Prakriti, task and ego orientation in interstate level sports person

Pages: 407-411
Tarun Jain P.T. and Ritu Sharma (AIPS, Amity University, Noida, U.P.)

Sport Performance, perhaps is the most marveled at and the most researched concept in the history of sports. However, its true nature is still intriguing the researchers. A major tenet of psychology is that the psychological skills are important determinants of sports performance. This research is an attempt to study the relation between Prakriti (gunas) and Task and Ego Orientation scale. Personality in the Indian mythology is defined by gunas which are Stability (sattvic), Activation (rajas) and Inertia (tamas). For this purpose IAS Mathew Scale by George Mathew and Task and ego orientation questionnaire by Joan Duda (1974) was administrated to 78 interstate level athletes in NCR Delhi between the ages of 18-21 years. Analysis of data was done by using descriptive statistics and correlation. The results indicate that Ego orientation, which is motivation towards achieving results and being better than others and to do so using maladaptive strategies, which eventually leads to state of helplessness. Rajas is a state of mental turbulence driven by greed for selfish activity and end in pain. Whereas Task Orientation is motivation towards learning a skill and having coping strategies. Sattvic is a state of wisdom and knowledge which removes darkness and turbulence. This study leaves a strong implication for trainers and sportspersons to actively upraise the sportsperson on their Prakriti and actively work on improving it to achieve success. It also suggests that Avoidance Orientation needs to be added in Sports Orientation Scales for understanding and improving performance.