Social and psychological factors of influence on athleticprogress of gifted students in non-sporting academic disciplines

Abstract

© 2018 Teoriya i praktika fizicheskoy kul'tury i sporta. All rights reserved. The study was designed to analyze the social and psychological factors of influence on athletic progress of gifted students majoring in non-sporting (unrelated directly to physical education and sports) academic disciplines. Subject to a questionnaire survey under the study were students of Yelabuga Institute of Kazan Federal University (KFU). The survey data showed the family-related and education factors being of high effect on the students' sport motivations considered among the key indicators of the individual sport gifts. The survey showed 93.8% of the gifted respondents highly ranking contributions of their families to their sport progress; and 62.5% appreciating the coach's contribution. Furthermore, the survey found that only 40% of the gifted students majoring in the non-sporting academic disciplines are reportedly going in for sports on a habitual basis albeit there are quite many future teachers and instructors among them who are expected to motivate their students for healthy lifestyle and thereby improve the public health standards on the whole. The study data and analyses demonstrate the need for an academic sport-facilitating environment being established at universities with due consideration for the social and psychological factors of influence on the athletic progress of both gifted and other students in the study period.