Front Porch, Small House: A Longitudinal Study of Team and University Identification Among Incoming Students at a Division III University

Abstract

In this longitudinal study, the authors examined the relationship between team identification and university identification for 37 incoming college first year students at a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III institution. After collecting four waves of data from the same participants over the course of two years, the authors utilized growth curve analysis to examine the development and trajectories of the students' levels of identification with both the university and the intercollegiate sport teams. Furthermore, the authors empirically measured if identifying with the athletic teams on campus explained any variance in one's identification with the larger university. Finally, this study was explicitly conducted within the context of a Division III institution to increase understanding of the social value of Division III athletics for students not directly participating as student-athletes. The presented findings provide a longitudinal account of the psychological and social value of Division III sport teams in terms of building a stronger connection between new students and the larger university.

Fan Ties and Friendships: A Longitudinal Network Study of Division III Sports on Campus

“…A student's peer relationships are the single best predictor of success in college (Astin, 1999) -and for the participants in this study, the presence of Division III sports on campus assisted in the evolution of incoming friendship ties. Katz et al (2017) stated that Division III sports represent the front porch of a small house in terms of promoting attitudes toward the larger university for new students. We extend that sentiment, showing that fan ties affect friendships and social integration.…”

“…Specifically, Katz and Clopton (2014) found that identification with Division III athletic teams contributed to students' increased identification with the surrounding community. Katz, Dixon, Heere, and Bass (2017) also examined the Division III setting, suggesting Division III athletics serve as a "front porch" for new students. More specifically, they found that growth trajectories of team identification significantly affected changes in university identification.…”

“…The Team*ID scale is multidimensional and grounded in Social Identity Theory. Based on Lock and Heere's (2017) review of measuring team identification, the Team*ID scale is considered theoretically legitimate for our purposes and has been used many times in the study of college students as sport fans (Heere & Katz, 2014;Katz et al, 2017). The Team*ID scale consists of six dimensions of social identity, with individual items measured with Seven-Point Likert Scales: 1) Private evaluation (e.g., I feel good about being a fan of South College athletics); 2) Public evaluation (e.g., In general, others respect South College athletics); 3) Interconnection of self (e.g., When someone criticizes South College athletics, it feels like a personal insult); 4) Sense of interdependence (e.g., What happens to South College athletics will influence what happens in my own life); 5) Behavioral involvement (e.g., I participate in activities supporting South College athletics); and 6) Cognitive awareness (e.g., I am aware of the tradition and history of South College athletics).…”

Analyzing the Mediating Effects of Social Capital and Sense of Community Between International Student’s College Sports Team Identification and Acculturation

“…College sports have been utilized to facilitate students' involvement on campus, leading to active social engagement with peers (Davis et al, 2020;Katz & Heere, 2016;Katz et al, 2017). More specifically, studies have shown how students in higher education utilize varsity athletics to feel more attachment and belonging within their campus community (Heere & Katz, 2014;Katz & Heere, 2016;Sung et al, 2015).…”

Reflections of residents in a rural Midwestern community on the impacts of a successful university football program, their tendency to bask in reflected glory, and their social identity

“…In an empirical review of research related to intercollegiate athletics, Goff (2000) summarized studies focused on financial impacts, media exposure, donor giving, and student enrollment. Intercollegiate athletics' position as the so-called front porch, or "the most visible room in the house" (Katz et al, 2017, p. 105), and its relationship to other facets of higher education also has been studied extensively (Bass et al, 2015;Katz et al, 2017).…”