Free Association (FA scale) and the Importance of Sports Games for Its Development

Problem Statement: We have started this research as a consequence of an event, closely observed during Physical Education lessons, undertaken within the Petroleum-Gas University from Ploieşti. Thus, we have noticed that certain students are open towards novelty and possess a more increased creative-associative power, as compared to their colleagues from the same group, when performing taught motric acts. In order to separate these events and to see which are the motives leading towards the disintegration of a group, we have applied two questionnaires, the first referring to physical education, and the second with items regarding visual creativity – Free Association evaluated on the FA scale.Purpose of Study: We started this research from the hypothesis according to which those who used to practice sports (handball, basketball, football, etc.) in primary and secondary school, have their imaginative-creative capacity manifested through free association much more developed, as compared to individuals who only participate at Physical Education lessons.Research Methods: Bibliographic study method; observation method; investigation method (conversation, questionnaire, free association – FA scale, etc.); pedagogical experiment method; statistical-mathematic method; graphical method.Findings and Results. The imaginative-creative capacity appears to be more developed for people who used to practice sports games, especially in primary and secondary school.Conclusions and Recommendations: People who used to practice sports games (handball, basketball. Football, etc.), in primary and secondary school (grades 1-8), have their imaginative-creative capacity manifested through free association and more developed when entering the teaching process, as compared to individuals who only participate at Physical Education lessons. This subject opens new research perspectives, and represents a challenge for field specialists.