The relationship between perceived motor competence and personality characteristics in preschool children

Abstract

To clearfify the effects of physical activity on personality, the relationships between perceived motor competence and personality characteristics in preschool children were investigated. Subjects were 6 years old 81 boys and 92 girls. Through individual interviews, children were asked to what extent they were good or poor player in physical games which they frequently play at kindergarten. Based on the answers obtaind, children were divided into high and low perceived motor competence groups. The main results are as follows. 1) In the rating scale, high perceived motor competence boys were fated by their teachers as more confident, active and cooperative with others than low perceived motor competence boys (p<0.05). 2) In the semantic differentia1 method, high perceived motor competence boys were imaged by their mothers as more vivid, active, submissive and quick and less timid and coward (p<0.05). 3) As to the girls, only one significantly different item was found in the rating stale. That is, high perceived motor competence group was rated by their teachers as more cooperative with others than low perceived motor competence group (p<0.05). 4) There were no significant differences between high and low perceived motor competence girls in image scores. 5) High perceived motor competence boys were superior to low perceived motor competence boys in motor ability tests and motor ability ratings by the teachers. 6) As to the girls, there were no significant differences between high and low perceived motor competence groups in motor ability tests Land motor ability ratings by teachers. These results suggest that, in the ear1y childhood, physical activity give an influence upon personality through the medium of perceived motor competence, especially in the case of boys.