3.1.3 - Sport and Society (Equal Opportunities)

Question 1

What is a society?

Answer 1

An organised group of people associated for some specific purpose or with a shared common interest.

Question 2

What is socialisation?

Answer 2

A lifelong process where members of a society learn its norms, values, ideas practices and roles in order to take their place in that society.

Question 3

What are the two forms of socialisation?

Answer 3

Primary socialisation
Secondary socialisation

Question 4

What is primary socialisation?

Answer 4

→Socialisation during the early years of childhood; takes place mainly within family.
→Families teach basic values and acceptable behavioural norms.
→May include the acceptance of physical exercise as a norm.
→ If family don’t have an interest it is unlikely they will be involved in that sport from a young age.

Question 5

What is secondary socialisation?

Answer 5

→Occurs during later years as teenagers/adults - process continues through schools/peer groups/media etc.
→Family less involved.
→Peer groups friends and school heavily influence behaviour and accepted norms e.g. high standards of manners and sporting endeavour.
→ Friends or teachers not supportive they may have given up sport or reduce their involvement.

Question 6

What is a key process in primary socialisation and what does it mean?

Answer 6

Internalisation
Where individuals absorb and accept a society’s culture including its shared norms and values.

Question 7

What is gender socialisation?

Answer 7

→The act of learning to conform to gender roles through socialisation.
→’Boys learn to be boys and girls learn to be girls’ through many agents of socialisation (inc. family, friends, school, college, mass media)
→Major impact on participation in sport and may dictate the sport or specific events within a sport

Question 8

What is sociology and what does it involve? (extra knowledge)

Answer 8

1) Examining interactions and interdependence e.g the way people live in groups within society and therefore interact with others throughout their everyday lives.
2) Examining how humans behaviour becomes controlled e.g. via family members, friends, schools etc

Question 9

What are social processes?

Answer 9

The ways in which individuals and groups interact, adjust and readjust and establish relationships and patterns of behaviour which are modified through social interactions.

The ways in which socialisation occurs such as playing, talking and interacting with family, peer groups teachers and older children.

Question 10

What are social interactions?

Answer 10

When individuals or groups influence the behaviour of each other.

Question 11

What two categories are social processes split into?

Answer 11

Social control
Social change

Question 12

Definition of social control?

Answer 12

The way people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance and behaviour are regulated in social systems/societies including social norms.

Question 13

Examples of social control?

Answer 13

• Could include how people are expected to dress and behave when performing.
• Sport used to be more male dominated with restrictions on women playing sport.
• Gender appropriate behaviour.
• Choice of activities (may choose badminton over rugby or aerobics over boxing under the influence of social control).
• Sometimes women are made to feel guilty about leaving a young baby and therefore tend to give up on physical activity once the baby is born.
• Women have lack of free time compared to men and lower disposable incomes.

Question 14

Definition of social change?

Answer 14

Changes in the way society is organised by significant changes in social behaviours and or cultural values over time, leading to long term effects e.g. club changing to allow women

It is difficult for any social group to change without having strong influence on the decision-making groups (e.g. local councils, NGB’s).

Question 15

Examples of social change?

Answer 15

• Sport becoming more accessible for minority groups
• Social changes offered by leisure providers such as local councils via more creche facilities to minimise/lessen the negative effects of traditional childcare responsibilities.
• Certain ethnic groups such as Indians and Pakistans have lower constraints on their participation in sport, some of these emerge from within the family unit itself.
• E.g. ‘This girl can’ and ‘Kick 4 Life’ in football.

Question 16

Definition of social issues?

Answer 16

Are problems that affect many people within a society
e.g. disability, drugs, alcohol, poor health linked to limited activity.

Question 17

Equal opportunities definition?

Answer 17

The right of every person to access the same opportunities, regardless of factors such as race, age, sex, mental or physical capability and the benefits of raising participation.

All human societies have some form of social inequality, with power, prestige and wealth unequally divided.

Question 18

Definition of social inequality?

Answer 18

Occurs when resources and opportunities are not evenly spread through the different social classes or genders within a society.

Question 19

Define social class

Answer 19

A term used to define social inequalities e.g. certain groups have more access to wealth, income and power than others.

Factors which contribute to social class include a person’s job, family, background, education and income.

Question 20

What do social issues include?

Answer 20

• Disability→ A term used when impairment adversely affects performance.
• Ethnicity→ People who have racial, religious or linguistic traits in common.
• Gender→ Differences in the wages off men and women performing the same roles.
• Disadvantaged→ Black Ethnic Minorities BME are considered to be underrepresented groups within sport.
• Inequality
• Stereotyping
• Discrimination

Question 21

Causes on inequality of sport?

Answer 21

• lack of money
• lack of confidence
• lack of role models
• myths over capabilities/ damage to female body
• lack of nearby specialist facilities for specific sports
• the belief that certain sports are only for particular classes
• stereotypes of female role
• sex and gender based prejudice and discrimination leads to women in positions of power and decision making

Question 22

Consequences of inequalities on sport?

Answer 22

• Lower participation rates in sport among a number of groups/sections of societies, including people with disabilities, women, those from ethnic minority groups, the unemployed and elderly people.

Question 23

What are social structures?

Answer 23

The organised social institutions and patterns of relationships that together make up society (family, religion, law, economy and class).

Question 24

What is social stratification?

Answer 24

A type of social inequality where society is divided into different levels on the basis of social characteristics, such as wealth, class or status.

→Those at the top end have greater wealth and opportunities.
→Research suggests those of a lower social status often but not always have poorer health and a lower level of physical activity.

Question 25

3 impacts of social stratification on sport?

Answer 25

→Type/Choice of activity
→Number Of Opportunities
→Time/Money/Transport

Question 26

Things impacting type/choice of activity?

Answer 26

• Sport is supposed to provide an equality of opportunity, however the social class hierarchy does affect people’s involvement in sport.
• Disposable income can influence the type of activity participated in, the type of club joined, the equipment used→ e.g. equestrian and other horse related activities tend to be relatively expensive and require high income levels linked to the upper class.
• Higher income earners → wider variety of sports
• NCPE offers broad and balanced programmes to all young people, but some can still be disadvantaged compared to others.
• Sections of society still underrepresented in specific sports and identified by Sport England.
• Some in society may feel inferior, unwelcome or embarrassed to participate in certain sports.

Question 27

Things impacting number of opportunities?

Answer 27

• Those at top end have greater wealth and access to opportunities e.g.. Pre-Industrial Britain upper class had access to resources and equipment due to their wealth.
• Some sections or groups in society are underrepresented in sport overall
• In society some individuals and groups traditionally hold positions of power→ the social stratification of society is reflected in sport with the same hierarchy evident.

Question 28

Things time/money/transport impact?

Answer 28

• Children from low income families have poorer health, this can affect their physical abilities or skill levels.
• Children from low income families have less money to spend on sports equipment and coaching.
• Social class-lower status families may place more emphasis on children working or contributing to chores/education.
• Social class-may now not be having an impact as there are clubs and facilities accessible for all classes.
• Higher income earners are able to afford a healthy diet, which helps health and fitness levels as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
• Low income earners tend to purchase cheaper, less healthy options.
• The time devoted to sport and quality of teaching/coaching in schools to develop talents can be impacted on by time and money in the area you live in.

Question 29

What is social action theory?

Answer 29

Stresses the fact that people can intervene in social processes and change them. The process of ‘social action’ may be to as protest to the ‘norm’ whereby a social group decides to do something differently and gathers momentum and support from those that follow the social circle.

Social action theory views sport and physical activity as a very important part of society’s make up.
→Sport can impact on the social and cultural fabric of society.
→Sport has moved and changed with the dynamics in society i.e. it is not static.

Question 30

Definition of the interactionist approach?

Answer 30

The study of how people behave within a society and through socialisation.

Question 31

What ways can society impact sport?

Answer 31

• By highlighting inequalities that exist between different social class groups via the types of sports participated in linked to wealth and upbringing.
• By impacting on our beliefs concerning masculinity and femininity.
• By impacting on our ideas and beliefs about race, ethnicity e.g. negatively through racist chanting targeted at footballers
• By impacting on our ideas about ability and disability (e.g. positively through the achievements of Paralympians such as Jonnie Peacock).

Question 32

What is the main concept of social action theory?

Answer 32

→ States that individuals interact within society through the interactionist theory and that individuals, society and sport can change, influencing individuals involvement in sport
→ Sport has affected society and society has affected sport
→ Sport has moved and changed with the dynamics in society i.e. has changed with aspects of society like class structure, education and family.
→ Sport has/sometimes is used to gain equality e.g. women not being stereotypes in a domestic role.
→ Social action - an action being carried out by an individual to which they attach meaning e.g. starting a women’s club in a traditionally men’s sport
→ Social action may involve creativity that is followed in social circles and may be slightly different to the perceived norm.

Question 33

How does social action theory explain why sport will always keep changing?

Answer 33

• People will always try new things and try to gain approval from others.
• New sporting endeavours can simply be a perceived improvement on what was already there.
• Humans regularly socialise and share ideas and new thoughts.
• Some humans like to rebel against the norms of society and find their own way of doing things.

Question 34

What is disability?

Answer 34

When a person has some form of impairment, which affects their ability to take part in an activity.

Question 35

What are 3 categories of diability?

Answer 35

• Mobility impairment
• Sensory impairments
• Mental impairments

Question 36

What is discrimination?

Answer 36

Unfair treatment of a person or minority group, to make a distinction and act on prejudice

Question 37

What are 2 forms of discrimination?

Answer 37

Overt discrimination→ Occurs when there is verbal abuse aimed at individuals with a disability participating in a sport.
Covert discrimination→ Harder to uncover and might occur when individuals at a sports club vote for their annual captain and their negative stereotypes influence them against voting for a disabled candidate.

Question 38

What are integrated sports?

Answer 38

Changing the mainstream version of a sport for people with disabilities

e.g. wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, swimming categories, wheelchair netball, bling long jump

Question 39

Benefits of integrated sports?

Answer 39

→ reduced possibilities of integration
→ less stereotyping
→ fewer barriers

Question 40

What are segregated sports?

Answer 40

Designing a new sport for disabled athletes

e.g. →Bocca: a bowls type game, played at paralympics and suitable for players of all abilities.
→ Goalball: active court game for visually impaired or sighted players

Question 41

Benefit of segregated sports?

Answer 41

→ greater range of opportunities through specifically designed programmes

Question 42

How do societies impact sport?

Answer 42

Success in global sport is often seen as an important measure of the relative status of a society or nation in the world.

For example, national identity and national pride are often achieved as a result of success at events such as the Olympics.

Other examples: the Ashes, USA vs Russia

Question 43

How may sport provide equality of opportunity? (And Evaluate)

Answer 43

Participation in sport means participants can leave behind their ‘normal lives’ and adopt a ‘new athletic identity’ in a sporting context.
This (temporarily) replaces the inequalities of everyday life with a situation where we are all equal.

HOWEVER - This may be problematic as the very nature of sport emphasises competition and dominance. The realities of the ‘real world’ and people’s relative position in the social class do impact their involvement in sport e.g. those with higher disposable income may have access to equestrianism due to the high cost of equipment.

Question 44

Benefits of raising participation for the government?

Answer 44

→ Helps people improve health and fitness so they can: achieve a healthy body weight, reduce their blood pressure, lower stress and anxiety etc. - This reduces the strain on the NHS as it helps in prevention and reduces risk as well as the obesity problem being challenged.

→ Exercise also provides a range of social benefits to an individual and society. Meeting new people and making new friends can result in a sense of community integration and lead to higher levels of self-confidence - meaning individuals improve their physique and skill levels.

→ Positive use of free time which can keep individuals out of trouble and reduce the crime figures in society.

→ Impacts economics if individuals perform better at work due to improved mental/physical ability - less likely to contribute to annual sickness absence costs.

→ Investing into equipment/facilities provides people with jobs and benefits the country financially.

Question 45

General barriers in sport and solutions?

Answer 45

• Lack of time → Add physical activity to daily life routine e.g. walk or ride to work/school.
• Negative social influences; poor PE experiences → Invite family and friends to exercise with you, join a group where physical activity plays an important part e.g. a youth club offer uni activities such as DofE.
• Lack of motivation → Invite a friend to exercise with you on a regular basis, join an exercise class
• Lack of skill → Select activities requiring few or no skills e.g. walking/jogging.
• Lack of resources/cost → Select activities which require few facilities/limited equipment e.g. walking,jogging skipping
• Family obligations/domestic responsibilities → Exercise with children - go for walk or swim

Question 46

Barriers affecting disabled people?

Answer 46

• negative self image/ lack of confidence
• relatively low income levels (costs of participation such as membership fees and transport costs)
• lack of access into and around facilities e.g. facility front desk too high, doorways too narrow, no ramps
• lack of organised programmes
• low levels of media coverage/few role models to aspire to
• lack of specialist coaches/clubs/competitions and adapted/accessible equipment
• myths/stereotypes about those with a disability

Question 47

Solutions for disabled people?

Answer 47

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