Selected personality traits of martial artists as measured by the adjective check list

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if selected personality traits varied between subgroups of Oriental martial artists and also between Oriental martial artists and non martial artists . A total of 52 people composed the superior martial artist sample. One hundred people composed the average martial artist sample, and the adult group used for norms of the Adjective Check List (ACL) served as the non martial artist sample. Superior martial artists differed from average martial artists on the ACL scales Defensiveness, Self-confidence, Achievement, Dominance, Endurance, Affiliation, Heterosexuality, Exhibition, Autonomy, Favorable Adjectives Checked, Succorance, Abasement, and Counseling Readiness. Superior martial artists differed from non martial artists on the ACL scales Defensiveness, Self-confidence, Lability, Achievement, Dominance, Endurance, Order, Affiliation, Exhibition, Autonomy, Aggression, Self-control, Personal Adjustment, Nurturance, Change, Succorance, Abasement, Deferance, and Counseling Readiness. This first comparison was done using multiple discriminant analysis and the second comparison was made using multiple t-tests. Multiple discriminant analyses revealed no significant differences between sub groups of superior martial artists. The whole study indicates that superior martial artists differ from average martial artists and non martial artists on many of the ACL scales