divided into two sub-categories having 100 males and 100 females each. The selection of tools was governed by the consideration of their (i) availability, (ii) suitability to the sample and (iii) reliability and validity. Keeping in view these considerations, the following tests were used for data collection : (a) “Aggression Questionnaire” has been used for measuring aggressive behavior (Pati, 1976). (b) “The group test of General Mental Ability” was used in Hindi version to measure the intelligence level (Jalota, 1976). (c) “Adjustment Inventory for College students” has been used to measure adjustment (Sinha and Singh, 1980). In order to collect the requisite data sampled the entire population had decided the appropriate tools to measure the attributes concerned and finally to administer tools on the sample were selected. The requisite data were then collected and filled in prescribed questionnaires. After selecting the sample of the study and before conducting the tests, the purpose of testing and technique to be employed in the study of the subjects and all possible doubts were cleared. The respondents were assured that the information obtained through the scale would be kept confidential. It would not harm them in any case. Therefore, they were urged to feel free and reply every question frankly and sincerely. The subjects showed enthusiasm and promise to give whole-hearted co-operation for this venture. In this study, questionnaire method was used. All questionnaires were administered to all subjects under the direct supervision of the investigator. The questionnaires Keeping in view the objectives as well as design of the study, the statistical techniques of mean, standard deviation and two-way analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.

It was found that contact game players had more aggressive behaviour than that of semi-contact and non-contact games as well as non-contact game players had less aggressive tendency than that of semi-contact game players (Table 1). So, from the present study, it was observed that as the body contact of players increased the aggressive behaviour also increased.

It was found that male players of contact game were most aggressive in behaviour as compared to semi-contact and non-contact games. It also revealed that sportsmen of semi-contact games were more aggressive than that of non-contact games. It was further seen that female players of contact game were most aggressive in behaviour than that of semi-contact and non-contact games. It was also concluded that female players of semi-contact games were more aggressive as compared to non-contact games. The studies conducted by Martin et al. (1972) and Brown (1982) had supported the present findings. They concluded that as the body contact increased in 120 games there was also increase in aggressive behaviour. Cox (2002) also reported that contact game players had more aggressiveness than non-contact game players. It was found that sportspersons of semi-contact games were more intelligent as compared to contact and non-contact games (Table 2). It also showed that non-contact game players had high intelligence level than the contact game players.

and non-contact games sportsmen. After careful analysis from Table 2, it was found that female players of semi-contact and non-contact games had higher intelligence level than that of contact games.

After giving a cursory look on the data in Table 3, it was found that players of semi-contact games were most adjusted as compared to the players of contact and non-contact games. It was also found that contact game players were more adjusted as compared to non-contact game players. It was found that in male section the players of semi-contact games were better adjusted than that of contact and non-contact games. It was also found that contact game players were more adjusted as compared to the non-contact game players. It was found that in female section players of contact and semi-contact games had better adjustment level as compared to non-contact game players. Cratly (1972) also reported that female players had better adjustment level.

level than others. This may be due to the team games in this section. Because in team games all players have to play together to make success in the games and the results of the games depend upon all the players of the team, so it teaches them to make a joint effort to get the success. Therefore, the situations of depending on each other make them more adjustable in nature. Aggressiveness is highly related to the performance in the games and sports. So, sportspersons of most aggressive tendency are suggested to participate in contact games, less aggressive in semi-contact games and least aggressive to participate in non-contact games. The players having high intelligence and adjustment level are suggested to participate in semi-contact or team games. So, long physical fitness factors, aggressiveness, optimum level of intelligence and adjustment are to be kept in mind while selecting or putting sportsmen/women in various sports activities. Further, more development of adjustment, intelligence and aggressiveness congenial to sports activities be formed a part of regular curricular activities for the building of emerging sportsmen/women at the adolescent stage. The findings of the present study have significant implications for teachers, physical educators, coaches, administrators and organizers of sports in our country. They have to frame more scientific curriculum including the latest development in sports techniques, sports medicine, etc. Moreover, more effective and more scientific training activities should be imparted to those engaged in teaching physical education and sports at various levels.

CONCLUSION

In the present study, it was concluded that the contact game players were more aggressive as compare to semi-contact and non-contact game players. It was also observed that semi-contact game players has more aggression level as compare to non-contact game players. On intelligence level, it was found that semi-contact game players were more intelligent than contact and non-contact game players. As well as non-contact game players were found more intelligent as compare to contact game players. Female players were found more intelligent when compared to male players. In adjustment level, semi-contact game players were found more adjustable as compare to contact and non-contact game players. It was also observed that contact game players were better at adjustment level as compare to non-contact game players. Brown, J.M. (1982). Attitude towards violence and self-reports of participation in contact sports. Unpublished Manuscript, Lafayette College. Cox, R.H. (2002). Sports Psychology – Concepts and Application, 5th edn. Boston : WCB/McGraw Hill. Cratly, B.J. (1972). Physical Expresson of Intelligence. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Prentice Hall. Jalota, S. (1976). The Group General Mental Ability Test (GMAT). The Phycho Centre, New Delhi. Martin, R., Landers, D.M. and Loy, J. (1972). Sport Cohesiveness Questionnaire. Washington : AAHPER. Pati, G.C. (1976). Aggression Questionnaire. Cuttak Rupa Psychological Centre. Varanasi. Sinha, A.K.P. and Singh, R.P. (1980). Adjustment Inventory for College Students (AICS). National Psychology Co., Agra.