Internal social processes of discipline formation: The case of kinanthropometry

Abstract

In 1972, the term 'kinanthropometry', derived from the Greek words 'kinein' (to move), 'anthropos' (human) and 'metrein' (to measure), was launched in the international, Francophone journal Kinanthropologie by the Canadian William Ross and the Belgians, Marcel Hebbelinck, Bart Van Gheluwe and Marie-Louise Lemmens. The authors defined this neologism as 'the scientific discipline for the study of the size, shape, proportion, scope and composition of the human being and its gross motor functions'. Presenting a theoretical framework for the analysis of the internal social processes of discipline formation - derived from the social history-of-science tradition - this article critically examines whether kinanthropometry was indeed promoted and developed by its community members as a scientific discipline. Therefore, the focus will be on its conceptualisation and positioning within the field of kinanthropology/kinesiology and on its development by a scholarly association, i.e. the International Working Group on Kinanthropometry (IWGK). The strong emphasis of the kinanthropometry community on the standardisation of measurement techniques and its practical and professional application hampered its disciplinary development. Findings of this study could serve as a basis for future 'fundamental' investigations addressing questions of disciplinary development within the field(s) of physical education, kinesiology and sport science(s).

Effect of 3-Month Water-Exercise Program on Body Composition in Elderly Women

“…The kinanthropometry has been defined as the quantitative interface of the anatomy and physiology or between human structure and function (Vangrunderbeek et al, 2013) the human body is composed of a variety of different tissue types including lean tissues muscle, bone, and organs that are metabolically active, and fat adipose tissue that is not (Norton & Olds, 1996); In the field of medicine the assessment of body composition has been associated body fat mass content with a variety of risk factors for health and the presence of chronic degenerative pathologies (Mishra et al, 2013;Liu et al, 2014) the evolution of changes in body composition in the sedentary elderly it is manifested differently with respect to elderly people who exercise consistently (Mishra et al;Pillard et al, 2011).…”

Kinanthropometry in Brazilian Physical Education (1970s): a new knowledge perspective for this field

“…This term has transformed the way of using and interpreting quantitative measurements and of assessing different aspects of humans in motion. In addition, according to Vangrunderbeek et al 1 , large-scale kinanthropometric studies and the instruction of new kinanthropometrists would become the main kinanthropometry activities aimed at establishing and legitimizing it as scientific discipline.…”

“…During this period, Kinanthropometry was conceptualized as a scientific discipline for the study of size, shape, proportion and human motor functions in the scientific field of PE. However, according to Vangrunderbeek et al 1 (2013), Kinanthropometry was not yet considered a scientific discipline, but a professional training and research technology field, since despite the launching of an association -The International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) -, this scientific field still lacked a peer-reviewed professional journal, which is a fundamental feature of self-referential communication and disciplinary training 1 . The aforementioned authors 1 also claimed that this issue was never resolved.…”

“…Therefore, although ISAK 33 has described Kinanthropometry as the science field associated with human body composition measurement, although it is part of the international scientific reality since the 1960s and, since the 1970s in Brazil, and although it has a specific scientific journal, there are still gaps to be filled. Kinanthropometry must remediate the lack of published books and handbooks titled with this term, as well as the lack of institutes and university courses focused on the theoretical and methodological development in research in this field 1 , in order to make it a scientific discipline.…”

Statistics, gymnastics and the origins of sport science in Belgium (and Europe)

“…This index would catch on during the Interbellum and occupy a prominent place in Belgian biometrics, which itself would become central at the physical education institutes, which were established in Liège (1931), Leuven (1937/1942) and Brussels (1945; cf. De Bont, 2003; Renson, 1991; Vangrunderbeek, Claessens, & Delheye, 2013; Vangrunderbeek & Delheye, 2013a).…”