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Differentiation of Self-Image Based on Gender and Type of Sport (Bachelor thesis)

Καραολάνη, Σοφία/ Karaolani, Sofia

The purpose of the study was to investigate the existence of differences in physical self-perception in relation to gender and type of sport (individual or team). The study involved 118 athletes from various individual and team sports, of whom 69 were men (59%) and 49 were women (41%), aged between 18–64 years (M = 24.56, SD = 8.03). The instrument used was the modified Greek version of the “Physical Self-Perception Profile” (PSPP), which consists of 15 closed-ended questions forming 4 factors: (a) Body Attractiveness, (b) Strength, (c) Sport Competence, and (d) Physical Condition, with responses measured on a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree. Regarding the results, the reliability analysis (Cronbach’s α) showed statistically acceptable indices for all factors, ranging from .72 to .86. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found both in terms of gender and type of sport. More specifically, men scored higher in the factors “Sport Competence” and “Physical Condition” compared to women, while individuals engaged in team sports scored higher than their counterparts in individual sports on the same factors. In conclusion, the findings supported the notion that the “personal” profile constitutes a differentiating factor both with regard to gender and type of sport.