Groupness and Leadership Perceptions in Relation to Social Identity in Youth Sport

Despite support for a number of consequences emanating from social identity in sport, much less is known pertaining to potential antecedents. This study sought to extend preliminary findings from recent youth sport research (e.g., Bruner et al., 2015) by investigating perceptions of groupness and leadership status in relation to social identity in 480 athletes. Results indicated that perceptions of groupness at the individual and team levels were positively related to social identity, as was being a formal or informal leader. As such, both identifying as a leader and perceiving an increased amount of groupness among teammates increased social identity.