Cognitive Societal Human Values of Sports: after the 2011 Disaster of Japan

Abstract

This study examines the recognition of life management and offers insight into the interpretation of benevolent sports activities following Japan's March 2011 disaster. After the incident, people suspended all sports activities, but various benevolentsports activities were developed immediately in the damaged areas. By interviewing Japanese students (N=405), this descriptive study investigates the recognized human value structure of sports in a crisis situation by applying the social management concept of 'time perspective' and 'hope'. The question asked to the participants was 'What types of values do you recognize in Japanese benevolent sports activities to help the damaged society after the 2011 disaster?' The participants ranked eighteen items (1 to 18) terminal and instrumental values. Next, cluster analysis (Ward's method) was carried out to further explore the close relationships between the ordersof intimacyvalues within each value cluster. The results of the terminal values study suggest greatest recognition of (1)a world with the universal values of 'happiness' and 'freedom' and (2) the pursuit of a life with finite values of 'a sense of accomplishment' and 'self-respect'. This clustering suggests the ontological commitmentto a dynamic balance of finite and universal values. The results of the instrumental values study suggest greatest recognition of the following human characteristics: (1) 'courageous' and 'honest' by inner motivation and altruistic dedication to virtue ethics and (2) 'ambitious' and 'capable (of logical activism)' for survival. Finally, a network analysis was performed to explore the centrality of the multi-value space in benevolent sportsactivities. Network analysis (graph theory) presentsthe holistic evaluation method for the positional functions of societal values and organization.