The Values of Young Boxers Screened by Schwartz’s Model
Although the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values (1992) provides a model with theoretical and empirical validity in different areas (Bardi &Schwartz, 2013), in France few studies have addressed the topic and its application to sport (Albouza, 2011). This paper explores Schwartz’s theory to understand the sports value system of 20 boxers aged 14 to 20. These athletes took part in a semi-structured interview to assess the values they strive for and continue to hold in their practice. The results show that the values of “success in sports,” “security” and “conformity” are mentioned the most, in contrast to “hedonism” and “power.” They provide an empirical argument for using Schwartz’s theory to study athletes’ sports values. Coaches are urged to take account of young athletes’ priority values to improve their training methods and sports performance.
Keywords
- Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Values
- application to sport
- boxing
- qualitative study