COMPARATIVE RESEARCH ON CREATIVITY IN JUNIORS' MOTIVATION STRUCTURE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to perform theoretical–empirical research into the psychological parameters of creativity within the motivation structure of junior athletes and to compare the findings by gender and sport. Methods: The research sample consisted of 90 junior athletes (45 males, 45 females), representing both team sports (volleyball, mini-football, football, and handball) and individual sports (Greco–Roman wrestling, artistic gymnastics, weightlifting, chess, and boxing). The sample was evenly split, with 45 athletes from each group. Junior athletes were trained at sports schools for children and youth in Ukraine, represented junior teams of professional clubs, and participated in national and international tournaments, achieving success in Ukrainian, European, and World championships. The following descriptive frequency characteristics were recorded by age: M = 17.39; SD = ±3.48; Мe = 17.50. Valid and reliable tools, tested in sports studies on junior samples, were applied to establish the parameters of creativity and motivation. Results. A statistically significant superiority of junior female athletes (Group 1) was found in two parameters of motivation: intrinsic motivation (U = 776.50; p = .049) and social status (U = 774.00; p = .046). No superiority was identified in the parameters of creativity. No statistically significant difference was found between the sample of juniors engaging in team sports (Group I) and the sample of juniors engaging in individual sports (Group II). The use of Spearman’s correlation coefficient (rs) allowed us to establish that the parameters of creativity are low-loaded with motivational intentions, and, correspondingly, juniors’ motivation is low-dependent on creativity. The comparison of two groups of the levels of creativity parameters (Group A and Group B) allowed us to identify a superiority in the parameters “extrinsic positive motivation” and “general activeness”, indicating the focus of creativity on the content component of competitive activity. There is a caveat that “comfort” is the most dependent parameter that can have a negative impact on the content component of competitive activity. Discussion and conclusions. It was substantiated that the research into the phenomenon and psychological content parameters of creativity in juniors’ motivation structure is a successful attempt to establish psychological correlations and find statistical differences in their motivation. Operationalization of the obtained results is significant in the context of a local competitive situation. It is recommended that the obtained statistical results and algorithms for establishing psychological correlations and finding differences be considered by subjects in sporting activities who work with junior athletes.