The Influence of a Sport-for-Peace Event on Prejudice and Change Agent Self-Efficacy

Abstract

The purpose of this research project was to examine the impact of participating in a sport-for-peace event and one's social dominance orientation on prejudice and change agent self-efficacy. In Study 1, participants (n = 136) completed questionnaires both before and following their participation in a sport-for-peace event. The event was designed to ensure both high levels of and quality intergroup contact, with interactions confirmed through a manipulation check. Results from the doubly repeated measures analysis of variance indicate a significant decrease in prejudice and a significant increase in change agent self-efficacy. Social dominance orientation did not influence the nature of these changes. In Study 2, the authors conducted focus group interviews with 27 participants to better understand how the event impacted prejudice and change agent self-efficacy. Results indicate that the team-based sport environment and social opportunities were instrumental in prejudice reduction while the educational platform was important for increasing change agent self-efficacy.

Analysis of the Coverage of Paratriathlon and Paratriathletes in Canadian Newspapers

“…Furthermore, the reader is not made aware in any article that disabled people are underrepresented in sports on various levels, including the organizational structure [ 126 , 127 , 128 ]. From the articles, the reader will not have become literate on how parasport can best make a positive difference in the lives of people, a topic discussed within sport [ 48 ], or what the role of sport structures/organizations are.…”

“…Athletes have an integral role in helping organizations increase awareness and create positive associations for their products and services, all the while building their own personal brand, and athletes have the ability to influence consumers’ perceptions towards a product, service, or organization [ 47 ]. Athletes are seen as agents of change [ 48 ] and as active citizens [ 48 ]. Elite sports are regarded as one of the vehicles for attracting young children into sport because of the inspirational function of elite athletes as role models towards youth, and the effects of international sporting success on the increasing public interest in sport [ 49 ].…”

Creating Social Change in and through Intercollegiate Sport: State of the Field, Challenges, and Future Directions

“…Most of the scholarly work and conversation to this point regarding sport and social change has taken place outside of the intercollegiate context, framed within the SDP movement. In this vein, numerous studies have begun to examine the efficacy and impact of sport-based interventions on achieving a variety of outcomes, such as building social capital among marginalized groups (Burnett, 2006;Skinner, Zakus, & Cowell, 2008), facilitating social inclusion among the disenfranchised and marginalized (Sherry, 2010;Sherry & Strybosch, 2012;Welty Peachey, Lyras, Borland, & Cohen, 2013), and contributing to cross-cultural understanding and peace building efforts (Schulenkorf, Thomson, & Schlenker, 2011;Sugden, 2008;Welty Peachey, Cunningham, Lyras, Cohen, & Bruening, 2014). Another stream of literature has engaged with discourses and implications of neo-liberal and neocolonial agendas of SDP (Darnell, 2010;Darnell & Hayhurst, 2011;Kidd, 2011;Levermore, 2008), while other scholars have begun to build theory around effective SDP program design (Coalter, 2013;Lyras & Welty Peachey, 2011;Schulenkorf, 2012).…”

“…Along a related path, exploring social change through the lens of social entrepreneurship would have merit (see Cohen & Welty Peachey, 2014). Social entrepreneurs are innovative and engage in social value creating activity (Austin, Stevenson, & Wei-Skillern, 2006).…”

“…Social entrepreneurs are innovative and engage in social value creating activity (Austin, Stevenson, & Wei-Skillern, 2006). As Cohen and Welty Peachey (2014) indicate, "social entrepreneurs may have a significant ability to provide positive social returns to society" (p. 114). While work using social entrepreneurship theory has been applied in the context of SDP with a champion in a homeless initiative in the U.S. (see Cohen & Welty Peachey, 2014), little if any work has employed this lens to examine how activists and champions for social change in intercollegiate sport emerge, grow, and find success.…”