Does Success Breed Success? An Examination of Interpersonal Influences Within an Olympic National Team

Abstract: A number of studies have shown evidence of interpersonal influences between team members within a sports setting. However, only a few studies have examined such influences between team members of non-task interdependent teams, a team setting that has been typically overlooked in scientific research. In the current study this team setting was researched using data on Olympic national teams. The purpose of the study was to examine whether interpersonal influences, derived from performances, exist among members of an Olympic national team. 16 870 observations from six Winter Olympic Games and five Summer Olympic Games were collected. The data was analysed in two separate studies, using linear regression models and Chi-square tests of independence. The results from the study showed that interpersonal influences, derived from performances, exist among team members within an Olympic national team. The results also showed that these influences vary between nations and the type of Olympic game.