survey: sports, competition & athletics

[Blase]

Alright, so it's been way too long since I've posted here. I'm still a fledgling neophyte, but I honestly do want to get as involved in this community as I can, so I've decided to undergo a project. I want to see how many really objective trends you can attribute to and determine by personality type. The first topic: sports. Although perhaps this subject fits better under entertainment, I chose to post it here since I'm trying to approach it like a psychology experiment, collecting data (be warned, this is largely my Ti at work).

So here's some questions to consider:
-Do you participate in sports, or have you in the past?
-Do you enjoy sports?
-For what reasons do you like/dislike them? exercise, catharsis, adrenaline rush, competition, team spirit, etc.
-Are there certain sports you prefer over others? Why?
-Do you differentiate between competitive, strategic team sports like football and basketball, as opposed to the more olympic, purely athletic, personal sports like track, swimming, gymnastics etc? Or maybe even the more casual, recreational sports like golf and bowling. If so, which one do you favor?
-Do you watch/follow professional, college, or regional sports?
-Do you have a particular team or teams you support? Why do you chose to support them?
-What are your general opinions about both athletics as a personal activity, and as media entertainment?
-How do you think/feel that your athletic interests and experiences relate to and/or stem from your personality type?

Don't answer all these questions, they're just to get your mind thinking. Say whatever comes to mind and whatever seems to mean something to you, but keep in mind that although my methods aren't very formal (at least yet) I hope to use this as data.

I personally have been in track & field and cross country for years during primary and secondary school. I have never really enjoyed them much, the most I got out of them was from just having a social format to meet people and make friends. I have never followed professional or college sports, or really committed myself to rooting for a team, even my own school team. It all seems meaningless to me, who wins or who loses. There's little difference between one or the other, so why create a difference when there is none? I could see myself rooting for a team, but I figure why bother, its just another hobby to burn up more of my time, and one that I don't see as being very productive. On the other hand, I hold physical health and fitness as an important value, and I wish I could do backflips and stuff like gymnasts and free runners do. But this seems to me different from team sports, and though I do highly respect this form of athletic mastery and training, I don't think I would bother much to watch it as entertainment either. I'd rather just go out and do it myself.

My hypothesis is, that INFJs, strongly intune with their Ni, largely disregard competitive sports due to the INFJs ability to find meaning behind it. Due to Fe, they may find themselves participating for social reasons, but the INFJ makeup really isn't capable of the kind of hooligan behavior characteristic of true-blue sports fans.

Of course, there's a good chance I'm wrong, and if you disagree, please say so since I need that data before I can come to any reasonable conclusion. I hope that be surveying different subjects like this, it may be possible to form a even more detailed profiling of the different types, not to say "INFJs like sports" or "INFJs dislike sports", since there are always exceptions. But rather just to observe certain tendencies, which I believe exist among personality types, even relating to things as basic as football.

So thank you for participating, and I'm eager to hear what you have to say

 

[Barnabas]

well, I do enjoy participatng in sports but not competing in sports. Nor do I watch many sports.

This also brings up a question, what qualifies as a sport. We have a game hear at the college called slant ball, and it can be very active. Would that qualify, what about pillow fight capture the flag or ultimate frisbee?

 

[soulseeker]

No I hate sports.

I hate anything to do with balls. I'm afraid of them. ahahahahahaha
I got a line of seven in my report card because of volleyball.. I got a 79.

When I was in grade 2, I remember my classmates teasing me because I never learned to dribble a basketball<--- we had that in our P.E. class

I can't hit the shuttlecock when playing badminton..I can't just stand and hit it I'd have to jump or do extra actions to be able to hit it. And the teacher would just shout to me and tell me not to move too much. <--- ahahha I have problems with that. I just move too much.

Ping Pong... aahahaha no way.



I just end up hitting the air.... never the ball

I don't know how to swim. I don't even like playing bowling or golf or whatever.

I don't have any sport hehehehe


I care about my health ahaha and although I don't aim to be really physically fit, I want to be healthy. I don't play any sports but I do yoga and why isn't dancing considered a sport!?!??! ahahaha it's one of the very few things I know ahahahaha

I did gymnastics 3 years ago. I liked it and still like it but I'm kind of afraid of doing those back tucks, handsprings and all that.

I'd rather dance than play any sport

 

[testing]

Hi Blase, I'll just go through and answer your questions:

-Do you participate in sports, or have you in the past? Not competitive sports
-Do you enjoy sports? Some, if it is not a team sport or not competitive or if no one is going to throw a ball at me.
-For what reasons do you like/dislike them? exercise, catharsis, adrenaline rush, competition, team spirit, etc. I love physical activity like skiing, swimming, other forms of exercise, but I have never enjoyed competitive or team sports. I was taught soccer as a child and just found the kicking and the pushing and the sweating and the yelling extremely mean-spirited and annoying.
-Are there certain sports you prefer over others? Why? I like horseback riding. Because of the horseys. That is the closest I've gotten to competitive sports. I'm a good dancer (well, used to be) and that is the closest I've ever come to a team sport.
-Do you differentiate between competitive, strategic team sports like football and basketball, as opposed to the more olympic, purely athletic, personal sports like track, swimming, gymnastics etc? Or maybe even the more casual, recreational sports like golf and bowling. If so, which one do you favor? Yeah, they're different... some require you to be hit repeatedly with a ball and pushed around by aggressive maniacs and some don't. I like the kind that don't.
-Do you watch/follow professional, college, or regional sports? No, people scream and fight about these things and this bothers me. Used to actually frighten me as a child.
-Do you have a particular team or teams you support? Why do you chose to support them? I kind of support the Atlanta Braves baseball team but mostly only because people I love do. Baseball is less annoying than other sports and has some interesting aspects.
-What are your general opinions about both athletics as a personal activity, and as media entertainment? Pro and college athletes are way overpaid... I don't really understand why people get so worked up about it. Why do we value them so much? I don't get it.
-How do you think/feel that your athletic interests and experiences relate to and/or stem from your personality type? I seem to be lacking a very strong competitive instinct and I dislike anything that seems like conflict. This is (apparently) very INFJ of me. I've been this way since I can remember. I had to have someone explain to me about healthy competition because I couldn't see anything healthy about it formerly.

P.S. I will happily participate in tailgate parties or things like that.

 

[rawr]

should this be moved to health and wellness or stay here?

 

[Blase]

This also brings up a question, what qualifies as a sport. We have a game hear at the college called slant ball, and it can be very active. Would that qualify, what about pillow fight capture the flag or ultimate frisbee?

I hate to be so ambiguous, but part of what I want to know is how YOU define sports. You might categorize them differently, and feel differently about these categories, so really it's up to you. Anything that you think could be considered a sport for all intents and purposes is one, but it might be set apart in your mind from other more prototypical sports (football, basketball, etc).

should this be moved to health and wellness or stay here?

I was thinking of it from the analytical/psychological perspective, but in hindsight I think you're right, it'd be better to move it. Thanks!

 

[Ecton]

(be warned, this is largely my Ti at work).

So noted. That's ok, Ti don't scare me none.

I played sports in High School. Soccer, Track, and Tennis. I enjoyed the team practices, and I enjoyed soccer games up until about 10th grade. After that, I used to secretly loathe the actual games and matches. By 12th grade I just quit sports. I preferred to go jogging on my own down back country roads. I would have invited other kids along if I thought they would have enjoyed it too.

I don't watch organized sports. I just don't like it.

I might have gotten back into it eventually, but I had too many raw experiences in college. My brother had to rescue a girl from a house at Penn State. (The football players there get special condo housing) This girl was being physically abused by a football player boyfriend, and was afraid of how he would react when they she moved out, so my brother helped her. She was really afraid of Paterno, who she knew would try to cover for the player.

Then there was my experience where one of my college roommate's dad was a boss in the Pennsylvania mafia. He bought hookers and blow for the University of Pittsburgh football team recruits, and a few sports cars. They kept the sports cars in a downtown parking lot, and gave the recruits keys so they could go cruising (usually drunk) whenever they wanted to. My roommate would tell stories about what he and the recruits did to girls. And I'm not talking about things girls would volunteer to do.

After those experiences, I think I was basically done cheering on "college athletes"

I pretty much assume professional sports is the same. I just can't watch ESPN without feeling a little sick, that and one of their anchors used to be a small time porn star. I'm no prude, but I can't help but laugh whenever he comes on the screen ;p I just picture him in the S&M flick I saw. lol

I still like sports.. I guess... with friends. But even then sometimes it got too competitive and I had to quit. I joined an intramural soccer team in grad school with a few of my classmates. It was supposed to be for fun, but they started yelling at each other when we played against some European kids who kicked our collective asses. I was having fun getting my ass kicked, they were all getting prickly, so I dropped out of that league, too. When it comes to sports, I guess I'm just a perpetual drop out. I don't see the point of all of the anger.

Did my personality type shape my opinion of sports: Hell yes. I just never knew what a personality type was, but when I tried to explain to my parents why I just wasn't into competition, I was basically describing the INFJ inclinations. Intuitively, I didn't see a point in competing when the fun part of the game was the physical challenge, feeling wise, I didn't like the aggression and cheating in High School sports, and Judging wise, I said "fuck it" and walked away.

Oh, and I forgot the stories about steroids on my high school track team. I'll save those for some other time.

 

[Matariki]

-Do you participate in sports, or have you in the past?

Yes, In the past when I was a child I competed in figure skating and netball however that all ended when my younger sister died.
I then later on moved onto martial arts. My first martial art was Taekwon-do, which I did for two and half years, however I left due to bullying (which got worse after my Uncle passed away) and tearing my meniscus while attempting a flying turning (aka roundhouse) kick, a kick which I had practiced multiple times before.
Before leaving Taekwon-do I also briefly took up Muay Thai, however I also left due to verbal abuse.
I then moved onto Goju-Ryu Karate, I left because my knee was getting worse to the point I was having trouble walking, I had to undergo surgery, my doctor told me If I continued with martial arts there was a chance I would end up in a wheel chair. Not listening to him I returned to Goju-Ryu Karate only to fall into a very deep depression, my other reason for leaving was lack of sparring.
Recently I pulled myself out of the darkness and took up Boxing which I am enjoying, the trainers are great guys and sparring is hard (which is what I love)

-Do you enjoy sports?

Yes, I love sports.
However I don't really consider martial arts to be a sport.

-For what reasons do you like/dislike them? exercise, catharsis, adrenaline rush, competition, team spirit, etc.

I love sports because they provide great cardio. I love it everytime I step into the ring, because in a way I'm fighting myself. I'm fighting against my weaknesses while using my strengths to win a bout or run those few last meters. I love competing for the same reasons, not only it tests you physically and mentally it also challanges you spiritually, every time you step into the ring its making you a better fighter.
I love the rush I get when I get punched in the head, It makes me excited because it tells me that my opponent is good so It forces me to fight at his level.

-Are there certain sports you prefer over others? Why?

I love all sports, however I love some sports far more than others.
Iv'e always loved martial arts. As a kid I was a bully victim, however I would always fight back, I would stand up to the bullies especially when I saw someone weaker than myself being picked on (usually a handicapped kid) I suppose thats where my love for martial arts came from. Marital arts has given me a form of added security and has bosted my confidence.

-Do you differentiate between competitive, strategic team sports like football and basketball, as opposed to the more olympic, purely athletic, personal sports like track, swimming, gymnastics etc? Or maybe even the more casual, recreational sports like golf and bowling. If so, which one do you favor?

Which one do I favour? I love strategic, personal sports. I don't like team sports as much because I have to rely on my team mates. I would rather rely on myself, trust myself and blame myself If I lose instead of others.
I consider martial arts to be a very strategic sport.

-Do you watch/follow professional, college, or regional sports?
-Do you have a particular team or teams you support? Why do you chose to support them?

N/A

-What are your general opinions about both athletics as a personal activity, and as media entertainment?

I don't generally like to see martial arts being used for entertainment as it can bring across the wrong image. Martial arts is a tool when put into the wrong hands it can become a very dangerous tool, not only to others but also the person who is using it.

-How do you think/feel that your athletic interests and experiences relate to and/or stem from your personality type?

I believe for someone such as myself, we tend to go from sport to sport deciding which one fits us best and then from there we add on other sports to support the current sport we happen to be doing and vice-versa. I think this sort behaviour fits the ENTP bill quite fine.

Don't answer all these questions, they're just to get your mind thinking.

To bad, I'm not an INFJ and I'm going to answer all of these questions because I can, I'm bored and I love doing tests and surveys, so there.

 

[Blase]

To bad, I'm not an INFJ and I'm going to answer all of these questions because I can, I'm bored and I love doing tests and surveys, so there.

lol, I seriously laughed out loud, must've been the monkey
next time I'll try not to be so pushy and leave it optional.

I posted the same survey on a few different sites if you'd like to check them out.
INTP INTJ ENFP ENTP ENTJ

 

[laurie]

-Do you participate in sports, or have you in the past?
I did some Judo and Karate at some point, but was too nervous to ever get past white belt. I did lots of sports in school (for P.E.). If dance counts, then I did that for a while as an extra-curricular activity (but got stage fright and avoided the performance).

-Do you enjoy sports?
Some. Strangely enough, this had basketball included. Usually, I prefer sports where you can do them kind of by yourself or in very small groups, like aerobics, dance, martial arts etc.

-For what reasons do you like/dislike them? exercise, catharsis, adrenaline rush, competition, team spirit, etc.
They make my mind actually shut off for a while, so I feel relaxed afterwards. I hate competition.

-Are there certain sports you prefer over others? Why?
Specified above: lone/small group sports, apart from basketball.

-Do you differentiate between competitive, strategic team sports like football and basketball, as opposed to the more olympic, purely athletic, personal sports like track, swimming, gymnastics etc? Or maybe even the more casual, recreational sports like golf and bowling. If so, which one do you favor?
I did pretty much all of these at school. I loved sprinting, but hated cross country. I'm awful at gymnastics. Gold and bowling hardly count, but are fun.
I prefer chess to most strategic sports... except basketball.

-Do you watch/follow professional, college, or regional sports?
No, sports should be played, not watched D: It's so dull.

-Do you have a particular team or teams you support? Why do you chose to support them?
No... I feel like I'm missing out somehow.

-What are your general opinions about both athletics as a personal activity, and as media entertainment?
People should not be payed much for playing a large-scale game. All the money should go to education/health/transport.
As a personal activity, everything's good in moderation.

-How do you think/feel that your athletic interests and experiences relate to and/or stem from your personality type?
I don't know if there's much to do with it. Maybe the lack of competativeness?