Perceptions of legitimacy of aggressive acts in youth sport: Gender, type of sport, and trait aggression levels

• Main Author: Ueda, Mari R.
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarly Commons 2004
• Subjects: Behaviorial sciences; Recreation; Social sciences; Psychology
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/2670; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3669&context=uop_etds

Previous research has suggested there is a relationship between perception of aggression and actual aggression. Gender, participation in sport, and varying trait aggression levels have an impact on perceptions of aggression in sports. This study examined the combined effects of gender, type of sport (contact versus noncontact), and trait aggression levels on children's perceptions of legitimacy of aggressive acts in youth sports. Buss and Perry's Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) determined aggression levels of children ages 9–14. Children's perceptions of legitimacy of aggressive acts was determined by The Perceived Aggression Questionnaire (PAQ), derived from Rainey (1986). Analysis of the data, using the normative AQ data, found no significant effects. Analysis of the median split data found a significant effect of aggression levels on perceptions. Multiple regression analysis found that aggression levels were correlated with perceptions. Findings led us to a better understanding of how differences in gender, type of sport, and trait aggression levels relate to children's perceptions of aggression.