Role clarity means understanding the different responsibilities that come with a particular role in a group or team (Beauchamp, 2019). It’s the opposite of role ambiguity, which is when someone is unsure about what they’re supposed to do in their role. In the field of sports psychology, role clarity has been studied in different ways. It can be seen as a one dimensional concept and as a multifaceted one. The multifaceted approach proposes that role clarity is a combination of how clear the range of responsibilities one has is, the specific actions they need to take to fulfill those responsibilities, how their performance in a role will be evaluated, and the consequences that come with not fulfilling their role properly (Beauchamp et al., 2002).
Beauchamp, M. R. (2019). In D. Hackfort, R. J. Schinke, & B. Strauss (Eds.), Dictionary of sport psychology: Sport, exercise, and performing arts. Academic Press.
Beauchamp, M. R., Bray, S. R., Eys, M. A., & Carron, A. V. (2002). Role ambiguity, role efficacy, and role performance: Multidimensional and mediational relationships within inter- dependent sport teams. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, 6, 229242.
