Background
Personality traits seem to be excellent predictors of starting, continuing and discontinuing physical activity. Moreover, they constitute an important determinant of health-seeking behaviors. Therefore, consideration of personality-related variables may be helpful in explaining either motivation of athletes or the goals they achieve.
Participants and procedure
The study included 1229 individuals, among them 532 active athletes and 697 persons with no history of competitive sporting activities. The group of sportspersons included 286 team sport athletes, 124 representatives of individual sport disciplines and 125 combat sport athletes.
Results
The athletes were found to have moderate levels of all analyzed personality dimensions. Multiple regression analysis showed that personality traits explained 46% of variance in the level of Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 4.0, p = 0.009) and 36% of variance in the level of Health Practices (F = 2.7, p = 0.043) presented by female combat sport athletes. Personality profile explained 30% of variance in the level of Proper Nutrition Habits (F = 7.8, p < 0.001) and 40% of variance in Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 11.2, p < 0.001) of male combat sport athletes. Personality profile explained 38% of variance in the level of Proper Nutrition Habits (F = 7.2, p < 0.001) and 30% of variance in Positive Psychological Attitudes (F = 5.1, p = 0.001) presented by men who practiced individual sport disciplines.
Conclusions
Our study confirmed that the personality super-factors are associated with health-seeking behaviors of athletes regarding proper nutrition habits, positive psychological attitudes and health practices.
REFERENCES(35)
1.
Aluja, A., Garcı́a, Ó. & Garcı́a, L.F. (2003). Relationships among extraversion, openness to experience, and sensation seeking. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 671-680. doi: http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00244-1.
Bond, M.J. & Feather, N.T. (1988). Some correlates of structure and purpose in the use of time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 321-329.
Bratland-Sanda, S., Sundgot-Borgen, J., Ro, O., Rosenvinge, J.H., Hoffart, A. & Martinsen, E.W. (2010). “I’m not physically active – I only go for walks”: physical activity in patients with longstanding eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 43, 88-92.
Costa Jr, P.T. & McCrae, R.R. (1992). Four ways five factors are basic. Personality and Individual Differences, 13, 653-665. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ 0191-8869(92)90236-I.
Costa, P.T., Jr., McCrae, R.R. & Norris, A.H. (1981). Personal adjustment to aging: longitudinal prediction from neuroticism and extraversion. Journal of Gerontology, 36, 78-85.
Dishman, R.K. & Sallis, J.F. (1994). Determinants and interventions for physical activity and exercise. In: C. Bouchard, R.J. Shephard & T. Stephens (eds.). Physical activity, fitness, and health. International proceedings and consensus statement (pp. 214-238). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Fox, K.R. (1997). The physical self and processes in self-esteem development. In: K.R. Fox (ed.). The physical self. From motivation to well-being (pp. 111-139). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Goodwin, R.D. & Friedman, H.S. (2006). Health status and the five-factor personality traits in a nationally representative sample. Journal of Health Psychology, 11, 643-654.
Gumble, A. & Carels, R. (2012). The harmful and beneficial impacts of weight bias on well-being: the moderating influence of weight status. Body Image, 9, 101-107.
Johnson, P., Fallon, E.A., Harris, B.S. & Burton, B. (2013). Body satisfaction is associated with Transtheoretical Model constructs for physical activity behavior change. Body Image, 10, 163-174.
Juczyński, Z. (2001). Narzędzia pomiaru w promocji i psychologii zdrowia [Instruments for measurements in health promotion and psychology]. Warszawa: Pracownia Testów Psychologicznych Polskiego Towarzystwa Psychologicznego.
Kinnunen, M.L., Metsapelto, R.L., Feldt, T., Kokko, K., Tolvanen, A., Kinnunen, U. & Pulkkinen, L. (2012). Personality profiles and health: longitudinal evidence among Finnish adults. Scand Journal of Psychology, 53, 512-522.
Krawczyński, M. (2004). Gra dla zabawy czy gra dla zwyciężania – psychologiczne problemy uczestnictwa w sporcie dzieci i młodzieży [Game for fun or game to win – psychological problems associated with participation of children and adolescents in sport]. In: M. Krawczyński & D. Nowicki (eds.). Psychologia sportu w treningu dzieci i młodzieży [Sport psychology in training of children and adolescents] (pp. 73-83). Warszawa: Biblioteka Trenera.
Lipowski, M. (2006). Rekreacja ruchowa kobiet jako zachowanie prozdrowotne – uwarunkowania a motywy uczestnictwa [Physical activity of women as pro-health behavior – determinants and motives of participation]. Gdansk: Wydawnictwo: AWFiS.
Lipowski, M., Bulinski, L. & Krawczynski, M. (2009). Physical activities among other types of health-related behaviour in people losing weight. Medical Science Monitor, 15, CR423-428.
Martens, M.P., Dams-O’Connor, K. & Klimer, J.R. (2007). Alcohol and drugs use among athletes. Prevalence, etiology and interventions. In: G. Tenenbaum & R.E. Eklund (eds.). Handbook of sport psychology (pp. 859-878). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Pasman, L. & Thompson, J.K. (1988). Body image and eating disturbance in obligatory runners, obligatory weightlifters, and sedentary individuals. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 7, 759-769. doi: 10.1002/1098-108x(198811)7:63.0.co;2-g.
Staudinger, U.M., Fleeson, W. & Batles, P.B. (1999). Predictors of subjective psychical health and global well-being: similarities and differences between the United States and Germany. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 305-319.
Yusko, D.A., Buckman, J.F., White, H.R. & Pandina, R.J. (2008). Alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and performance enhancers: a comparison of use by college student athletes and nonathletes. Journal of American College Health, 57, 281-290.
Zawadzki, B., Szczepaniak, P. & Strelau, J. (1995). Diagnoza psychometryczna pięciu wielkich czynników osobowości: Adaptacja kwestionariusza NEO-FFI Costy i McCrae do warunków polskich [Psychometric diagnosis of the Big Five personality traits: Polish adaptation of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) by Costa & McCrea]. Studia Psychologiczne, 33, 189-255.
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.