Will the peer leader please stand up? The personality of the peer leader in elite and non-elite sport teams

2014 IJRSP – Volume 3 Issue 1

Author/s:

Rylander, Pär
University of Gothenburg, Sweden (par.rylander@ped.gu.se)

Heden, Anders
Linnæus University, Sweden (anders.heden@lnu.se)

Archer, Trevor
University of Gothenburg, Sweden (trevor.archer@psy.gu.se)

Garcia, Danilo*
University of Gothenburg, Sweden (danilo.garcia@euromail.se)

Abstract:

We examine associations between self-reported personal characteristics (i.e., skills and Big-Five traits) and peer leadership in team sports at elite and non-elite levels. At a general level, the peer-rated leadership was positively correlated with self-reported athletic skill, positive affect and Openness, while negatively correlated with negative affect and Neuroticism. Moreover, peer leadership was predicted by Extraversion in the non-elite group, while counter-predicted by Agreeableness in the elite group. Suggesting that athletic level might provide a “strong” (elite level) and a “weak” (non-elite level) context in which different traits predict who is perceived as a leader.

Keywords: affectivity; athletic skill; elite athlete; non-elite athlete; peer rated leadership; personality traits

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsp.2013.451

*Corresponding Author