269 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Asian Journal of Education and Training Vol. 5, No. 1, 269-274, 2019 ISSN(E) 2519-5387 DOI: 10.20448/journal.522.2019.51.269.274 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group The Effect of Personality Characteristics of Students on Positive Perception Level: A Study to Hockey Super League Players Temel Veysel1 Nas Kazim2 ( Corresponding Author) 1,2Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, School of Physical Education and Sports, Karaman, Turkey. Abstract The study was done in order to determine the effect of personality characteristics of students female athletes who participated in Hockey Super League competitions organized in Konya Province between the 15th and the 28th of April, 2018 upon their positive perception level. The study was consisted of 116 students female athletes who participated in hockey super league competitions (Average age= 18.21±2.98). In order to determine students athletes’ personality levels; “Eysenck Personality Inventory” designed by Francis et al. (1992) and “Positive Perception Scale” adapted by Akın and Kaya (2015) for the Turkish language were used. For the analyses of the data; histogram technique was employed in order to find whether or not data followed a normal distribution and as a result, it was identified that all sub-dimensions of mental endurance and positive perception scale followed a normal distribution. Accordingly, t test and One-Way- Anova tests were employed in order to explore basic differences and Canonical Correlation analyses were performed in order to find the effect between personality and positive perception levels. As a result; it was concluded that athletes demonstrated moderate level of personality and positive perception. It was seen that there was a moderate and significant correlation between sub-dimensions of Eysenck personality inventory and positive perception scale. Keywords: Personality, Positive perception, Sports, Athlete, Student, Female. Citation | Temel Veysel; Nas Kazim (2019). The Effect of Personality Characteristics of Students on Positive Perception Level: A Study to Hockey Super League Players. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 5(1): 269-274. History: Received: 3 January 2019 Revised: 5 February 2019 Accepted: 8 March 2019 Published: 19 March 2019 Licensed: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License Publisher: Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Contribution/Acknowledgement: Both authors contributed to the conception and design of the study. Funding: This study received no specific financial support. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests. Transparency: The authors confirm that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study was reported; that no vital features of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned have been explained. Ethical: This study follows all ethical practices during writing. Contents 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................... 270 2. Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................................... 270 3. Results .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 271 4. Canonical Correlation Findings .................................................................................................................................................. 272 5. Discussion and Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 273 6. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................................................... 273 References ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 273 http://asianonlinejournals.com/index.php/EDU/article/view/414 http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.20448/journal.522.2019.51.269.274&domain=pdf&date_stamp=2017-01-14 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2019, 5(1): 269-274 270 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group 1. Introduction Athletes’ physical quality and high ability may affect results of competitions positively or negatively. Losing or winning athletes’ a competition depends on their performances during the competition. If athletes are physically the same, success is achieved by those athletes with mentally better skills (Weinberg and Gould, 2015). People are living beings that are shaped physically, socially and mentally. People are emotionally, physically and socially a whole. Athletes’ sportive skills may be increased to an elite level by bringing these components together, planning and implementing them with the necessary studies and works (Erdoğan and Kocaeksi, 2015). Psychological and mental factors are determinant factors in choosing athletes if they are at the same level in such characteristics as physiological, motor, technical and tactical status. During the season, athletes’ mental performance may play a key role in their and teams’ achievements and success in pitch (Altıntaş and Akalan, 2008). In this sense, perception –one of the psychological abilities- is one of the most effective characteristics that greatly influence one’s internal and external emotions, thoughts and behaviors. E. Husserl’s quote “reality is not what appears but what is perceived” (Öğretir, 2004) puts an emphasis on how important perception is. According to psychologists; perception -regarded as reality- integrates and interprets emotional data transferred by sense organs and is defined as a process by which people make sense of stimuli around them and those stimuli coming from outer world are mentally processed (Arkonaç, 1998; Willimon, 2000; Johansson and Xiong, 2003; Bakan and Kefe, 2012). Positive perception plays an important role in educational organizations where people spend most of their social and educational lives, too. Actually, peoples’ positive or negative perceptions about themselves and others are one of the factors that affect their motivation directly. The difference between people’s roles and those given to them by their superiors or ambiguities related to the roles may lead to inner conflicts in individuals or outer conflicts with their social circles (Sütlü, 2007). In this sense, it is important whether or not employers have positive and negative perceptions about employees and how they reflect these positive and negative perceptions towards employees. In the nature of leadership, there is an influence and guidance (Kurt, 2014). This requires employers to have a positive perception towards employees by trusting in them, treating them justly and believing that employees can perform their tasks in the best way. Generally, positive perception can be defined as a communication style. Actually, styles by which people who are in contact perceive each other determine their attitudes towards each other and quality of their communication (Kepekcioglu, 2015). Positive perception uncovers individuals’ assessments of themselves, of others and being assessed by others in general manner. Therefore, using positive perception in every management phase and in motivation management effectively is important in terms of quality of employees. One’s perceptions of themselves and others are continual and influence their psychological and daily life depending on these perceptions being positive or negative. Personality is one of the psychological equipments, too. Personality expresses one’s distinctive structure regarding all factors that are effective upon their sensing, thinking and behaving styles. Personality – continuously occurring with inner and outer stimuli- includes individuals’ all hereditary and acquired skills, emotions, expectations and attitudes in biological and psychological terms (Tınar, 1999). In other words; personality points out a structure that simultaneously includes the basic qualities that come with birth and the dynamics produced by the environment where they are (Tiryaki and Aykaç, 2013). It is known that personality characteristics reduce anxiety and increase self-confident; thus enhance social relations (Tazegül, 2014). Personality is a spiritual unity that brings one’s specific characters together. This unity includes individuals’ physical structure, physical appearance, intelligence, abilities, excitement, reactions, emotions, interests and general culture (Adasal, 1979). The study aimed at determining the effect of personality characteristics of athletes who participated in Hockey Super League competitions upon their positive perception level. 2. Methodology 2.1. Research Model This study is a descriptive method aimed to investigate the various variables of students athletes. Descriptive method is a method to aim to define existing event without intervention of researcher (Karasar, 1995). Descriptive studies are to define typical characteristics of a particular group and to make conclusions about how people in a particular group will behave in response to certain situations (Borg and Gall, 1989). 2.2. Research Group Research group; There were 1116 students female athletes who participated in Hockey Super League competitions in Konya Province on 15-28 April 2018 (Age = 18,21 ± 2,98). The research scale was voluntarily applied on athletes face to face by being interviewed where they played. 2.3. Data Collection Tools The data collection tools required to reach the determined objectives related to the research are given below: 2.4. Personal Information Form In order to collect information about the personal characteristics of the participants and to establish the independent variables of the research, an information form consisting of 3 variables (income status, sport year and difficulty in leisure time) were prepared by the researcher. 2.5. Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Abbreviated Form (EPQ-REPQ) Francis et al. (1992) Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1975) and the short form of the same questionnaire (48 items) (Eysenck et al., 1985) were formed by reviewing the EPQ-REPQ. The questionnaire consists of 24 items, evaluating personality in 3 main factors: neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism. In addition, with the lying subscale, it is aimed to prevent bias during the implementation of the questionnaire and to check its validity. In this survey, where each factor is evaluated with 6 items, the participant is asked to respond to the 24 Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2019, 5(1): 269-274 271 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group questions in the format Yes (1) - No (0). for items 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 22, Yes = 0 point , No = 1 point and aslo for items 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 21, 23, 24 Yes = 1 point , No = 0 point. The score for each personality trait varies are from 0 to 6. The internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha) reliability coefficients of this study; .82 for Neuroticism, .86 for Extraversion; .74 for Psychoticism was found. 2.6. Positive Perception Scale The validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Positive Perception Scale was performed by Akın and Kaya (2015). As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis applied for the construct validity of the scale, The scale was found to conform to the three dimensions of the original form (Self in Past, Self-Ability and Human Nature) (x2=24.28, sd=16, RMSEA=.045, NFI=.96, NNFI=.97, IFI=.99, RFI=.93, CFI=.99, GFI=.98 and SRMR=.032). Factor loads of the items are listed between .57 and .95. The Cronbach alpha internal consistency coefficients of the Positive Perception Scale were found to be .80 for Self in Past , .71 for Human Nature and .75 Self-Ability from sun dimensions’ of the Positive Perception Scale. Corrected item-test correlations of the Positive Perception Scale are listed between .55 and .65. There is no reverse coded substance as the Self-Ability = 6,8; Self in Past = 1,2,4,7; human nature = 3.5. The internal consistency (Cronbach Alpha) reliability coefficients of this study; .71 for Self-Ability, .80 for Self in Past, and .72 for Human Nature. 2.7. Data Collection Firstly, the available information on the purpose of the research was given in a systematic way by searching the literature. Hence, a theoretical framework has been established. Secondly, " Positive Perception Scale-PPS developed by Akın and Kaya (2015) revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Abbreviated Form (EPQ-REPQ developed by Francis et al. (1992) and information form to gather the participants' personal information were used. 2.8. Data Analysis During the analysis and evaluation of the data; the data were analyzed using the Spss 25.0 for Windows package program. Percentage and frequency methods were used to determine the distribution of the personal information of the participants. In order to test whether the sub-dimensions of both scales show normal distribution, histograms were examined, and finally, and Positive Perception Scale and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire all sub-dimensions were found to have normal distribution. Accordingly, One Way Anova and t- Test analysis were performed to determine the main differences. POST HOC Tukey and Tamhane T2 were examined to determine the source of the difference. Pearson moment product correlation and independent regression analysis were used for the relationship between independent variables, personality characteristics and dependent variable positive perception levels. 3. Results 3.1. Personal Characteristics of the Research Group The data and comments on the demographic characteristics of the students are given below. Table-1. Distribution of Demographic Characteristics of the Sample Group Participated in the Study. n % Sports Year 0-1500 TL 60 51,7 1501-3000 TL 56 48,3 Difficulty in Leisure Time 3-5 Year 63 54,3 6-8 Year 31 26,7 9 and + 22 19,0 Income Statue Always 27 23,3 Sometimes 46 39,7 Never 43 37,1 According to Table 1, 60% of the total income is between 0-1500 TL and 56% is between 1501 3000Tl. According to sports year of the athletes, %54,3 of the athletes is between 3-5 years, %26,7 between 6-8 years and %19,0 between 9 and over years. According to the difficulty in leisure time, 23.3% of the athletes is always, %39,7 sometimes and %37,1 never. Table-2. Results of The Participants' Personality and Positive Perception on Total Score and Sub-Dimension Levels. n X Ss Min Max Personality Neuroticism 116 3,52 1,399 1,00 6,00 Extraversion 116 3,67 1,538 ,00 6,00 Psychoticism 116 2,28 1,296 ,00 5,00 Positive Perception Self-Ability 116 11,26 2,381 6,00 14,00 Self in Past 116 20,80 5,399 10,00 28,00 Human Nature 116 10,45 2,599 6,00 14,00 Source: This table is about the result of participants’ min. and max. points. In Table 2, the mean scores of personality level sub-dimensions of the participants were examined. As a result of this review; it can be said that the participants’, included in the study, level of neuroticism with 3.52 is over the mid-level, level of Extraversion with 3.67 is over the mid-level and level of Psychoticism with 2.28 is under the mid-level Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2019, 5(1): 269-274 272 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Mean scores of positive perception sub-dimensions of the participants were examined. As a result of this review; it can be said that the participants’, included in the study, level of Self-ability with 11.26 is over the mid- level, level of Self in Past with 20.80 is over the mid-level and level of Human nature with 10.45 is the mid-level Table-3. Personality Scale Sub-Size Scores Independent Group F Test Results to determine whether athletes differ according to Sports Year variable. n Mean Ss Sd F p-Value Meaningful Difference Neuroticism 3-5 Year 63 3,48 1,306 113 5,899 ,004* 2-3 6-8 Year 31 4,10 1,300 9 and + 22 2,82 1,500 Extraversion 3-5 Year 63 3,41 1,455 113 2,271 ,108 - 6-8 Year 31 3,81 1,701 9 and + 22 4,18 1,435 Psychoticism 3-5 Year 63 2,38 1,300 113 ,959 ,386 - 6-8 Year 31 2,00 1,291 9 and + 22 2,36 1,293 *p<.05. In Table 3, the average of the sub-dimension scores of the athletes according to the sports year variable was examined by the F test. As a result of the review; There was a significant difference in Neuroticism from personality sub-dimension according to income status variable(F:5.90 P=0.004<0,05). Table-4. Independent Group F Test Results for Determining if the Positive Perception Scale Sub-Size Scores differ according to Sports Year Variables. n Mean Ss Sd F p-Value Meaningful Difference Self-ability 3-5 Year 63 10,95 2,485 113 1,630 ,201 - 6-8 Year 31 11,35 2,288 9 and + 22 12,00 2,116 Self in Past 3-5 Year 63 19,95 5,726 113 1,969 ,144 - 6-8 Year 31 21,38 5,383 9 and + 22 22,41 4,008 Human nature 3-5 Year 63 9,84 2,503 113 4,250 ,017* 1-2 6-8 Year 31 11,39 2,319 9 and + 22 10,86 2,867 *p<.05. In Table 4, the F test was used to determine whether the mean scores of the positive perception sub-dimension scores of the players differ according to the sports year variable. As a result of the review; There was a significant difference between the positive perception scale sub-dimension according to sports year variable in terms of positive perception subscale of human nature (F:4.25 P=0.017<0,05). Table-5.Independent Group F Test Results for Determining if the Positive Perception Scale Sub-Size Scores differ according to the difficulty in leisure time Variable. n Mean Ss Sd F p-Value Meaningful Difference Self-ability Always 27 10,37 2,273 113 2,882 ,060 - Sometimes 46 11,32 2,348 Never 43 11,74 2,381 Self in Past Always 27 17,33 5,385 113 8,709 ,000* 1-2 1-3 Sometimes 46 21,35 5,104 Never 43 22,40 4,826 Human nature Always 27 9,81 2,704 113 1,290 ,279 - Sometimes 46 10,46 2,656 Never 43 10,84 2,449 *p<.05. In Table 5, the F test was used to determine whether the average of the positive perception subscale scores of the players differ according to the difficulty in leisure time. There was a significant difference between the positive perception scale sub-dimension according to the difficulty in leisure time in terms of positive perception subscale of Self in Past (F:8.71 P=0.000<0,05). 4. Canonical Correlation Findings In the study, the correlation between sub-dimensions of Eysenckpersonality inventory (neuroticism, extraversion, psychoticism, lying) and positive perception scale [self-ability (SA), self in past (SP), human nature (HN)] was examined. Canonical correlation coefficient (rc) was calculated as .57; which indicated an above-moderate level of significant correlation between sub-dimensions of Eysenckpersonality inventory and positive perception scale. According to these findings; first canonical variable was found to be .41 while second variable .55. According to these findings, first canonical coefficient accounted for % 41 of personality variables while the second canonical coefficient accounted for % 55 of positive perception scale. Besides, personality variables accounted for % 41 of total variance of positive perception scale. Asian Journal of Education and Training, 2019, 5(1): 269-274 273 © 2019 by the authors; licensee Asian Online Journal Publishing Group Table-6. Correlations between Personality Level and Positive Perception levels Variations Standardized Equivalent Variances, Canonical Correlations and Variance Percentages Table. Canonic Variate Correlation Coefficient Personalıty Neuroticism ,411 ,078 Extraversion -,217 ,874 Psychoticism ,498 -,696 Percentage of Variance ,41 - Redundancy ,13 - Posıtıve Perceptıon Self-ability -,091 -1,176 Self in Past -1,053 ,547 Human nature ,222 ,652 Percentage of Variance ,55 - Redundancy ,18 - Canonical Correlation ,57 - Source: The table is about the Canonical Correlations of the study As for the positive perception scale variables, it explained % 55 of personality variables. According to first canonical variable, there was a statistically significant correlation between personality inventory and positive perception scale variables (F (12, 288.68) =4.80, p<.05). Extraversion (-.22) placed in the first variable set was found negatively to be lower than critical threshold of .30 while neuroticism (.41) and psychoticism, (.49) were found positively to be higher than ≥.30 (Tabachnick and Fidell, 2013). In the second canonical variable; self in past (- 1.05) was found negatively to be higher than the critical threshold and human nature(.22) was found positively to be lower than the critical threshold while self-ability (-.09) was found negatively to be lower than the critical threshold (Tabachnick and Fidell, 2013). According to the findings, it was identified that sub-dimensions of Eysenck personality inventory placed in the first variable set affected significantly sub-dimensions of positive perception scale placed in the second variable set. 5. Discussion and Conclusion According to the findings of the study, it was concluded that hockey athletes’ neuroticism, extraversion and psychoticism sub-dimensions of personality inventory was at a moderate level. The study of Sar (2016) which -we think- concurred with our study, looked at those doing sports and those not doing sports and found that the participants’ personality levels were higher. The study of Cameron et al. (2006) identified that ice hockey attackers showed higher level of extraversion than defensemen and centers in terms of ice hockey position; which supported the current study, too. It is also important for the current study in the sense that the study of Shariati and Bakhtiari (2011) found that sports influenced personality positively. It may also be suggested that participants’ sub-dimensions of positive perception scale -self-ability, self in past and human nature- were at moderate level and above-moderate level. There was no statistically significant difference between hockey athletes’ personality inventory-sub-dimensions and income level and difficulty spending free time productively whereas statistically significant difference occurred between their personality inventory-sub-dimensions and duration to do sports (in years). Accordingly, it may be argued that hockey athletes who did sports for 6-8 years were angrier or more anxious than those who did sports for ≥9 years in terms of neuroticism subscale. On the other hand, it may be concluded that those who did sports for ≥9 years were calmer than others. The reason may be that longer duration to do sports (in years) may have produced experience. There was no statistically significant difference between hockey athletes’ positive perception scale-sub- dimensions and income level while statistically significant difference was found between hockey athletes’ positive perception scale-sub-dimensions and difficulty spending free time productively and duration to do sports (in years). Accordingly, it may be argued that hockey athletes who did sports for 6-8 years demonstrated higher positive perception levels in terms of human nature as compared to those who did sports for 3-5 years. Again, it may be argued that those who always had difficulty spending free time positively had lower scores in terms of self in past subscale than those who sometimes or never had difficulty spending free time positively. This may be due to the possibility that using free time productively made positive contributions to personal growth. According to canonical correlation findings, it may be concluded that an above-moderate level of significant correlation was found between Eysenck personality inventory-subscales and positive perception scale-subscales. Canonical variable accounted for 41% of personality variable but second canonical variable accounted for 55% of positive perception scale variables. In light of the findings, Eysenck personality inventory-sub-dimensions placed in the first variable set affected positive perception scale-sub-dimensions placed in the second variable set at a statistically significant level. 6. Recommendations More studies are needed to examine the relationship between variables in this area. Because the lack of empirical studies in the related literature has made it difficult to interpret the findings. References Adasal, R., 1979. Personality and character portraits of normal and abnormal psychosocial aspects. Istanbul: Minnetoğlu Publications. Akın, A. and M. Kaya, 2015. 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