Features of Group Identity and Its Relationship with the Level of Sports Achievements among Adolescents and Juniors Who Practice Boxing

Abstract

The present study is focused on identifying the features of group identity as well as the relationship between its components and the level of sports achievements in adolescents and juniors who practice boxing. The paper presents the results of an empirical study obtained on a sample of 360 young boxers (180 teenagers and 180 juniors). The respondents were divided into four groups by gender and age (15-16 years and 17-18 years), equal in number. The study used the Questionnaire of Social (Group) Identity by A.R. Graziani, M. Rubini, A. Palmonari, S. Costarelli, and R.M. Calla (adapted by O.V. Vaskova) and the technique for measuring the effectiveness of sports activities. Statistically significant differences in the parameters of group identity were identified, correlated with the gender and age categories of respondents. Higher indicators of group identity were found in female adolescents and juniors in comparison with male adolescents and juniors. The peculiarity of the age dynamics is that the components of identity increase in adolescent male boxers, while they may tend to decrease in adolescent female boxers. The hypothesis was confirmed that there exists a relationship between the indicators of group identity and the level of sports achievements in adolescent and junior boxers, but it was not only direct and positive. The article presents the prospects for future research on the meaning and role of social identity in the field of sports achievements.