Gender differences in the perceived impact that athlete leaders have on team member emotional states

ABSTRACT

Emotional contagion has been recognized as a variable influencing individual behaviour and team functioning. In particular, leaders within the team have been suggested to have a significant impact on their teammates through the expression of their emotions. As a result, the aim of this study was to provide greater insight into how different athlete leaders impact the emotional state of their team members, and whether gender differences existed in these relationships. Participants were 295 university student-athletes (200 male and 95 female) recruited from four universities in the UK. Data were collected in a two-step process. First, a voting/rating procedure was conducted within team to identify dominant task, motivational, social and external leaders. Then, participants completed the emotional contagion subscale of the Measure of Empathetic Tendency to rate the impact different athlete leaders had upon their emotional state. A MANOVA was conducted to explore gender differences in reported emotional susceptibility by leadership role. Subsequent ANOVAs highlighted significant differences between leadership role scores for female participants only. The results suggest that female athletes are more susceptible to emotional influence than male athletes. Furthermore, female athletes experienced a greater variation in the perceived emotional influence of different leadership roles in the team.     

The myth of the team captain as principal leader: extending the athlete leadership classification within sport teams

Abstract

Although coaches and players recognise the importance of leaders within the team, research on athlete leadership is sparse. The present study expands knowledge of athlete leadership by extending the current leadership classification and exploring the importance of the team captain as formal leader of the team. An online survey was completed by 4,451 participants (31% females and 69% males) within nine different team sports in Flanders (Belgium). Players (N = 3,193) and coaches (N = 1,258) participated on all different levels in their sports. Results revealed that the proposed additional role of motivational leader was perceived as clearly distinct from the already established roles (task, social and external leader). Furthermore, almost half of the participants (44%) did not perceive their captain as the principal leader on any of the four roles. These findings underline the fact that the leadership qualities attributed to the captain as the team’s formal leader are overrated. It can be concluded that leadership is spread throughout the team; informal leaders rather than the captain take the lead, both on and off the field.     

凝聚力对教练员领导行为、运动员角色投入和运动员满意度的中介作用

探讨我国高水平手球队凝聚力是否对教练员领导行为、运动员角色投入与运动员满意度具有中介作用。赛前使用群体环境问卷对160名参加全国女子手球锦标赛的运动员进行凝聚力测试，赛后使用运动领导行为量表、运动员角色投入问卷、运动员满意度问卷对上述运动员进行了测试。运用Baron和Kenny（1986）线性回归分析方法对凝聚力的中介作用给予检验。结果表明，运动员所知觉到的领导行为和角色投入对团队成绩满意度、团队一致满意度影响显著，但该影响由于凝聚力的加入而变小或变得不显著。说明凝聚力对领导行为、角色投入与团队成绩满意度、团队一致性满意度具有中介作用。     

A cross-level moderating effect of team trust on the relationship between transformational leadership and cohesion

ABSTRACT

We draw on the concept of the shared mental model to explain the cross-level direct and moderating effects of team trust on the relationship between coach transformational leadership and cohesion. Using hierarchical linear modelling, we analysed 597 national level high school and university volleyball players to test our research model. Our results revealed that, (a) at the individual level, coach transformational leadership has a positive effect on athletes’ perceptions on cohesion and (b) team trust, a group-level construct, is positively related to social cohesion and moderates the coach transformational leadership-cohesion relationship. The moderating effect demonstrates that the positive effect of coach transformational leadership on cohesion could be enhanced when high levels of team trust are shared within the group. Implications for coach education and sport psychology in terms of theory and research are discussed.     

Athlete leadership in sport teams: Current understanding and future directions

Leadership is a fundamental aspect of sports performance, particularly within team sport environments. Over the past 25 years there has been significant research exploring the role of the coach/manager in this regard. However, this only represents one aspect of leadership within the sporting domain. Equally important, although far less examined, is the concept of athlete leadership. The role of athlete leaders, both formal (e.g., the captain) and informal (such as motivators and cultural architects) can have a significant impact upon a range of team-related factors including satisfaction, cohesion, and team dynamics. However, the mechanisms through which this impact occurs are less well understood. Also, while the development of leadership skills has been proposed as an important aspect of coach development programmes there is very little consensus regarding the approaches that should be adopted in developing athlete leaders and their associated leadership skills. This paper reviews the existing literature relating to athlete leadership seeking to provide clarity regarding current understanding. Building upon this base the paper then highlights future areas for research and theoretical development.     

篮球运动员对球队的信任与训练比赛满意度、团队凝聚力的关系

研究目的:探讨篮球运动员对球队的信任与运动员训练比赛满意度和团队凝聚力之间的相互关系及作用机理.研究方法:量表测试法,将采集到的136名我国大学高水平篮球队运动员的数据运用验证性因子分析、多元线性回归、典型相关等统计方法进行处理.研究结论:篮球运动员对球队的信任能够显著正向预测运动员的训练比赛满意度;篮球运动员对球队的能力信任能够显著正向预测球队任务吸引凝聚力、球队社交吸引凝聚力、球队任务一致性凝聚力、球队社交一致性凝聚力;篮球运动员对球队的公正一致性信任能够显著正向预测球队社交吸引凝聚力、球队社交一致性凝聚力;篮球运动员对球队的信任与球队凝聚力之间具有相互作用的关系,但凝聚力对信任的影响作用更大;团队凝聚力在篮球运动员对球队的信任与运动员训练比赛满意度之间不具有中介作用.     

高校体育领导者变革型领导行为及其有效性的实证研究

对近50所高校618名体育组织员工进行了调查,采用验证性因素分析和多元回归分析对变革型领导的理论结构及其与领导有效性的关系进行了探讨。结果表明：变革型领导是一个四维结构,包括领导魅力、感召力、智能激发和个性化关怀;变革型领导各维度对领导有效性有一定的预测力。     

球类集体项目教练员家长式领导行为与团队信任的关系

研究目的：探讨球类集体项目教练员家长式领导行为三维度与运动员对教练员信任三维度的关系。研究样本：WCBA球队、进入全国分赛区的CUBA球队、CUBS联赛球队的222名运动员。研究方法：主要包括量表测试法,数理统计法的验证性因子分析、多元线性回归分析等。研究结论：球类集体项目教练员家长式领导行为的仁慈领导、德行领导对教练员能力信任均有显著的正向预测作用;教练员家长式领导行为的威权领导对教练员的能力信任具有显著的反向预测作用。仁慈领导对教练员仁爱心信任具有显著的正向预测作用。仁慈领导和德行领导对教练员公正一致性信任均具有显著的正向预测作用。     

Perceived coach-created and peer-created motivational climates and their associations with team cohesion and athlete satisfaction: evidence from a longitudinal study

Abstract

In this longitudinal study, we examined the extent to which perceived coach- and peer-created motivational climates are associated with athlete-group cohesion and satisfaction with participation among Spanish soccer players competing in the Third National Division. Multilevel modelling analyses showed that perceived coach-created task climate was positively related to perceived cohesion and players’ satisfaction with their participation within their team. Also, perceived peer-created task climate related positively to perceived cohesion. The results indicate the importance of considering peer-related aspects of the motivational climate in addition to considering the coach-related aspects of the motivational climate when examining motivational group dynamics in sport.     

非正式结构体育社团成员社会资本对群体绩效影响的实证研究——基于群体凝聚力的中介

以社会资本理论为基础,结合本土化的非正式结构体育社团成员社会资本（5维度）、群体凝聚力（2维度）、群体绩效3个量表对武陵山片区1 253名非正式结构体育社团成员进行调查,采用回归分析和路径分析的方法试图构建成员社会资本、群体凝聚力以及群体绩效关系的模型。结果显示：（1）社会资本的4个维度（互惠互动、群体信任、群体志愿和社会支持）可直接正向预测群体绩效,网络关系维度直接预测群体绩效不显著。（2）社会资本的3个维度（互惠互动、群体信任、群体志愿）可正向预测健身吸引,社会支持可以负向预测健身吸引,网络关系对健身吸引的预测不显著;社会资本的5维度（互惠互动、群体信任、群体志愿、网络关系和社会支持）可以正向预测社交吸引。（3）群体凝聚力的2个维度（健身吸引、社交吸引）可以正向预测群体绩效。（4）群体凝聚力在互惠互动、群体志愿对群体绩效的正向影响中起着完全中介作用;群体凝聚力在群体信任、社会支持、网络关系对群体绩效的正向影响中起着部分中介作用。     

Motivational predictors of prosocial and antisocial behaviour in football

This study examined (a) the main and interactive effects of goal orientations and perceived motivational climate on prosocial and antisocial behaviour, and (b) whether number of seasons one has played for the team interacts with motivational climate in predicting prosocial and antisocial behaviour in association football. Participants were 325 male association football players, whose age ranged from 12 to 17 years. Athletes completed questionnaires measuring frequency of prosocial and antisocial behaviours in football, goal orientation, motivational climate and social desirability, and indicated the number of seasons they had played for their current team. Regression analyses revealed that task orientation and mastery climate were positive predictors of prosocial behaviour, whereas ego orientation and performance climate were positive predictors of antisocial behaviour. In addition, task orientation negatively predicted antisocial behaviour, while ego orientation negatively predicted prosocial behaviour. No significant interactions between task and ego orientation and mastery and performance motivational climate were found. Finally, mastery climate negatively predicted antisocial behaviour for those who had played many seasons for the team. In conclusion, strengthening task orientation and mastery climate and weakening ego orientation may enhance prosocial behaviour. However, for antisocial conduct to be eliminated from the context of association football, ego orientation and performance climate need to be tempered, as these constructs exert unique independent effects on antisocial behaviour.     

Motivational predictors of prosocial and antisocial behaviour in football

Abstract

This study examined (a) the main and interactive effects of goal orientations and perceived motivational climate on prosocial and antisocial behaviour, and (b) whether number of seasons one has played for the team interacts with motivational climate in predicting prosocial and antisocial behaviour in association football. Participants were 325 male association football players, whose age ranged from 12 to 17 years. Athletes completed questionnaires measuring frequency of prosocial and antisocial behaviours in football, goal orientation, motivational climate and social desirability, and indicated the number of seasons they had played for their current team. Regression analyses revealed that task orientation and mastery climate were positive predictors of prosocial behaviour, whereas ego orientation and performance climate were positive predictors of antisocial behaviour. In addition, task orientation negatively predicted antisocial behaviour, while ego orientation negatively predicted prosocial behaviour. No significant interactions between task and ego orientation and mastery and performance motivational climate were found. Finally, mastery climate negatively predicted antisocial behaviour for those who had played many seasons for the team. In conclusion, strengthening task orientation and mastery climate and weakening ego orientation may enhance prosocial behaviour. However, for antisocial conduct to be eliminated from the context of association football, ego orientation and performance climate need to be tempered, as these constructs exert unique independent effects on antisocial behaviour.     

高校高水平运动队教练领导行为与团队凝聚力模型构建

通过对高校高水平运动队的问卷调查,分析我国高校高水平运动队教练领导行为、训练比赛满意感与团队凝聚力之间的关系,构建教练领导行为与团队凝聚力之间的模型,为进一步推动我国高校高水平运动队的建设提供一定的参考.     

Leadership and satisfaction in tennis: examination of congruence, gender, and ability

The study investigated: (a) the congruency hypothesis, and (b) the member characteristics hypotheses relating to ability and gender, of Chelladurai's (1978) Multidimensional Model of Leadership. One hundred forty-eight tennis players (77 women) competing at the NCAA Division I and II Tennis Championship level participated in the study. Results indicated athlete satisfaction (Athlete Satisfaction Scale; Riemer & Chelladurai, 1998) was not dependent on the congruence between preferred and perceived leadership behavior. Other results indicated that an athlete's level of ability did affect preferences for leadership behavior. Further, while athlete gender was responsible for some variance in preferences for autocratic behavior and positive feedback behavior, the gender of the athlete's coach had a significant effect on the athlete's preferences for social support behavior.     

Goal orientation profile differences on perceived motivational climate, perceived peer relationships, and motivation-related responses of youth athletes

The aims of this study were twofold: (a) to determine if dispositional achievement goal orientation profiles that are reported in the literature would be observed in a sample of youth athletes, and (b) to examine potential achievement goal orientation profile differences on perceptions of the motivational climate, perceptions of peer relationships, and motivation-related responses. Male soccer players (n=223) aged 9-12 years (mean=10.9, s=0.6) completed a multi-section questionnaire containing assessments of dispositional goal (task, ego) orientations, the perceived task- and ego-involving features of the motivational climate, perceived peer acceptance and friendship quality (positive friendship quality, conflict), perceived ability, soccer enjoyment, and satisfaction with one's performance and the team. Four profiles were observed that closely matched those observed by Hodge and Petlichkoff (2000), though in the present study a lower proportion of participants exhibited achievement goal profiles consisting of relatively high ego orientation. Achievement goal profile differences were found for all variables except positive friendship quality, with a general trend for those reporting relatively lower task goal orientation to exhibit less adaptive responses. Overall, the findings support achievement goal frameworks (e.g. Nicholls, 1989) and suggest that further examination of dispositional achievement goals may afford a deeper understanding of social relationships and motivational processes in youth sport.     

The motivating role of positive feedback in sport and physical education: evidence for a motivational model

Based on self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), an experimental study with middle school students participating in a physical education task and a correlational study with highly talented sport students investigated the motivating role of positive competence feedback on participants' well-being, performance, and intention to participate. In Study 1, structural equation modeling favored the hypothesized motivational model, in which, after controlling for pretask perceived competence and competence valuation, feedback positively predicted competence satisfaction, which in turn predicted higher levels of vitality and greater intentions to participate, through the mediation of autonomous motivation. No effects on performance were found. Study 2 further showed that autonomous motivation mediated the relation between competence satisfaction and well-being, whereas a motivation mediated the negative relation between competence satisfaction and ill-being and rated performance. The discussion focuses on the motivational role of competence feedback in sports and physical education settings.     

Leadership in governance: Exploring collective board leadership in sport governance systems

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and explore a working conceptualisation of collective board leadership in a federal sport network. In this paper, the authors examine the relationship between collective leadership and governance systems specifically within the non-profit sport organisation context, bringing together notions of collective board leadership and collaborative governance. Neither concept has yet been presented in tandem for the benefit of developing sport governance knowledge and practice. As an outcome of the conceptualising, the authors make explicit the multiple levels of the sport governance system and pose two broad research directions that will help advance theory and drive a better understanding of collective board leadership within these types of governance systems. A central premise of this paper is that the sport management field is lacking literature that brings together leadership and governance, and that collective leadership is a topic where the intersection of leadership and governance renders advancement for both bodies of work. The authors offer implications for future work in collective leadership for sport governance.     

教练效能对运动员自我效能和比赛成绩的影响

本研究的主要目的在于探讨篮球教练效能、运动员自我效能和球队比赛成绩的关系。参加2009年全国少年篮球比赛的134名男运动员和128名女运动员及23个球队的主教练接受了运动员自我效能问卷和教练员效能感问卷的测试。比赛成绩采用全国青少年篮球教学训练大纲中的方法评分,即队数减名次乘以3．5。回归分析结果表明,教练员效能可以显著预测运动员自我效能和球队比赛成绩,其中动机激励效能是最佳预测指标。     

The role of coach-athlete relationship quality in team sport athletes’ psychophysiological exhaustion: implications for physical and cognitive performance

The present study aimed to examine associations between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and athlete exhaustion by assessing physiological and cognitive consequences. Male and female athletes (N = 82) representing seven teams across four different sports, participated in a quasi-experimental study measuring physical performance on a 5-meter multiple shuttle test, followed by a Stroop test to assess cognitive performance. Participants provided saliva samples measuring cortisol as a biomarker of acute stress response and completed questionnaires measuring exhaustion, and coach-athlete relationship quality. Structural equation modelling revealed a positive relationship between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and Stroop performance, and negative relationships between the quality of the coach-athlete relationship and cortisol responses to high-intensity exercise, cognitive testing, and exhaustion. The study supports previous research on socio-cognitive correlates of athlete exhaustion by highlighting associations with the quality of the coach-athlete relationship.     

A survey of U.S. Atlanta and Nagano Olympians: variables perceived to influence performance

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and magnitude of specific variables perceived to have affected U.S. Olympic athlete performance. Participants included 296 Atlanta Olympians and 83 Nagano Olympians. Olympians rated how they perceived specific variables influenced their Olympic performance. Results revealed that numerous variables, including performance influences, such as preparation for distractions and loss of composure; team variables, such as strong cohesion and positive coach-athlete relationships; coaching variables, including coach's ability to deal with crises and coaching expectations; family-friend variables, including general social support and getting event tickets for family and friends; and environmental concerns, such as venue transportation difficulties and Olympic village distractions; were perceived to influence performance. Findings verified the results of qualitative interviews conducted with Olympic athletes and coaches.