Comparative research into values and motives of university students with different physical activity levels

Abstract

This study compared the values and motives among university students with varying levels of physical activity. The sample included 120 second- and third-year full-time students aged 18–20 from Ukrainian universities. Participants were categorized into three groups based on physical activity levels (PALs): low (Group 1), medium (Group 2), and high (Group 3), with gender balance maintained across the randomly selected sample. Results. The diagrams of values and motives of respondents with different physical activity levels were created. Superiority across the groups was observed in the following values (p <.001): Group 1 – “universalism”, “selfdirection”, “stimulation”, “achievement”, “power”, and “security”; Group 2 – “conformity”, “self-direction”, and “hedonism”; Group 3 – “universalism”, “self-direction”, “stimulation”, “achievement”, “power”, and “security”. Superiority across the groups was observed in the following motives (p ≤ .050; p ≤ .010; р < .001): Group 1 – “avoidance motive”, “motive for changing activity”, “regularity of results”; Group 2 – “assessment of results achieved”; Group 3 – “self-respect motive”, “regularity of results”, “assessment of results achieved”, and “assessment of one’s potential”. For the grouping variable “gender differentiation”, five superiorities in the male subsample were identified in the following values: “tradition” (d = -.468), “benevolence” (d = -.612), “universalism” (d = -.395), “stimulation” (d = -.462), and “security” (p = .011; d = -.476). For the grouping variable “gender differentiation”, superiority was observed in the “self-respect motive” (d = .385) in the female subsample. Correlation matrices showed significant close relationships between PALs and values (nine correlations) and between PALs and motives (three correlations). Discussion and conclusions. It was substantiated that values, unlike motives, are deep beliefs that determine what students consider valuable and important. It was underscored that a scientific value can be assigned to the successful study of the role and place of physical activity in the dimensions of values and motives among university students.