Assessment of Socialization and Sports-Socialization Processes of University Students Studying in Different Sports Branches

The purpose of this research is to assess the sports and socialization of the students studying in different sports branches in Gumushane University. “SocializationSports and Socialization Scale” developed by Sahan was used in this research. A total of 742 students composed of 316 females and 426 males studying in Gumushane University participated in this survey modelled research. Data obtained were evaluated in SPSS package program. Reliability coefficient of the scale was found to be 0.896. T-Test, Kruskall Wallis and Anova were used in statistical assessment of data. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis was used to determine whether there was a significant relation between socialization and sports-socialization scores and the causal relations between two variables were tested with simple linear regression analysis. The study was analyzed in terms of certain variables and it was concluded that the variables of gender, age, place of residence and type of sports done by the participants didn’t make a difference on sports-socialization and socialization scores. It is also observed that there is a positive and significant relation between the variables of socialization and sports-socialization (r= .624, p<.01). In other words, it can be stated that the higher the socialization scores of the participants are, the higher their sports-socialization scores become, accordingly.


Introduction
People are social beings that survive by participating in different social groups within the system of society.The community system keeps together the social groups that make up the society in a way to be in harmony with each other according to their purposes, functions, qualities and structures.Thus, functional, meaningful, social and qualified connections and interactions are formed between groups (Yetim, 2011: 9).People have to act together with other people and their surrounding in order to be able to continue their lives in the community system.One of the basic conditions for establishing healthy relationships with other people is successful socialization (Dever, 2010: 161).
Socialization is the process of becoming a knowledgeable and self-conscious person by acquiring the skills necessary for the culture in which s/he is born (Giddens, 2000: 25, 43).Socialization has two functions; one of them is to contribute to the development of self and the other one is to ensure the transfer of culture between generations (Savran et al., 2012: 9).Socialization is the process by which an individual participates in a social group and learns and embraces social norms, behaviors, skills and abilities, grouping values, beliefs that apply to that group (Savran et al., 2012: 177).
One of the most important elements affecting almost all aspects of everyday life and serving as a means of socialization and social change is undoubtedly sports.Sports is the lifestyle of physical boundaries and a way of self-expression and a social behavior addressing body and soul.Due to the fact that the shape, intensity, strength of movements are related to pleasure and performance, sports can reach to different qualities and standards in behavioral fields and personalities (Dieter, 1998: 124).Sport ensures that the individual has a dialogue with people from other beliefs and thoughts in other environments, enabling them to influence and be influenced by them and to learn social roles being an important consequence of the process (Kucuk and Koc, 2004: 133).Sports is used as a socialization tool at social level.The games played in the group during childhood are the first phase of the socialization process.In adolescence, complying with sports rules just like social rules, participation in collective physical activities, division of labor and collective works can be shown as an example of socialization in terms of harmony.In addition, sport is a method of peaceful approach to innate aggressive instinct of individuals and tensions arising from the social rules (Fisek, 1998: 68).
Experiences of people obtained from the participation in sports constitute the source of sports and socialization relation.The first stage of this relation is that the individual considers sports as a social behavior and starts to be engaged in sports.Positive or negative effects of the experiences obtained following the participation in sports on individual's life denotes the second stage (Ikizler, 2000: 25).With the emphasis on the importance of sports in human life and the fact that sports bring people from different religions, languages, races and minds together and create a group dynamics among people, investigating how university students from different cultures are related to sport and how they contribute to our social integrity reveals the importance of our study (Filiz, 2010: 193).

Method
With the purpose of determining the effect of sports on socialization of university students, the change in socialization process with the sports activities and whether sports and sports activities have an effect on socialization of university students, "Sports-Socialization and Socialization" surveys used by Hasan Sahan for his doctoral dissertation titled "The Role of Sports Activities in Socialization Process of University Students" were used in the research.Cronbach's Alpha value for the sports and socialization survey consisting of 35 items was 0.84, Cronbach's alpha value for the socialization survey consisting of 34 items was reported as 0.77.A total of 742 students composed of 316 females and 426 males studying in Gumushane University participated in this survey modelled research.T-test was used to test the significance of the difference between the groups.The Kruskal Wallis test was used to test the significance of the differences between the groups' averages.Anova was used to test hypotheses about the significance of the difference between the means of the groups.Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis was used to determine whether there was a significant relation between socialization and sports-socialization scores and the causal relations between two variables were tested with simple linear regression analysis.When Table 4 is analyzed, it is observed that sports and socialization scores of the participants (X 2 = 9.104, p>.05) and their socialization scores (X 2 = 12,657, p>.05) don't differ significantly by the type of sports.In line with the finding, it can be stated that type of sports doesn't have a significant effect on socialization and sports-socialization scores of the participants.5, it is observed that there is a positive and significant relation only between socialization variable and the variables of sports and socialization (r= .624,p<.01).With reference to this finding, it can be stated that the higher the socialization scores of the participants are, the higher their sports and socialization scores can become, accordingly.

Findings
Due to the fact that the significant relation between socialization and sports-socialization variables have been determined, the causal relations between these two variables have been tested with simple linear regression analysis and the findings obtained are given in Table 6.6, it is observed that there is a positive and significant relation between socialization variable and the sports and socialization and socialization also positively predicts sports and socialization (R=.62,R 2 = .38,F= 469.500, p>.05).However, the variable of socialization explains 38% of the variance in the variable of sports and socialization.

Conclusion and Discussion
The study was analyzed in terms of certain variables and it has been determined that gender (t737= 1.55, p<.05), age (F= .321,p>.05), place of residence (F= .641,p>.05) and type of sports performed by the participants (X 2 = 12,657, p>.05) are not a factor that differentiates socialization scores.It has also been revealed in terms of sports-socialization that gender (t739= .278,p>.05), age (F737= 2.028, p>.05), place of residence (F736= .805,p>.05) and type of sports (X 2 = 9.104, p>.05) are not a factor that differentiates the scores.It is also observed that there is a positive and significant relation between the variables of socialization and sports-socialization (r= .624,p<.01).In other words, it can be stated that the higher the socialization scores of the participants are, the higher their sports-socialization scores become, accordingly.Due to the fact that the significant relation between socialization and sports-socialization variables have been determined, the causal relations between these two variables have been tested with simple linear regression analysis.It is observed that there is a positive and significant relation between the variable of socialization and sports-socialization and socialization positively predicts sports-socialization (R=.62,R2= .38,F= 469,500, p>.05).However, the variable of socialization explains 38% of the variance in the variable of sports and socialization.This number can be considered as a significantly higher value.It can also be uttered that one unit of change that may occur in the variable of socialization causes .62 points of change in sports-socialization variable.
In conclusion, the variables determined don't differ by socialization and sports-socialization.However, as the socialization scores of the participants increase, the increase in sports-socialization scores may also indicate a positive effect of sports on socialization.In the study of Cakmakci (2001), it is stated that physical education and sports activities are a highly important factor in socialization of students.Okmen (2003) has concluded that sports have positive contributions to the socialization.In the study of Sahan (2007), it has been concluded that sports activities are not the only factors on socialization but sports is an indispensable factor in socialization process.Sports activities enable people to establish healthy relationships with each other by teaching them competition, work discipline, struggle, winning-losing and acceptance, self-expression, respecting other people's beliefs and thoughts while offering the individuals a possibility to do a common activity (Sahan, 2008).
In a research conducted by Tiryaki et al. (1991), it has been determined that the individuals who are engaged in sports are more extrovert and emotionally balanced than those not engaged in sports.According to the results, it can be stated that the individuals who are engaged in sports for a long time are more cheerful, less inclined to inferiority complex, less angry and have leadership skills and more active personality structure.
In the study of Filiz (2010) titled "Evaluation of participation in sports in socialization of university students", it has been determined following the evaluation of results related to the sports-socialization of students that students are of the opinion that the statement 'those who are engaged in sports are at peace with themselves' is important with 4.03 average; the statement 'sports ensure intercommunal social integration' is important with 4.02 average and the statement ' I do sports with my friends' is important with 4.01 average.In line with these results, it can be stated that university students consider sports as a social tool.
In the study of Tazegul conducted in 2014, the personality traits of the students before and after doing sports have been analyzed.It was determined that scores of socialization dimension of students improved in the positive direction at the end of 3-month sports program.
In the study of Olmez (TUC) (2010), it has been stated that sports and sports activities are an indispensable factor for socialization process of individuals, avoiding from stress in daily life, living a healthy life and having a professional life in the future.They are also important for ensuring the participation in such factors as the harmony of individual with the social values and living in peace with the society.
In the study of Erdogan (2001) conducted in orphanages, it has been concluded that sports is important for socialization in a theoretical dimension.However, it has been observed following the surveys that the young people who are engaged and not engaged in sports have similar characteristics in the practical dimension.
Sports, a social institution, has developed certain beliefs, thoughts and symbols that closely concern the society in today's world.The fact that sports is a concept that shapes people's personalities positively with these behaviors, thoughts and beliefs reveals how important sports is in raising and developing youth.In this regard, it should be accepted that creating a healthier society emotionally and socially will be easier by using the educational function of sports in developing the personality of youth and their socialization and it should be taken into account that the easiest way to make youth active socially and psychologically is sports (Kucuk and Koc, 2004:138).

Table 1 .
The Effect of Gender on Sports-Socialization and Socialization Looking at Table 1, it is observed that score averages of the participants regarding sports and socialization don't differ by their gender significantly (t739= .278,p>.05).This finding can be interpreted in the way that gender is not a factor that differentiates the sport and socialization.It is observed that socialization score averages of the participants don't differ by their gender significantly (t737= 1.55, p<.05).This finding can indicate that gender is not a factor that differentiates both socialization and the sports-socialization.

Table 2 .
The Effect of Age Variable on Sports-Socialization and Socialization

Table 3 .
The Effect of Place of Residence Variable on Sports-Socialization and SocializationWhen Table3is analyzed, it is observed that sports and socialization scores of the participants don't differ significantly by their place of residence (F736= .805,p>.05).It is observed that socialization scores of the participants don't differ by their place of residence significantly(F= .641,p>.05).This finding may be interpreted in the way that the variable of place of residence doesn't have a significant effect on both socialization and the sports-socialization scores of the participants.

Table 4 .
The Effect of Type of Sports on Sports and Socialization

Table 5 .
Correlation analysis between socialization and sports-socialization scores of the participants

Table 6 .
Regression analysis result