Discriminate analysis of the personality characteristics of major college baseball umpires

Abstract

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify a cluster of personality characteristics and traits possessed by Big XII Conference baseball umpires to inform the selection process of potential major college baseball umpires. This study was comparative; survey-research into personality characteristics and traits of two groups of college baseball umpires and then analyzed by discriminate analysis the five domains of personality between the two groups. Two independent groups of college baseball umpires when selected for this study. A representative and voluntary sample of Big XII Conference baseball umpires were recruited who were current and active with the Big XII Conference through the Big XII Conference Supervisor of Umpires. The most representative sample of potential major college baseball umpires was obtained through game assignment assignors who are charged with assigning college umpires for mid-week and weekend non-conference games at Big XII Conference member institutions. The Revised NEO Personality Inventory was delivered to the study participants as a web-based questionnaire.

Findings and Conclusions: The findings of this study were exploratory into the use of personality assessments to inform the selection process by NCAA Division I supervisors of umpires. Both groups of umpires were to be found to be quite similar to the typical adult population and to each other. The Big XII umpires were significantly more experienced and had a higher level of educational attainment than the group of potential major college umpires. Three personality characteristics were also found to be significantly different between the two groups of umpires. Further study of a larger number of staff umpires from NCAA Division I conferences can build upon the small combination of personality characteristics (facets) found that can cluster together to create a personality profile to inform the selection process of new staff umpires. The goal to objectify the selection process for umpires can be well served by more investigation that may reveal a profile of personality unique to highest level of college baseball that can be measured and then serve as an additional measure of the fitness of a prospective umpire to be employed by the elite college conferences.