THE EFFECT OF EMPATHY ON AGGRESSION: A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE PERSPECTIVE

This study examines the complex relationship between empathy, aggressive behavior, and psychological resilience. The aim of the research is to understand the psychological resilience and emotional balance of basketball players, with a particular focus on the roles of empathy and aggressive behaviors. The study's sample consists of 94 active basketball players competing in the Turkey Basketball 1st and 2nd Leagues. The data collection instruments employed include a short psychological resilience scale, an empathy scale in the sports context, and a scale for measuring aggression and anger in sports. The findings support the idea that empathy promotes positive interactions among individuals and reduces aggressive behavior (beta =-.30, p < .05). Furthermore, a crucial discovery is that psychological resilience serves as a mediator in this relationship. A positive relationship is observed between psychological resilience and empathy (beta = .17, p < .05), while a negative relationship exists between psychological resilience and both aggression and anger (beta =-.57, p < .05). It is concluded that enhancing empathy skills among basketball players and providing support for psychological resilience can contribute to improved performance in competitive environments and the maintenance of emotional balance.