3.2 - The impact of sport on society and of society on sport

Question 1

Sociology can be viewed as having 2 main concerns. What are they?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What does the sociology of sport consider the relationship between?

Answer 2

Sport and society.

Question 3

Define society:

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Define socialisation:

Answer 4

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 5

What 2 main parts can socialisation be divided into?

Answer 5

Primary socialisation and secondary socialisation.

Question 6

What is primary socialisation?

Answer 6

Socialisation during the early years of childhood which takes place mainly within the immediate family.

Question 7

What is a key process involved during the primary socialisation stage?

Answer 7

Internalisation of a society’s cultures where individuals absorb and accept its shared norms and values.

Question 8

What is internalisation?

Answer 8

The learning of values or attitudes that are incorporated within yourself.

Question 9

What is secondary socialisation?

Answer 9

Socialisation that occurs during the later years (as teenagers and adults) when the family is less involved and other ‘agencies’ are deliberately set up for the socialisation process and begin to exert more and more influence (e.g. peer groups, friends, schools).

Question 10

Why is school an important part of social development?

Answer 10

It can help with the socialisation process by teaching important moral skills such as co-operation, teamwork and learning to take responsibility for one’s own actions.

Question 11

What is gender socialisation?

Answer 11

The act of learning to conform to culturally defined gender roles through socialisation.

Question 12

Define social control:

Answer 12

A concept that refers to the way in which people’s thoughts, feelings, appearance and behaviour are regulated in social systems.

Question 13

Define institution:

Answer 13

An established organisation founded for a religious, educational, professional or social purpose.

Question 14

Define social change:

Answer 14

An alteration in the social order of a society.

Question 15

When does social change occur?

Answer 15

When institutions re-adjust to meet ‘new needs’ of groups in society.

Question 16

What are social issues?

Answer 16

Problems that affect many people within a society.

Question 17

Define inequality:

Answer 17

The unfair situation where resources or opportunities are distributed unevenly within a society.

Question 18

Focussing on participation, what are the possible causes of inequality?

Answer 18

• Lack of money/costs of participating.
• lack of confidence/self-esteem.
• Lack of role models to aspire to as participants/coaches/leaders of sports organisations in positions of responsibility.
• Myths or stereotypes in some sections of society about the capabilities of women, ethnic minorities and disabled people.

Question 19

What is social stratification?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Define social class:

Answer 20

A term used to define social inequalities, i.e. 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 21

What is social action theory?

Answer 21

A way of viewing socialisation, emphasising social action.

Question 22

What is progression?

Answer 22

The process of gradually developing towards a more advanced state.

Question 23

What is the interactionist approach (sport and society)?

Answer 23

The study of how individuals behave within a society.

Question 24

What does social action theory accept?

Answer 24

That sport i produced and developed at a particular time through the relationships and social networks of people who share similar views.

Question 25

What are the key ideas of social action theory?

Answer 25

The links between people who share similar views and their interdependence.

Question 26

What are sports involvement and progression determined by?

Answer 26

The relationships between people based on different amounts of power they have in society.

Question 27

For interactionists, social institutions are seen as what?

Answer 27

Not as separate from people, but as the product of the interaction of various people involved.

Question 28

What is the interactionist theory concerned with in explaining sport?

Answer 28

Concerned with the experiences of sports people and how they interact with each other in social groups and in turn how they affect external social factors.

Question 29

Interactionist theory is helpful in understanding how to what?

Answer 29

Change sports to match the perspectives and identities of those playing them.

Make sport organisations more democratic and less hierarchically organised.

Question 30

Define equal opportunities:

Answer 30

The right to access the same opportunities, regardless of factors such as race, age, sex, mental or physical capability.

Question 31

Embedded in British law, equal opportunities isa term used in our society to emphasise what?

Answer 31

The importance of treating all people the same, unhampered by artificial barriers, discrimination, prejudices or preferences.

Question 32

Define prejudice:

Answer 32

To form an unfavourable opinion of an individual, often based on inadequate facts (e.g. lack of tolerance, dislike of people from a specific race, religion or culture which can negatively affect a coach’s treatment of a performer from an ethnic minority group).

Question 33

Define discrimination:

Answer 33

The unfair treatment of a person or, minority group; to make a distinction and act on a prejudice.

Question 34

Define stereotyping:

Answer 34

A standardised image; making simple generalisations about all members of a group which allows others to categorise and treat them accordingly (e.g. negative stereotypes about women which negatively impact on their participation in sport/physical activity).

Question 35

How does Sport England’s equality and diversity explain sport’s interpretation of equal opportunities?

Answer 35

It says:

We believe sporting opportunities should be open to all and we are committed to:

• Developing a culture that enables and values everyone’s full involvement.
• Creating an environment in which everyone has opportunities to play, compete, officiate, coach, volunteer and run community sport.
• Overcoming potential barriers for those wishing to play sport, particularly if they are from groups who are currently under-represented in sport.

Question 36

What 2 groups can discrimination be divided into?

Answer 36

Overt discrimination.

Covert discrimination.

Question 37

What is overt discrimination?

Answer 37

Visible/obvious discrimination (e.g. verbal racist abuse of a player).

Question 38

What is covert discrimination?

Answer 38

hidden/less obvious discrimination (e.g. non-selection of an individual as captain because of their race).

Question 39

What are the individual benefits of participating in sport?

Answer 39

Health (physical and mental) - Increased health and fitness; lower body weight; lower blood pressure/stress levels; raised self-esteem.

Social - Improved social skills; improved ability to develop friendships.

Crime - More positive use of free time.

Employment - Increased productivity at work; lower absenteeism.

Economic - Increased spending on healthy pursuits.

Question 40

What are the benefits to society of participating in sport?

Answer 40

Health (physical and mental) - Less strain on the NHS; lower obesity levels.

Social - Increased community integration; improved community morale.

Crime - Lower crime statistics.

Employment - Workplace/employer benefits as less time off work/higher productivity rates.

Economic - More money is put into the economy via increased ‘leisure-spend’.

Question 41

What are the potential barriers o participation and their possible solutions?

Answer 41

Lack of time - Add physical activity to a daily 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 offering activities such as Duke of Edinburgh Award).

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 like walking or jogging.

Lack of resources/costs of participation - Select activities which require few facilities/limited equipment like walking, jogging or skipping.

Family obligations/domestic responsibilities - Exercise with the children - go for a walk or swim; play tig!

Question 42

What are the 3 main target groups of society who have a relative lack of involvement in sport/physical activity?

Answer 42

Disability - disabled people.
Ethnicity - ethnic minorities.
Gender - women.

Question 43

What are infographics?

Answer 43

A graphic visual representation of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly.

Question 44

Define disability:

Answer 44

A term used when impairment adversely affects performance.

Question 45

What is integration in terms of disability & participation?

Answer 45

Able-bodied and disabled people taking part in the same activity at the same time (e.g. the London Marathon).

Question 46

What is segregation in terms of disability & participation?

Answer 46

People with disabilities participating separately among themselves, e.g. in the paralympics.

Question 47

What are the common barriers which negatively affect disability sports participation?

Answer 47

• Negative self-image or lack of confidence.
• Relatively low income levels ;costs if participation such as membership fees and transport costs, etc.
• Lack of access into and around facilities, e.g. facility front desk is too high for disabled individuals to communicate with; doorways are too narrow; ramps do not exist within areas of a facility, etc.
• Lack of organised programmes.
• Low levels of media coverage/few role models to aspire to; leads to a lack of information available.
• Lack of specialist coaches/specialist clubs/competitions to access; lack of adapted/accessible equipment.
• Myths/stereotypes about the capabilities of people with a disability; lower societal expectations; safety concerns - disability participation has traditionally been considered dangerous.

Question 48

What are some solutions being implemented to try to decrease the effects of barriers for people with a disability?

Answer 48

• Providing more opportunities for success; helping talented athletes reach the highest levels possible, e.g. the Paralympics.
• Increased investment in disabled sport - subsidise it and make it more affordable.
• Providing transport to facilities; improved access into/around facilities to meet the needs of disabled people.
• Improved technology, e.g. prosthetics/wheelchairs.
• Increased media coverage and promoting role models to relate and aspire to.
• Training of more specialist coaches; setting up more clubs for people with a disability to access.
• Educating people on the myths/stereotypes about the capabilities of the disabled and challenging inappropriate attitudes.
• Designing activities specifically for individuals with disabilities (modifying sports to enable involvement).
• Specialist organisations such as the English Federation for Disability Sport (EFDS) and Sport England working to support and coordinate the development of sporting opportunities for people with disabilities.

Question 49

Define race:

Answer 49

The physical characteristics of an individual.

Question 50

Define racism:

Answer 50

A set of beliefs or ideas based on the assumption that races have distinct hereditary characteristics that give some races and intrinsic superiority over others; it may lead to physical or verbal abuse.

Question 51

Define ethnic groups:

Answer 51

People who have racial, religious or linguistic traits in common.

Question 52

What is stacking?

Answer 52

The disproportionate concentration of ethnic minorities in certain positions in a sports team, which tends to be based on the stereotype that they are more valuable foe their physicality than their decisions-making and communication qualities.

Question 53

What is channelling?

Answer 53

Ethnic minorities may be pushed into certain sports and even certain positions within a team, based on assumptions about them.

Question 54

What are possible causes of under-representation of ethnic groups in sport/physical activity?

Answer 54

• Conflict with religious/cultural observances.
• A higher value placed on education as opposed to sporting participation; discouragement via family and friends.
• Fear of racism/racist abuse, prejudice, discrimination.
• Fewer role models to aspire to, particularly in coaching/managerial positions.
• Fear of rejection/low levels of self-esteem.
• Stereotyping/attempts at channelling ethnic minorities into certain sports and away from others.
• Language barriers may exist for some ethnic minority groups.

Question 55

What are the possible solutions to racial disadvantage in sport/physical activity?

Answer 55

• Training more ethnic minority coaches, teachers and sports leaders and educating them on the effects of stereotyping.
• Ensuring there is a single-sex provision (for Muslim women to overcome cultural barriers).
• Publicising and punishing severely any racist abuse.
• Ensuring provision in PE programmes is appropriate for all ethnic preferences (ensuring kit rules and showering procedures are reflective of cultural norms).
• Organising campaigns against racism in sport.
• Kick it Out football’s equality and inclusion organisation which is working through the football, educational and community sectors to challenge discrimination and campaign for change.

Question 56

What is the Rooney Rule?

Answer 56

Requires National Football teams in the USA to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs.

Question 57

Define gender:

Answer 57

The biological aspect of a person, either a male of female.

Question 58

Define sexism:

Answer 58

The belief that one sex is inferior to the other, usually women.

Question 59

What are the possible barriers that explain the under-representation of women in sport/physical activity?

Answer 59

• Stereotypical myths are still evident in society (e.g. women lack aggression so can’t play rugby).
• Far less media coverage of women’s sport compared to men’s.
• There are fewer positive/attainable role models in sport for other women to aspire to e.g. coaches, performers, officials, or in positions of power, making decisions on NGB’s.
• Fewer sponsorship opportunities/opportunities to become full-time sports performers.
• Negative impact of school PE programmes, e.g. rules on showering/kit; lack of appealing choice of activities.
• Lack of fitness, low levels of self-confidence, body image issues.
• Lack of leisure time due to work, traditional childcare and/or domestic responsibilities.
• Lack of disposable income.
• Channelling women into certain ‘female appropriate’ sports.
• Fewer leagues/competitions/clubs available for women to participate in.

Question 60

What are possible solutions to gender equality in sport?

Answer 60

• Introduce/enforce laws which makes sex discrimination unlawful in many spheres of life (e.g. the Sex Discrimination Act 1975).
• Encourage greater social acceptance of women having jobs/careers with more disposable income giving increased financial independence.
• Encourage shared domestic/childcare responsibilities, creating more leisure time for women to devote to sport; improved childcare provision has also helped try to overcome the ‘time barrier’.
• Increased media coverage of women’s sport; give women’s international sport the recognition it deserves; provide more positive/attainable role models to aspire to.
• Increased sponsorship attracted to women’s sport.
• Providing education to refute/reject the stereotypical myths; improved PE provision.
• Providing more opportunities for women to join sports clubs/participate in the activities they enjoy.
• By making changing rooms/sports facilities as clean and attractive as possible.
• In modern-day society, the use of social networking methods to link women playing sport can be used to create friendships with like-minded individuals and hopefully increase motivation/interest to continue with it.
• Via the work of organisations such as Sport England, as well as specialist organisations such as Women in Sport (formerly the WSFF).

Question 61

What are some socio-cultural reasons why more women are now playing football?

Answer 61

• Increased opportunities in society in general.
• Increased media coverage of women’s football so more role models to identify with and aspire to.
• More opportunities for girls to play football in school PE programmes.
• More football clubs to join in the area they live.
• The rejection of stereotypes affecting female participation in contact activities such as football.
• A general increase in leisure time and disposable income available to women.
• More opportunities to play the game professionally in England (formation of the FA Women’s Super League, WSL).

Question 62

What are the health benefits of raising participation in sport?

Answer 62

• Decreased risk of heart disease/stroke.
• Avoidance of high/low BP.
• Decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Maintaining a healthy weight/decreased risk of obesity.
• Strengthening of bones and muscles/decreased risk of osteoporosis and back pain.
• Improved mental health and stress management; decreased risk of conditions such as anxiety/depression.
• Decreased risk of some cancers (e.g. colon cancer and breast cancer).

Question 63

What are the fitness benefits of raising participation in sport?

Answer 63

• Improved posture.
• Improved body shape/body tone as a result of weight loss; improved body composition.
• Improved cardiovascular fitness.
• Improved muscular strength/muscular endurance.
• Improved flexibility.
• Improved agility/balance/coordination.
• Improved speed/power.
• Improved reaction time.

Question 64

What are the social benefits of raising participation in sport?

Answer 64

• Raised levels of chemicals such as serotonin and endorphins have a calming effect and help a person to feel happier/better about themselves. When this happens, they are more likely to benefit emotionally and socially as well.
• Improved sleep patterns result from participation in regular exercise, which can enhance a person’s mood and their relationships.
• The boost in a person’s mood can also help improve skills of concentration, which allow a clearer focus on social relationships.
• As an individual’s social and emotional health improves, confidence/self-esteem is likely to increase, and involvement in sport/exercise classes becomes increasingly likely.
• Sport/physical activity introduces us to new people who share a common interest and helps develop new friendships/relationships.

Question 65

Who do Sport England work with to increase participation of under-represented groups in sport?

Answer 65

Local partners (county sport partnerships), national partners (Women in Sport, Sporting Equals), Women in Sport, ethnic minorities, NGB’s.

Question 66

What are county sport partnerships (CSPs)?

Answer 66

National networks of local agencies working together to increase numbers in sport and physical activity.

Question 67

What are some of the national partners that Sport England work directly with to increase participation of under-represented groups in sport?

Answer 67

English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS)
Sporting Equals
Women in Sport
StreetGames

Question 68

What are Whole Sport Plans?

Answer 68

A business plan/document submitted to Sport England outlining each national governing body’s strategies to grow participation and enhance talent over the four-year period the Whole Sports Plan is in operation.

Question 69

What schemes and initiatives have Sport England put in place to increase the participation rates of women in sport?

Answer 69

‘I will if you will’.
Women in Sport.
Active Women - Breeze, Back to Netball, us Girls.
‘This Girl Can’.

Question 70

What schemes and initiatives have Sport England put in place to increase the participation rates of ethnic minorities in sport?

Answer 70

Sporting Equals.

Question 71

How have Sport England worked with NGB’s to increase the participation rates in sport?

Answer 71

Whole Sports Plans - Rowability, Generating the Habit, Indoor Rowing (young people).