A Comparative Study of Students’ Happiness Levels and Thinking Styles in Physical Education and Sport Teaching, and Other Departments, in Turkey

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to compare the happiness and thinking styles of undergraduate students in the Physical Education and Sports Teaching Department and different departments, and to examine the relations between the students’ happiness levels and their thinking styles. Using the correlational study design 661, undergraduate students were determined by a convenience sampling method. Participants were selected in terms of being easily accessible from Gazi University, which is located in the Ankara province, Turkey. The analysis indicated that the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' average level of happiness was significantly higher than in some other departments. However, the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' need for cognition was not significantly different from the students from other departments. Physical Education and Sports Teaching students' faith in intuition was significantly higher than the Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling students’. Besides, the happiness levels and thinking styles did not differ significantly by gender. There was a positive correlation between their faith in intuition and happiness. However, there was no significant relation between their happiness levels and need for cognition, nor need for cognition and their faith in intuition.