The Effect of Athlete Engagement on Social Identity ın Team Sports

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of athlete commitment on social identity in team sports. In this regard, 369 athletes engaged in team sports (basketball, football, volleyball) participated in the study. The Athlete Commitment Scale and the Social Identity in Sports Scale were used in the study. The skewness and kurtosis values of the obtained data indicated that the distribution was normal. In this context, independent samples t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis were applied. It was found that there were no significant differences in social identity levels and athlete commitment between athletes based on gender. However, basketball and football players were found to have higher social identity and commitment levels compared to volleyball players. It was also observed that as age and years of sport experience increased, athletes' social identity and athlete commitment levels also increased. Additionally, athlete commitment was found to have a significant effect on athletes' social identity levels. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that athlete commitment has a significant impact on the formation of social identity and that as athletes' commitment to sports increases, their social identity strengthens.