Narrative Identity Constructs and Effects on the Performance in Sport Field

The exposure to the numerous and challenging changes and pressures in the contemporary society (new technologies, socio-demographic processes, financial and economic crisis, organisational reshaping, societal values changes, etc.) significantly affects the way to live of individuals, who need to completely rethink and reshape their way to behave for being able to face all the new difficulties in their everyday life. Individuals face many difficulties, especially in terms to express themselves, keeping their own identity also with respect of their societal and cultural values. It is not easy to keep and express our own identity into contemporary society characterised by high pluralism and multiculturalism, where, especially the new generations need to feel accepted by the world and don’t often follow their real way to be and behave. In the sport setting the debate on this issue is still open with an increasing focus on the effects of narrative identity constructs on the athletes’ performance. This conceptual study with its explorative nature aims to investigate this issue of narrative identity as a possible effective way for individuals to face the numerous challenges in their everyday life, trying to keep their strong values and their real way to be and behave. The purpose is to analyze the identity issue though the narrative identity constructs with direct and indirect connection to the sport setting, mostly athletes’ performance. Specifically, our purpose is to investigate the relationship between these topics for athletes involved in sport competitions evidencing their way to tell about them.