A Study of Rated and Unrated Chess Players with Respect to Locus of Control and Field Independent – Dependent Cognitive Style

Abstract

The study was conducted on a sample of 100 rated and unrated chess players of different age groups. Age group of all subjects was above 15 years. The sample was divided into two groups. High age group where the age group of the players is 27 years and above and lower age group whose age group was above 15 years but below 27 years. Although the game of chess has often featured in psychological research, we know very little about people who play chess, especially about rated and unrated chess players. Rated chess players are those players whose rating is 1900 Elo points and above. Chess players whose rating is below 1900 Elo points are called unrated chess players. Purpose of this study was to study rated and unrated chess players with respect to locus of control and field dependent / independent cognitive style. 2 x 2 factorial design was used and two way ANOVA was applied to study the independent effect and interaction effect of the variables. The results showed that rated chess players inclined towards external locus of control. But rated chess players do not show significant inclination towards field independence and unrated chess players do not show significant inclination toward field dependence.