Group cohesion and intramural football

Abstract

Teams with higher levels of team cohesion more often outperform teams with lower levels of cohesion. The purpose of this study was to compare team cohesion levels between inexperienced and experienced subjects participating in intramural flag football. Null Hypothesis: There was no difference in team cohesion between inexperienced and experienced teams. The population consisted of college males participating in intramural flag football (N=20). Ten were inexperienced (G1IN; n=10) and ten were experienced (G1E; n=10). Skill level varied from no experience through varsity high school football. Two years or less of high school football experience were considered inexperienced. Participants with more than two years of high school football playing experience were considered experienced. The modified questionnaire (Weinberg & Gould, 2007) contained twelve questions formatted to fit a Likert scale. Each group of participants were instructed in the same environment using a script to ensure uniform presentation. Packets were distributed to subjects that included an informed consent waiver, logistics sheet, and questionnaire. Means for both groups (inexperienced and experienced players) were computed. A two-tailed independent t-test was used to assess difference. No differences were found. The null hypothesis was not rejected. Since cohesion was multidimensional, no single factor predicted group cohesion. The amount of competitive experience an individual possessed, past experience in the specific sport, and/or if sports were encouraged in the participant’s household during childhood were other factors of interest in group cohesion predictions.