Česká kinantropologie 2014, vol. 18, no. 3, p. 26 – 31
MOTIVATIONAL AND PERSONALITY FACTORS IN JUDO COACHING* Pavel Harsa1, Ladislav Csémy2, Marek Macák1, Josef Brož3, Alena Mairichová3, Jiří Vele3 First Faculty of Medicine, Psychiatric Clinic, Charles University in Prague Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague 3 Czech Judo Federation 1 2
abstract Motivational personality factors play a significant role in performing and directing one’s activities towards selected goals in life. The structure and intensity of temperamental traits, individual differences, all that helps and hurts us, what motivates us for various activities, all these are highly specific. Sports are significant, socially and developmentally relevant activities, and temperament plays an essential role in the way people engage in them. Coaches and instructors possess specific personality characteristics that set them apart from general population. Some of them are as follows: higher stress resistance and coping abilities, emotional stability, flexible decision-making, ability to face failure, the ability to cope with pressure from media, the ability to cope with popularity, positive influence on development and training of young athletes and the ability to remain in control of one’s negative emotional reactions. These presumptions led us to the idea of evaluation and measurement of personality traits and motivational factors in future judo instructors (license type B), with special interest in the relevance of our findings for occupational choice in this direction. Key words: motivational personality factors, training, psychological testing, Eysenck Personality Inventory – EPI, EOD-B, Motivation Questionnaire, temperament, motivation, personality types, judo, B-type License. INTRODUCTION Self-knowledge is the key aspect of the philosophy of trainers. The fact that the trainer is expected to set an example, especially in his work with younger trainees, goes hand in hand with a great responsibility. Every trainer’s personality and his ability to cooperate with other people are crucial aspects of his profession. Other important aspects are the trainer’s personality traits, for example his ability to control and regulate his emotions and behaviour, and his professional motivation. The main motive may be the desire to help others, to influence and raise other people in a positive way, to help them become successful and to take pleasure from doing a good job and attaining respectable results. At times, there may as well be other reasons, such as desire for money, fame or power, which may represent a risk factor in this kind of profession. Personality traits are a result of interaction of innate dispositions and social interaction
ˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉˉ * The article was written in the framework of the program PRVOUK-P03/LF1/9. 26
and development. The degree of awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses is quite individual. However, we should not only respect but also be as much as possible aware of our ways of functioning, since our behaviour is largely reflected in our interpersonal contexts. Vaněk and Hošek conceptualize the personality of a trainer as a cluster of social roles, representing an ideal, relatively approximated by many coaches in practice. According to these authors, a prototypical coach is an educator, a trainer and an organizer, who becomes a representant and a mediator of values sanctioned by the society. Vaněk and Hošek recommend every coach to build relevant expert knowledge and skills, including the ability to effectively supervise the athlete’s training. Of importance are also the coaches’ personality traits. A person who effectively embodies such dispositions and skills as leadership, responsibility, emotional stability, close relational contact with other members of the group and ambitiousness, is predisposed to become a successful coach. Eysenck (1960) defines personality as more or less stable and permanent organization of individual’s character, temperament, intellect and body, determining his or her unique adaptation within a given environment (Nakonečný, 1995). Eysenck’s personality factors (used in the EOD-B questionnaire applied in our research) identifies second-grade (independent) factor. These can also be conceptualized as vectors (see fig. 1). The combination of these factors provides differentiation of basic types of temperament and their respective character traits (Nakonečný, 1995). Moodiness Anxiousness Rigidity
Excitability Restlessness Vitality Melancholic
I.
II.
Choleric
Phlegmatic
III.
IV.
Sanguine
Passivity Resignation Calm
Extraversion
Introversion
Emotionally unstable
Liveliness Sociability Vigor Emotionally stable Figure 1 Eysenck personality factors
Measurement of personality in sport psychology research is generally done with these three aims (Carducci, 2009): 1. Personality measurement provides meaningful knowledge about people (e.g. their proclivity to feel anxious before performance). 2. Personality measurment helps the researchers gather information that allow them to share their findings with other specialists. 3. Personality measurement helps the sport psychologists evaluate the athletes‘ behavior as a basis for subsequent therapy trying to resolve the problematic aspects of the athletes‘ functioning. In the context of athletic activities, some personality traits may be more beneficial than others. 27
GOAL of the study The goal of this pilot study was to assess personality factors and motivational aspects in future coaches of judo. We were also interested in the type influence these factors may have on the trainees of these coaches. METHODS Psychological testing was carried out within five years (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013) as an integral part of coaching trainings organized by the Methodical Committee of the Czech Judo Federation. Participation in the study was optional, which resulted in a sample of 78 coaches (71 men, 7 women), with the average age of 32.7 years (ranging from 20 to 73 years of age). All the participants were of higher than elementary education. All 78 participants of coaching trainings underwent psychological assessment in respective years. The participants were administered personality persoality questionnaire EOD-B (the Czech version of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire), consisting of 57 yes/no questions. This inventory includes a range of questions that assess emotional experience, personality traits, attitudes, somatic states and reactions to different life situations. 24 items measure extraversion (Scale E), 24 items measure neurotic tendencies (Scale N) and 9 items comprise the Lie scale (Scale L) of the questionnaire. Another questionnaire that was administered assesses motivational reasons involved in one’s choice of profession, in this case, profession of a judo coach. We used Ranier Martens‘ questionnaire (Martens, 2006), which we adapted for our purposes. The questionnaire is comprised of 11 items, each on a three-point scale (none-moderate-high), measuring dominance of a specific motivational aspect. Administration of this questionnaire takes no more than 20 minutes. RESULTS The results of EOD personality questionnaire are presented in Tables 1 and 2. In table 1 the percentages of those who reported high emotional stability and high extraversion are summarized. We suppose, that combination of these traits are conform with successful professional functioning of coaches. Table 1 EOD-B results (emotional stability + extraversion) Gender
2008
2009
2011
2012
2013
Men
89.50%
83.00%
95.00%
52.94%
80.00%
Women
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
17.64%
100%
Note: Percentage of coaches with suitable personality traits (more extraverted and emotionally stable). Table 2 EOD-B results (lack of emotional stability + extraversion) Gender
2008
2009
2011
2012
2013
Men
10.50%
17.00%
5.00%
23.52%
20.00%
Women
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
5.88%
0.00%
Note: Percentage of coaches with less suitable personality traits (extraversion and lack of emotional stability).
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Figure 2 Coaches position based on values on scores on Neuroticism and Extraversion scale
Most of the coaches tested in 2012 is located within the elypsis A. They are typically extraverted in the average or above average levels, with average and below the average levels of neuroticism. The elypsis B contains three coaches with average and above average neuroticism score and below-average extraversion score. The last elypsis (C) contains those coaches in whom both neuroticism and extraversion are low. The distribution of responses to profile of motivational reasons is presented in Table 3. The results suggest that three items are crucial as regards motivation. Thos three items cover positive attitude to sport and preference to share time with people who like the sports as well. For majority of coaches power, popularity or compensation for own failure was not reported as important motive for their profession. Table 3 Motivation for choosing coaching profession (%) Reason
Unimportant
Moderately important
Highly important
Doing a sport a like very much
0.0
10.3
89.7
Having power
59.0
37.2
3.8
Being famous, popular
50.0
47.4
3.8
Being with my favourite people
7.7
10.3
89.7
Being beneficial in the sport in which I was actively involved 1.3
42.3
55.1
Being publicly acknowledged
33.3
57.7
9.0
Doing what I like doing
0.0
6.4
93.6
Deepening knowledge and skills in sports
0.0
25.6
74.4
Compensating for my failures
65.4
33.3
1.3
Being able to travel
41.0
48.7
10.3
Helping and raising others
0.0
33.3
66.7
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DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION From psychological point of view, the results indicate that most of the candidates were suitable for the coaching profession (from the point of view of their personalities and motivation). Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EOD-B) results show that most of the individuals in our sample (89.33% men, 50% women) are predominantly emotionally balanced, stable, and generally extraverted. This category included those participants of the training whose Extroversion score did not drop below 15 points on the scale and whose score on the Neuroticism scale did not rise above 10 points. This combination of predominant extraversion and emotional stability creates favourable conditions for emotional balance, better personality integration, general calm and absence of nervousness. Personality typology classifies this type of people as sanguine. Results of the rest of our sample (13.4% men, 50% women) indicated the presence of emotional unbalance, lack of stability, hypersensitive emotionality, anxiety and nervousness. This group included those participants whose scores on the Neuroticism scale was higher than 10 points. The higher the score on this scale, the higher the intensity of these traits. All of the participants in this group scored above 12 points on the scale. Personality typology classifies the temperament of there individuals as choleric. Since none of the participants in our sample scored below 15 points on the Extraversion scale (none tended towards introversion), the rest of the basic character types were not represented (phlegmatic and melancholic) and thus we do not interpret them. The Lie scale was not significantly high in any of the participants, making the questionnaire results reasonably valid. The EOD seems to be a quite useful instrument in its application with trainers‘ personality characteristics, however in the year 2013, for the first time, we applied the NEO 5 questionnaire, which is more contemporary and very promising, contributing more personality dimensions compared to EOD. Motivation questionnaire results indicate that the most important reasons for engaging in coaching activities in our participants were based on intrinsic (primary) motivation, i.e. on one’s own organismic needs. Extrinsic motivation, reflecting external stimuli and incentives, did not prevail in the self-description of our subjects, although in the last group (year 2011), it showed higher incidence than in the previous years (being respected, valued and rewarded). This may reflect general cultural trend and natural human tendencies, without devaluing participants‘ character in any way. What is important is that our sample did not indicate any prevailing tendency towards preferring gifts or financial stimuli, commercial offers and power-related incentives. The major reported motivation for the profession of a coach was the need to be involved in one’s preferred sport, doing what one likes doing, spending time with people one prefers, mentoring others, deepening one’s sports knowledge and skills, but also compensating for one’s failures. In conclusion, we could say, that most of the participants seemed to be suitable candidates for the position of a coach. It is also significant to note that the correlation of personality traits (emotional stability) and prevailing intrinsic motivation offer some hope that these coaches have the suitable characteristics and attitudes that equip them well to raise new sportsmen. We may presume them to be more stable, balanced, optimistic, social and disciplined, with prevailing intrinsic motivation. They are also likely 30
to be less prone to interpersonal conflicts, more open to act according to proper rules, instead of being impulsive, labile, angry, and oppositional. The candidates who showed these more negative traits also showed an unhealthy motivation, for example a marked need to be admired, self-centeredness, selfishness, arrogance, desire for power, disproportionate financial requirements and an effort to lead the young athletes to victory at any price. Objections may be raised that we have not employed other contemporary diagnostic methods for traits measurement (e.g. NEO 5, BOD, etc.). However, since this is a longitudinal study (started in 2008), we did ot want to change the methods originally used. We also appreciated the presence of Lie Scale built into the Eysenck’s questionnaire, which provided us with a measure of validity of the participants’ responses. We are open to include newer methods of measurement in ou future research and we are planning to utilize NEO 5 and Cloninger’s personality questionnaire, which would widen the scope of investigation and include the participants’ character and moral traits. The results show that psychological testing is indispensable in the practice of sports and also that screening results may be a relevant indicator of suitability or unsuitability of candidates for the coaching profession. The coaches with higher Neuroticism scores were subsequently educated in methods of intrapsychic tension and anxiety management (autoregulation and heteroregulation techniques, lifestyle, etc.) References CARDUCCI, B. J. (2009) The psychology of personality. Viewpoints, research and applications. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. HOŠEK, V. (2006) Osobnost ve sportu. In SLEPIČKA, P., HOŠEK, V., HÁTLOVÁ, B. Psychologie sportu. Praha: Karolinum. MARTENS, R. (2006) Úspěšný trenér. Praha: Grada Publishing. MIGLIERINI, B., Vonkomer, J. (1979) Eysenckov osobnostný dotazník. Bratislava: Nakladatelství – Psychodiagnostické a didaktické testy. NAKONEČNÝ, M. (1995) Psychologie osobnosti. Praha: Academia. SLEPIČKA, P. (1998) Psychologie koučování. Praha: Olympia. SVOBODA, M. (1999) Psychologická diagnostika dospělých. Praha: Portál. TOD, D. a kol. (2012) Psychologie sportu. Praha: Grada Publishing. VANĚK, M. a kol. (1974) Studie osobnosti ve sportu. Praha: Univerzita Karlova. WEINBERG, S. R., GOULD, D. (2003) Foundations of Sport & Exersise Psychology. 3rd ed. Leeds: Human Kinetics.
PhDr. Pavel Harsa, Ph.D. First Faculty of Medicine, Psychiatric Clinic, Ke Karlovu 11, 128 08 Prague 2 Charles University in Prague e-mail:
[email protected]
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