Author(s): Drishti Gautam, T Onima Reddy and Vikram Singh

Abstract:
This study explores the comparative analysis of social intelligence among inter-university male athletes participating in three traditional Indian sports: Kabaddi, Kho-Kho, and Mallkhambh. Social intelligence, which encompasses traits such as patience, cooperativeness, confidence, sensitivity, tactfulness, memory, recognition of the social environment, and sense of humor, was assessed using a standardized scale. A total of 120 participants, aged 18 to 25, were randomly selected from each sport category (40 per group), all of whom had experience at the inter-university level. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were used to evaluate group differences across the eight subscales. The results showed that Mallkhambh players scored significantly higher in patience, cooperativeness, sensitivity, recognition, and memory, indicating stronger social-emotional regulation and awareness. Kho-Kho players demonstrated the highest scores in confidence, tactfulness, and sense of humor, while Kabaddi players generally showed lower scores across most subscales, with some parity in tactfulness and humor. Significant differences were observed in five of the eight subscales (p≤0.05), while confidence, tactfulness, and sense of humor did not vary significantly across groups. The findings suggest that the nature of the sport whether individual or team-based, physically aggressive or skill-focused, may influence the development of different aspects of social intelligence. The study highlights the importance of integrating social skill development into sports training and provides insight into how specific sports may contribute to athletes’ psychological and interpersonal growth.

Pages: 225-229  |  205 Views  117 Downloads

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