Abstract:The study was designed to investigate and compare the levels of aggression and sports competition anxiety among male cricket players from rural and urban areas of East Uttar Pradesh, specifically at the inter-university level. This research was conducted with a sample of one hundred participants (N=100), which was evenly divided into two groups: fifty players from rural regions (N1=50) and fifty players from urban regions (N2=50). All participants were university-level students aged between 18 and 28 years. Each participant was thoroughly briefed about the study's purpose and objectives, and they voluntarily agreed to take part in the research. To evaluate the players' levels of aggression and competition anxiety, the study employed two standardized measurement tools: the Sports Competition Anxiety Test (SCAT) developed by Martens
et al. in 1990, and an aggression questionnaire created by Anand Kumar and P.S. Shukla. These tools were chosen for their established reliability and validity in assessing the psychological constructs of interest.
The data collected was analyzed using an independent samples t-test to identify and quantify differences in aggression and competition anxiety between the rural and urban cricket players from East Uttar Pradesh. The results of the analysis revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups.
The findings showed that urban cricket players exhibited significantly higher levels of aggression compared to their rural counterparts. This indicates that players from urban areas tend to display more aggressive behaviors on the field than those from rural areas. Similarly, the analysis revealed that urban players also experienced significantly higher levels of competition anxiety compared to rural players. This suggests that urban cricket players are more likely to experience greater anxiety related to sports competition than their rural peers. Overall, the study's results underscore notable differences in psychological factors such as aggression and competition anxiety between cricket players from rural and urban backgrounds within East Uttar Pradesh. These insights can inform targeted interventions and support strategies to address the specific needs of players from different environments, enhancing their performance and well-being.