Core values in novice Physical Education Teachers and Sport Science students

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to explore the values orientation of individuals (students and teachers) involved in Sport Science and Sport Pedagogy fields. Methods: 147 individuals (mean ±SD age: 30±6.8 years, range 23-53 years, 79 females and 68 males) enrolled either in a Master's Degree in Sport Science (36.7%) or enrolled in PE Teaching specialisation courses for Secondary School (TFA 42.9%; PAS 20.4%) at the Catholic University of Milan were recruited for this study. The participants completed an ad-hoc prepared socio-anagraphic questionnaire and the PVQ (Portrait Values Questionnaire), a list of 40 item that describe the values of a general person and the subjects express how much they perceive themselves similar to the hypothetical person (in a Likert 6 points scale). The values orientation is organized in two bipolar dimensions: self-enhancement versus self-transcendence; conservatism versus open to change. Results: Regarding the bipolar values orientation, the sample showed higher values in self-transcendence (mean 4.77) and open to change (mean 4.39). Self-enhancement was higher in men (Student’s t-Test, p<0,01) and in young people (Pearsons’ r -.334, p<0,01); instead self-transcendence was greater in the teachers, who were also the eldest (positive correlation with age; r .223, p <0.01). Discussion: Individuals involved in physical activity seem to have a good social predisposition (prevalent values orientation of self-transcendence), especially those who chose a teaching career and are interested in other people’s wellbeing. References: 1) Schwartz, S.H. (2012), An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values, Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2 (1) 2) Capanna, C., Vecchione, M., Schwartz, S.H. (2005), La misura dei valori. Un contributo alla validazione del Portrait Values Questionnaire su un campione italiano, Bollettino di Psicologia applicata, 246, 29-41.