The Influence of Sports and Competition on Aggression

The Influence of Sports and Competition on Aggression in Elementary School Students By: Ashley Wonkovich

Aggression a forceful behavior, action, or attitude that is expressed physically, verbally, or symbolically. It may arise from innate drives or occur as a defense mechanism, often resulting from a threatened ego. It is manifested by either constructive or destructive acts directed toward oneself or against others.

Most Common Causes �Reaction to fear, frustration, sadness, disappointment, and jealousy �Low self-esteem �Anxiety �Response to isolation �Stress �Lack of basic needs (hunger, thirst, etc. )

Sport �an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

Aggression in Sports �Competition �Dominance �This kind of thinking is accepted during sports, but not in every day life. This can cause children to apply their aggressive behavior during sports to the way they respond to their peers and teachers.

What’s Missing in Research? �There are plenty of aggression studies, and plenty of studies relating to sports, but very few that relate the two.

Abstract The purpose of the following study is to observe the impact of sports on aggression level in fourth grade males. In order to measure aggression level, a written test measuring aggression will be administered to the subjects before and after treatment.

Hypothesis I predict that aggression will increase after the athletic treatment is given (relay races)

Methods � 90 fourth grade male participants from approximately 10 different schools �Each student will take a Children's Action Tendency Scale test (Deluty, 1979). �After administering the test, the students will be split into groups of three, and run a 40 -meter relay race against the members of their group

Children's Action Tendency Scale �If someone were bothering [B. B. ], then [B. B. ]would be most likely to: a. Punch the person. b. Yell at the person and call the person names. c. Tell the person to stop their annoying behavior. d. Ignore it and do nothing.

Methods (cont’d) �One group will run no race (control) �After the races are finished, the students will take the same aggression test that they did before the race �The scores before and after the races will be compared to analyze any increase or decrease

Other factors �History with athletics �Outside factors ØMood ØFamily situations ØMaturity level �Starting aggression level