Value Categories for Australian Sport

Abstract

It is a frequently vaunted thesis that Australia, per head of population, is the most sports conscious nation on earth. Intensive participation in sport is believed to reflect elements of a national ethos which emphasizes achievement, competitive and status seeking endeavour in a framework of egalitarianism or fraternal concern. Earlier research indicates that attitudes towards sport are directly related to the degree of primary and secondary involvement. 130 respondents defined as having a primary involvement in sport were asked to rank 23 value categories. Analysis of variance yielded no statistically significant differences between categories. It was concluded that the major value -orientation of the sample was towards achievement competitive forms of endeavour in sport. This was seconded by collective social experience orientations. These results were taken to be indicative of 1) a pervasive cultural definition of such themes, 2) the perceived instrumental value with which activities are regarded. , Many writers concerned with Australian popular culture such as Conway (3) and McGregor (8) seem to attach some major significance to the social phenomenon of sport. While covertly hinting at a value-orientation of the nation towards sport, the emphasis tends to be journalistic and often remains content with an arbitrary description of leisure behaviours. Dunstan (4) has been rather more rigorous in his interesting and wide-ranging study of Australian sports. Through a largely historical perspective it is his suggestion that the &dquo;national obsession&dquo; is attributable to such criteria as: 1) an interest derived from a sport conscious parent nation i.e. Britain.2) an attempt to ameliorate cultural pover ty by using sport as a social substitute,3) a natural extension of the &dquo;bush ethos&dquo; and &dquo;bronzed Aussie&dquo; images popularized in the writings of Lawson and Patterson. 4) a suitable expression of &dquo;masculinity'' in a climate which is ideal and yet set in an environment demanding &dquo;ruggedness&dquo; and &dquo;mastery&dquo;..