Examining the Physical Activity and E-Sports Participation Motivation of Faculty of Sports Sciences Students

Abstract

This research was conducted to examine the physical activity and e-sports participation motivations of students in the Faculty of Sports Sciences. The study included 206 students (80 women and 126 men) studying at the Faculty of Sports Sciences of Namık Kemal University in Tekirdağ. Data collection tools used were a Personal Information Form, Physical Activity Participation Motivation Scale, and the E-Sports Participation Motivation Scale. Data analysis first checked for normality of the distribution (skewness and kurtosis values). Independent t-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson financial analysis were used. According to the research, no significant difference was found in physical activity participation motivation based on gender, department, and class (p>0.05). However, significant differences were found in e-sports participation motivation based on gender, with men having higher e-sports motivation than women (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in e-sports motivation in terms of department and class variables (p>0.05). Furthermore, while there was a significant positive correlation between daily e-sports playing time and e-sports motivation (p<0.05), there was no significant correlation between daily physical activity time and physical activity motivation (p>0.05). In conclusion, it was determined that sports science athletes have balanced and high levels of physical activity motivation, while their e-sports motivation is particularly affected by gender and playing time. The research shows that e-sports has gained an important place in the digitalized sports culture among young people, and highlights the importance of sports science education in both supporting students' physical activity abilities and creating a lasting presence in e-sports.