Disentangling the effects of ego and task-involving climate perceptions on cohesion in youth sport.

Abstract

The present study evaluated how the combination of ego-and task-involving climate perceptions related to youth soccer athletes' perceptions of team cohesion. We hypothesized that athletes would perceive their group to be less cohesive as ego climate perceptions increased in salience relative to task climate perceptions. In addition, the factor structure and longitudinal measurement invariance of Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ)-Portuguese version was also analyzed. A total of 956 national level youth male soccer athletes' belonging to 49 different teams participated in the study. Using a prospective design with two time points, the polynomial regression with a response surface analysis indicated that the effect of an ego-involving climate on task cohesion varied as a function of task-involving climate perceptions. Specifically, athletes reported lower levels of task cohesion as ego-involving climate perceptions began to predominate over task-involving climate perceptions. Furthermore, a strong taskinvolving climate buffered against the negative effects of ego-involving climate perceptions on task cohesion. Regarding social cohesion, we only observed a positive linear association between task-involving climate perceptions and social cohesion. Our findings support the validity and reliability of two factors underlying the YSEQ and its longitudinal invariance across time in an elite youth sample. Future studies should strive to replicate these results in other sports and with female athletes. Our results provide insight into how task-involving and ego-involving climate perceptions combine to shape how elite youth athletes view their group environment.

Peer-initiated motivational climate, mental health and adherence in competitive youth sport

“…26 For instance, what if the potential negative effects of an ego-related climate are dampened when a higher task climate is also present? These profile combinations are seldom considered by researchers, 27 and the mechanics of the working relationship between the two need to be subjected for further investigations. 26…”

An Explanatory Model of Sport Motivation, Physical Self-Concept and Anxiety as a Function of the Degree of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Future Physical Education Teachers

“…Extrapolating this theory to the physical-sports environment, two motivational climates can be found. In the first one, values, such as fun or personal satisfaction (task climate), gain importance, while in the second, extrinsic values are highlighted, fostering competition (ego climate) [ 10 ], generating increased levels of frustration and anxiety when the established objectives are not achieved [ 11 , 12 ].…”

Relación entre la cohesión grupal y la ansiedad competitiva en fútbol de iniciación

“…La cohesión grupal es considerada como la variable más importante de los grupos (Golembiewski, 1962;Lott y Lott, 1965) y se trata de un concepto clave en la formación y desarrollo de los equipos de trabajo (Barrasa y Gil, 2004), por lo que su estudio despierta un gran interés en los ámbitos de la psicología social y del deporte (Coleman et al, 2021;Chicau-Borrego et al, 2021). La definición de cohesión grupal más utilizada la aportó Carron (1982) quien la describe como ''el proceso dinámico que se refleja en la tendencia de un grupo de mantenerse juntos y permanecer unidos en la persecución de sus metas y objetivos' ' (p. 124).…”