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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5025 – 5029

5th World Conference on Educational Sciences - WCES 2013

A Comparison study of Self concept and Self efficacy in Martial

arts and non Martial arts Athletics in Iran
Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei a *, Akbar pouladei Reishehrei b, Ebrahim soleimani c
a Department of Psychology, Payam Noor University, Bushehr,Iran
b Department of medicine insurance organization, Bushehr, Iran
c Department of educational organization, Bushehr, Iran

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of self concept and self-efficacy in martial and no
martial athletics. Methods: This research was causal-comparative. The statistic community of this research was the martial and no
martial athletics. A sample of 380 persons had chosen randomly. The research tools included: athletic self-efficacy, self concept
tests. Both tests have high reliability and validity. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between
confidence and martial arts (r= 0.32 p<0.001). Also, there was a significant difference between physical confidence of martial
and no martial athletics (t= 3.72, p<0.001). Additionally, ethical confidence in martial athletics significantly was higher than no
martial athletics (t= 3.01, p<0/003). Also, there was a significant difference between intellectual confidence of martial and no
martial athletics (t= 2.74, p<0.006). In the same time, the findings showed that educational confidence of martial athletics was
higher than other athletics (t= 3.04, p<0.001). But, there was no significant difference between social confidence of martial and
no martial athletics. Discussion: As the whole, exercise increases self concept and the sense of individual's self-efficacy, and
improves individual's beliefs about himself and his dynamism in society. The findings showed that martial arts are effective in
different aspects of self concept and can provide a proper background to advance. Conclusion: Exercise in general has effect on
improving mental health and self confidence. But martial arts can increase readiness and the ability of persons for more self
confidence. Therefore, the martial arts from psychological view are critical and important. We need more researches in this field.
© 2013
© 2013The
TheAuthors.
Authors Published
Published by
by Elsevier
ElsevierLtd.
Ltd.Open
All rights
accessreserved
under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and
Selection peerpeer-review
and/or review underunder
the responsibility of Prof.
responsibility Dr. Servet World
of Academic BayramEducation and Research Center.
Keywords: Self-efficacy, Self concept, Martial Arts, Athletics;

1. Introduction

The most necessary needs of human being which is of basic articles of mental health is security, safety, joyance,
and vivacity; and exercise is one of the manners to reach this important subject. According to psychologists and
education experts, self- concept and self- efficacy play significant role in person's understanding of different
situations, and his response toward them. It also plays role in his theory toward goals, duties, and challenges. In
other words, it is a strong power to organize cognitional, social, emotional, and behavioral skills of people to
realization different goals (Bandura,1991). Participate in exercises makes opportunity to self- estimate, relationship
and comparison with peers and to safe competition, which helps to grow self- esteem and self- concept. Regular
exercise has relationship with self- esteem (Gruber, 1986). The concept of self-esteem has considerable relevance to
one's mental health because it has been shown to be a key indicator of emotional stability and adjustment to life
demands and one of the strongest predictors of subjective well- being (Fox, 2000). It has also been related to other
positive qualities (e.g., life satisfaction, positive social adjustment, resilience to stress) and choice and persistence in
a range of achievement and health behaviors. Self- esteem differs from self- concept; the latter is a self- description,
Corresponding Author : Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei
e-mail: [email protected]

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.1067
5026 Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5025 – 5029

whereas the former is a self- rating of the self is doing. Fox (2000) believes that self- esteem is evaluation imaginary
realities about self. Self- confidence or self- esteem is one of the spiritual conditions which the individual has
confidence and believe to his abilities and capacities successfully because of previous experiments.
Today, most scientists believe that exercise increases self- confidence and dominance on problems. According to
Cooper Smith, self- esteem is due to having successful relationships with others and to learn skills. The most
important elements of self- confidence are: family, school, social and sport activities and reciprocal relationship
which the person learns in these stages. Also, it has recognized that physical activities have positive effect on self-
confidence of adults. According to the researchers of Mc Muster University of Canada, men and women who speak
about their physical activities seem more self- confident than those who do not speak about their physical activities
(Newton and duda, 1992). Exercise provides a base to show capacities and abilities and improves indicators like
self- confidence, self- esteem, sociability, and social consistency. These indicators sustain self- esteem. The
researches among students show that there is a significant relationship between self- esteem of athletic and non
athletic students. It means that athletic students have more self- esteem than non athletic students. So, exercise can
be effective on positive self- esteem (Fox, 2000).
Coopersmith believes that four elements are effective on person's self- esteem:
• The worth which person receives of others by love, praise, and attention.
• Experiment and success; the title and position the person has in relation to the environment.
• Person's definition of success or fault.
• The person's method in relation to negative feedback or criticism.
Self- esteem has relationship with some negative and positive psychics. High self- esteem has relationship with
positive and high coping strategies, high motivation, and positive emotional mood (Lazarus, 1991).
In addition to self- confidence, self- efficacy also has relationship with exercise. Self- efficacy includes:" person's
belief to his capabilities in organize and implement necessary activities for manage different conditions and
situations". In other words, self- efficacy is person's belief to his ability to success in a specific situation (Bandura,
1991). According to Bandura's (1991) self- efficacy theory, behavior change and maintenance are function of
expectations about the outcome and belief in one's ability to engage in or execute the behavior (efficacy). Self-
efficacy beliefs have been related to the adoption, maintenance, and relapse of physical activity in free- living
settings. For example, self- efficacy decreased over 6 months in university students who regressed in their exercise
stage of change, but exercise self- efficacy was unchanged for those who maintained regular exercise (Wallace &
Buckworth, 2003). Hallam and Petosa (2004) found support for self- efficacy and other constructs of social
cognitive theory mediating expected increases in self- efficacy for the treatment group and not the control group and
better adherence across 12 months for the treatment group. Social cognitive theories are frequently applied to
physical activity, and self- efficacy has the strongest support as a correlate of exercise and physical activity. There is
evidence for its role in exercise adoption, but mixed support for effects on adherence.
This research has evaluated martial artists among athletics. Martial arts are some activities to sustain the spiritual
and physical conditions and culture people's capabilities. We can break down martial arts to soft and strong. Strong
sports are the exercises which treat with body like karate, and soft sports which treat with mind like Yoga, and
Tachi.
Different researches have reported high correlation between the problems and high interest to body and social-
mental consistency. Greenspan and Felts, (1989), aimed that decline physical self- confidence increases depression.
in their researches concluded that high anxiety have relationship with low image. Dweek (2002) found direct
relationship between physical satisfaction and decline self- confidence. They also concluded that decreasing
physical satisfaction increases depression. Self- efficacy points to personal belief, means that the person can do
special behavior (Bandura, 1977).
Hall (1997) in a research named "evaluation the relationship between exercise and social consistency and self-
confidence in girls of high schools" it has determined that one of the important components to prevent, treatment,
and mental and physical health is exercise.
The main Purposes of the research include:

• Determine self- confidence in athletics of martial arts.

• Determine self- efficacy in athletics of martial arts.
 Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5025 – 5029 5027

• Comparison self- confidence and self- efficacy in athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.
• Comparison self- confidence elements in athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.

• 2.Method:

With regard to the nature and type of the research, this research is descriptive of correlation kind. The sample was
357 persons, which 190 athletics were of non martial arts and 167 athletics were of martial arts. These persons
choose randomly among the target community. Among them, 178 persons (%49.9) had below 20 and 28 persons
(%7.8) had upper than 31 years old, and the average of their age was (21.77) standard deviation of (5.75).
To collect data and information, it had used of two questionnaires of self- Concept (Pouladei, 2011), and self-
efficacy test (Bandura, 1977). These questionnaires have high validity and reliability. The questionnaire of self-
Concept has several dimensions include: social, intellectual, emotional, physical. Each dimension has 8 questions.

3.Results

Table 1 compares self- Concept in athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.
Table 1: comparison the self- concept in athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.
Scale Group Average Standard df t p
Deviation

Martial art 20.19 5.43

Social 255 0.24 0.8
Non 21.04 5.46
martial arts

Martial art 20.95 5/18

Physical 255 3.72 0.001
Non martial 19.07 4.32
arts

Martial art 20 5.47

Moral 255 3.01 0.003
Non martial 18.43 4.3
arts

Martial art 20.53 4.97

Intellectual 255 2.74 0.006
Non martial 19.27 3.66
Arts

Martial art 106.73 19.03

Total 255 3.04 0.001
Non martial 101.17 15.44
Arts

As you see in the above table, comparison the self- concept in athletics of martial arts and non martial arts showed
that in physical self- concept (t= 3.72, P<0.001), moral (t= 3.01, P<0.003), intellectual (t= 2.74, P<0.006) there is
significant difference between the two groups, whereas, in social self- concept there was not significant difference
5028 Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5025 – 5029

between the two groups. In total, the comparison of self- concept showed significant difference between two groups
of athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.
Table 2 compares self- efficacy of athletics of martial arts and non martial arts.
Table 2: comparison of self- efficacy of athletics of martial arts and non martial arts

Variable Group Average Standard df t p

Deviation
Martial art 68.93 7.86

Self- efficacy 255 2.1 0.04

Non martial 67.14 8.19

Arts

Table 2, t-test, shows the comparison of self- efficacy of athletics of martial arts and non martial arts. This
comparison implies the significant difference among them (t= 2.1, P<0.04).

4.Discussion

Perceived self- efficacy " refers to beliefs in one's Power to produce a given level of attainment" (Bandura, 1997).
It is a cognitive state that has a direct impact on how well actions are performed. Beliefs of self- efficacy constitute
the key factor of human agency. People who lack self- efficacy believe they also lack the power to perform the task.
Bandura states that a sense of personal efficacy is represented by prepositional beliefs embedded in a network of
functional relationships. An example is coping with aversive experiences in which exertion and discomfort are
present.
Self- efficacy expectations differ on three dimensions: magnitude, generality, and strength. The magnitude of self-
efficacy refers to the level of task difficulty that a person believes he or she is capable of executing. Generality
refers to efficacy expectations that may be specific to a task, or a more generalizable sense of efficacy (i.e., related
to several tasks). Finally, the strength of expectations refers to the degree to which one exhibits perseverance when
facing aversive or frustrating situations that evoke physical exertion and discomfort.
Today, most of the scientists believe that exercise increases self- concept and dominance on problems. According
to Cooper Smith, self- concept is due to successful relationships with others and learning skills. The most important
elements of make self- concept are: family, school, social activities, and reciprocal relationship which the individual
learns. Also, it has recognized that physical activities have positive effects on self- concept in adults. According to
the researchers of Mc. Master University of Canada, men and women who speak about their exercises have more
self- concept than those who do not speak about their exercises.
The most necessary needs of human being which is of basic articles of mental health is security, safety, joyance,
and vivacity; and exercise is one of the manners to reach this important subject. Participate in exercises makes
opportunity to self- estimate, relationship and comparison with peers and to safe competition, which helps to grow
self- honor and self- concept. Regular exercise has relationship with self- honor.
According to the results of the research, physical image is a combination of physical characteristics and abilities.
Self- concept is on the basis of consent of physical condition and exterior specifications. Typically, girls and women
emphasize on physical characteristics and boys and men emphasize physical abilities (physical power).
The results show that people who have high self- concept, experience high improvement in their quality of life; on
the other hand, people who have low self- concept, suffer from moral- behavioral and emotional disorders like
anxiety, lack of motivation, tendency to suicide, eating disorders, criminality, and depression (Lazarus, 1991). Also,
the results suggest that different elements can affect self- confidence and maybe each different element be proper for
someone. Some may learn new skills and increase their capability. The documents imply that all of these elements
can increase self- concept, although the treatments which aim to change self- evaluation process, are more efficient
 Allahkaram Pouladei Reishehrei et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 5025 – 5029 5029

and more successful than the treatments which aim to increase skills. The evidences show that self- efficacy
expectations about the ability of do different behaviors and whether these people do different behaviors or not, are
good anticipators (Bandura, 1991). The difference between the average of physical self- confidence score of the
athletics of martial arts and non martial arts according to t- test results is significant (P<0.001). Therefore, with
regard to the average of physical self- concept score of the athletics of martial arts and non martial arts we can say
that the athletics of martial arts in comparison to the athletics of non martial arts have higher physical self- concept.
With regard to the average of moral self- concept score of the athletics of martial arts and non martial arts we can
say that the athletics of martial arts in comparison to the athletics of non martial arts have higher moral self-
concept.
With regard to the average of intellectual self- confidence score of the athletics of martial arts and non martial arts
we can say that the athletics of martial arts in comparison to the athletics of non martial arts have higher intellectual
self- confidence. So, the above hypothesis confirmed. The results show that people who had internal criteria in
comparison to those who need to others confirmation, have better moral function.

The difference between the average of self- efficacy score of the athletics of martial arts and non martial arts
according to t- test results is significant (P< 0.04). Therefore, with regard to the average of self- efficacy score of the
athletics of martial arts and non martial arts we can say that the athletics of martial arts in comparison to the athletics
of non martial arts have higher self- efficacy.

5.Conclusion:

Therefore, attention to sport, especially martial arts, is necessary to increase self- esteem. Thus, we can try to
increase mental and social health of the people in different ages, by implementation practical and operational
educations.
It suggests that in addition to martial arts educations, psychological educations in different dimensions of self-
concept (social, physical, moral, and intellectual) also lay in the programs exercises. Also, suggests that expanded
researches about martial arts and physical- mental effects of these sports implemented. Moreover, suggests that to
sustain physical and mental powers and also self- confidence and self- efficacy of people, the educational and
cultural organizations, fit the educational martial arts into their sport programs.

References

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