Gender Attitudes and Sexual Behaviors

Abstract

This research examines the impact of participating in different sports on male athletes' gender attitudes, hegemonic masculinity, sexual behavior, and sexual aggression. Expanding on past research that compares athletes with nonathletes, this research finds differences between collegiate athletes and men who do not participate in collegiate sports, as well as between men who play different collegiate sports. Athletes in center sports (such as football) scored significantly higher on hyper-masculinity scales, had lower attitudes toward women, and displayed more sexual aggression and more sexual activity than men who competed in marginal sports (e.g., track and field) or not at all.

A contextual examination of gender role conflict among college football players.

“…In addition to the importance of reducing the prospect of violence outside of the playing fields, these types of interventions are important because even though our study's results suggested that football players are relatively comfortable expressing affection toward other men within the football environment, many scholars (e.g., Gage, 2008;Messner, 1990Messner, , 1992Messner, , 2002Pringle & Markula, 2005) have acknowledged the prevalence of homophobia in sport, particularly in contact sports like football. Football provides an interesting environment wherein certain displays of affection may be considered unacceptable, yet other man-on-man affectionate acts are allowed and deemed appropriate in particular situations (e.g., celebrating a good play).…”

“…A center sport such as football is likely to maintain its position of privilege on campus by receiving preferential institutional interest, greater financial resource allocation, and more media attention. Subsequently, this sustained level of preferential treatment can contribute to an environment that perpetuates the superiority of traditional masculine gender ideologies within this sport (Gage, 2008). As a center sport, football is seen as an influential agent of socialization for new generations of young men, while also serving to maintain the traditional values of the previous generation of men (Foley, 2001).…”

“…According to Gage (2008), "Participation in different sports may alter the construct of masculinity enforced by team culture, as well as the degree of pressure athletes perceive to conform to it" (p. 1017-1018). Thus, different sports can differentially impact the process of masculinity socialization that operates within each respective sport-specifically, sports that are deemed to be more consistent with traditional notions of masculinity are generally afforded greater prominence and power.…”

Bullying among adolescent football players: Role of masculinity and moral atmosphere.

“…Football is a sport that teaches its players how to be violent and aggressive on the field (Gage, 2008;Messner, 1990), but little research has addressed if players learn to compartmentalize this instrumental aggression and deem it to be appropriate only on the field.…”

“…This pressure to conform to team norms of masculinity may contribute to aggressive behavior off the field (Curry, 2000). "Reinforcement of masculine gender norms through strict football rituals in team practice creates a behavioral repertoire that may extend to other contexts, with gender norms also informing the interpersonal relationships that athletes form off the field" (Gage, 2008(Gage, , p. 1016.…”