Style characteristics of communication activity in athletes of team and individual sports

Aim. The aim of this article is to determine style characteristics of communication activity in athletes of team and individual sports. Materials and methods. The study involved 119 people: 58 representatives of team sports (football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, handball) and 61 representatives of individual sports (athletics, artistic gymnastics, biathlon). The average age of participants is 18.7 years. For the diagnostics of communication activity in athletes we used Krupnov test. Multilevel communicative properties of the athlete's individuality were studied with the help of Rusalov questionnaire on formal and dynamic individual properties (psychodynamic level) and Cattell's 16 personality factor test. Results. We established that in the athletes involved in team sports parameters of communication activity are connected only with the conditions of communication. Such athletes demonstrate the correlation of dynamic, cognitive, and reflexively evaluative components of communication activity with the conditions of communication as a result of team activity. Representatives of individual sports show expressive speech characteristics of communication and treatment, i.e. those characteristics, which reflect communicative and interactive parts of communication. In the athletes involved in team sports we established the following style characteristics of social communication: “High energy level, courage”, “Control of activity and emotions”, “Restraint in communication”, though in the athletes involved in individual sports we revealed “Expansiveness, courage”, “Dominance”, “Flexibility”. Style characteristics are determined by psychodynamic and individual properties of athletes. Conclusion. Style characteristics of social communication in the athletes of different specializations depend on both inborn qualities of athletes and their sport activity (communication between athletes and a coach).