Comparative Examination of the Characteristics of Table Tennis Players' Attitudes toward Sports

Abstract

The subject of this study is 951 members, both male and female, of the table tennis club and other athletic clubs including non-athletes of highschools, colleges and others. Their attitudes were investigated and examined. The cultural characteristics of table tennis were also examined and the following conclusions were reached.
1. As far as the table tennis players are concerned, the highschoolers' attitudes toward sports are different from those of colleges students which, in turn, are different from those of women. The highschool players put more emphasis on Victory and women players are spiritualitic and have an idealistic image of sports.
2. Highschool table tennis players more tend to approve the protest against misjudge than volleyball and basketball players of highschool who, on the other hand, put more emphasis on team work and manners than highschool table tennis players do. Volleyball and basketball players also have more spirit of tolerance to their opponents than table tennis players, make much of the spiritual aspects of sports, and take on the cultural characteristics of American sports. Volleyball players and basketball players show similar attitudes.
3. On the highschool level, tennis players don't make so much of victory than table tennis players. Tennis players put emphasis on doing one's best and process of play, and regard pleasure in sports as important. They take on the characteristics of English sports.
4. Female table tennis players of colleges put more emphasis on victory than non-athletes of the same sex who, compared with women athletes, make much of doing one's best, process of play, spirit of tolerance and fairplay. They have an idealistic image of sports.
5. The attitudes of athletes are under the influence of the form of sports such as individual game or team play and the cultural characteristics of sports.