Journal article
Developmental contexts, depth of competition and relative age effects in sport: A database analysis and a quasi-experiment
Publication Details
Authors: | Schorer, J.; Cobley, S.; Bräutigam, H.; Loffing, F.; Hütter, S.; Büsch, D.; Wattie, N.; Helsen, W.; Baker, J. |
Publication year: | 2015 |
Journal: | Psychological Test and Assessment Modeling |
Pages range : | 126-143 |
Volume number: | 57 |
ISSN: | 2190-0493 |
eISSN: | 2190-0507 |
URN / URL: |
Abstract
Improving learning environments requires an understanding of biases and restrictions of currentenvironments. The widely used policy of grouping youth into ‘age groups' for education and sportpromotes a persistent and pervasive developmental disadvantage known as the ‘relative age effect'. This investigation documents two studies examining the potential role of depth of competition inpromoting relative age effects in sport. In Study 1, we considered effects across 49 European countries (N = 189,411) and their relationship with depth of competition. There were significant effects in 38 countries but they did not seem to be related to depth of competition as measured by UEFA club ranking, league, ratio of national to international players or inhabitants per country. Study 2 used a quasi-experimental approach to consider a linear relationship between the number of participantsin a sport, the number of spots on a sports team and the size of relative age effects. Results did not support a linear relationship between these variables but provided some evidence of nonlinearinteractions. Collectively, these results indicate that the relationships between competitionvariables and the size of relative age effects are more complex than previously hypothesized.
Improving learning environments requires an understanding of biases and restrictions of currentenvironments. The widely used policy of grouping youth into ‘age groups' for education and sportpromotes a persistent and pervasive developmental disadvantage known as the ‘relative age effect'. This investigation documents two studies examining the potential role of depth of competition inpromoting relative age effects in sport. In Study 1, we considered effects across 49 European countries (N = 189,411) and their relationship with depth of competition. There were significant effects in 38 countries but they did not seem to be related to depth of competition as measured by UEFA club ranking, league, ratio of national to international players or inhabitants per country. Study 2 used a quasi-experimental approach to consider a linear relationship between the number of participantsin a sport, the number of spots on a sports team and the size of relative age effects. Results did not support a linear relationship between these variables but provided some evidence of nonlinearinteractions. Collectively, these results indicate that the relationships between competitionvariables and the size of relative age effects are more complex than previously hypothesized.
