The critically low participation rates in physical activities, together with the declining
participation rates in organized, club-based sports, among Hungarian youth calls for
a deeper analysis of changes related to sport following the political transition in
1989–1990. This study examines differences in value preferences between young Hungarian
sport participants and non-participants, as well as the role of demographic and social
variables, sport participation and the form of sport participation, in the transfer
of values. The investigation method was a secondary analysis of a national survey
of youth (N = 8000), with subjects aged between 15 and 29. Data analysis was based
on multi-dimensional statistical methodology. It was found that participation in sports
was negatively correlated with the importance given to materialistic values; however,
participation was not positively correlated with non-materialistic values. The newly
formulated group of ‘open’ values (true friendship, creativity, free time, diverse
life, etc.) showed the strongest relation to sport participation. The form of sport
participation (organized or non-organized), however, showed no correlation.
