PERSONALITY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PLAYERS REGARDING THE TYPE OF SPORT AND AGE

Personality psychology focuses on the study of differences and classification of differences and the analysis of the consequences of these differences among people. Research in sport and exercise psychology includes differences in how personality traits are expressed in individual and team sports. Understanding the difference between young and senior athletes in contact ball sports in terms of their personality is important information for expert coaches, scientist-practitioners, and sport psychologists involved in management of the development of athletes and teams. In this study data on athlete's personality was collected via self-assessments. This data provides the basis for answering to proposed research questions dealing with personality differences of athletes which might be related to type of collective ball sport and their age. Sample included 602 athletes from active in one of the three team sports, all training and playing in Croatia. Big Five Inventory - BFI self-report personality questionnaire was used as a measure of personality traits. Results of the two-way ANOVA suggest that football players, handball and water polo players differ significantly in Conscientiousness and Openness. In comparison to young players, senior players show more pronounced Agreeableness and Conscientiousness (ability to control impulses), which facilitates goal and tasks directed behavior. Also, Openness is more pronounced in senior players. These findings suggest a more stable behavior (or its correlates) in senior players during training and competition (more mature, prosocial, flexible, imaginative and creative behavior in athletic environment).