Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Kinesiology (MKin)

Department

Kinesiology and Physical Education

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Dr. Mark Eys

Advisor Role

Supervisor

Abstract

Two important aspects of sport group functioning that influence both individual and group outcomes (e.g., athlete satisfaction, team performance; Eys et al., in press) are cohesion and role clarity. Despite evidence surrounding the role clarity-cohesion relationship (e.g., Bosselut, McLaren, Eys, et al., 2012), the dynamism of these variables over time remains unclear. The purpose of this thesis was to explore cohesion and role clarity perceptions over the course of a youth ringette season through a longitudinal study design. Female ringette athletes (N = 86, Mage = 15.3, SD = 1.6) were surveyed every three weeks throughout the ringette sport season, totalling six data collection time-points. Two repeated measures MANOVA indicated unique changes across the six time points by team for the two dimensions of cohesion (task and social) and three dimensions of role clarity (scope, behaviours, and evaluations). Team specific coach behaviours and communication of role information are possible explanations as to why teams reported idiosyncratic perceptions, as coaches are suggested to influence both athletes’ role clarity and be influential in the development of youth cohesion. Exploration of bivariate correlations demonstrated a pattern of early social-cohesion being associated with later role clarity perceptions. Examining these constructs longitudinally provides greater insight regarding (a) the theoretical understanding of the temporal stability of cohesion and role clarity, (b) the unique perceptions that exist within teams over time, and (c) potential patterns regarding the direction of the cohesion-role clarity relationship. Future studies are recommended to use more advanced mathematical modelling (e.g., time-series analyses) to further the descriptive findings and determine causality/directionality among these important group dynamic variables.

Convocation Year

2020

Convocation Season

Fall

Download

Included in

Psychology Commons

Share

COinS