Football Scores on the Big Five Personality Factors across 50 States in the U.S.

Abstract

Despite the growing evidence of role personality plays on sport and exercise related behavior, little is known about the influence of personality traits on football players in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the big five personality traits on football achievements. Extraversion (E), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), Neuroticism (N), and Openness (O) traits obtained from 619,397 U.S. respondents in a previous study were used as predictors to state-level football scores in this study. Across 50 states in the U.S., football ranks were positively correlated with state scores on the Big Five personality factors of conscientiousness and agreeableness. However, when applying multiple regression analyses to the prediction model for football ranks based on five independent variables of the Big Five personality factors, only conscientiousness and neuroticism would significantly predict football ranks. Agreeableness correlates with football ranks but does not contribute to the prediction model since agreeableness is collinear with conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness. Neuroticism insignificantly correlates with football ranks but contributes to the prediction because the suppressor effect of conscientiousness by neuroticism has improved its predictor of football ranks. The findings implied that in order to increase high ranks in football practice, selection for athletics would focus on persons with high conscientiousness and neuroticism.

A comparison of the balance skills, personality, and temperament of elite sports athletes and football players

“…Most studies indicate that participation in physical activity and sports is related to higher extroversion and conscientiousness, and lower levels of neuroticism [25][26][27]. Success in sports (and in football, in particular) is associated with higher conscientiousness and lover neuroticism [28][29][30]. Undergraduate athletes scored higher for extroversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, and lower for neuroticism, compared to nonathletes [31].…”

Personality differences between academic team sport players and physical education undergraduate students

“…In sport area, conscientiousness may reflect the degree to which athletes train in systematic and focused tasks way, and to how extend they follow the rules and regulations. Conscientiousness has showed positive significant correlation with success in sport performance in many previous studies [6, [14][15][16]. Athletes higher in conscientiousness use usually better preparation strategies, take fewer reckless risks, and use more effective coping strategies [6,41].…”

“…Successful athletes score higher on conscientiousness on an objective measure of performance, and in conscientiousness and neuroticism in the coaches' ratings [14]. Conscientiousness and neuroticism were the best predictors of football ranks among 619,397 U.S. football players [15]. The level of competition has influence on the relationship between personality and sport performance.…”

Relacije Nekih Osobina Ličnosti I Karakteristika Sportista Sa Sportskom Anksioznošću

“…Predispozicije ličnosti koje se najčešće pominju kao osnova negativnih emocionalnih reakcija (među kojima je i anksioznost), jesu ekstraverzija i neuroticizam (Marić, 2010). Neuroticizam je povezan sa negativnim afektivitetom, odnosi se na sklonost doživljavanja negativnih emocija, uključujući i anksioznost (Marić, 2010;Tran, 2012). Ekstraverzija je povezana sa pozitivnim afektivitetom i optimizmom.…”