The Nature of Sport
Sociologists define sport as a set of competitive
activities in which winners and losers are determined
by physical performance within a set of established
rules. It has become a social institution that fills
several societal needs.
 Sport teaches some of the basic values of society.
 It promotes attachment to society.
 Sport helps individuals identify with society.
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Sport, Culture, and Society
Sport plays a central role in American society in part
because it reflects the culture’s emphasis on
achievement.
 The prevailing American view of sport is the one
expressed by the late Vince Lombardi: “Winning is
not everything. It is the only thing.”
 Sport mirrors society. Males dominate the sports
world as they do other aspects of American
society.
 A sport subculture is a group within the larger
context of sport that has some of its own
distinct roles, values, and norms.
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Theoretical Perspectives and Sport
Sport is a major social activity through which culture
is created and reinforced.
 Although sociologists agree that sport mirrors
society, they disagree over the social implications
of sport.
 Sport sociologist Stanley Eitzen has written a book
on the paradoxes, or contradictions, of sport in
America.
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Functionalism
Functionalists view sport positively because it
performs the following functions:
 Sport teaches basic beliefs, norms, and values.
 Sport promotes a sense of social identification.
 Sport offers a safe release of aggressive feelings
generated by the frustrations, anxieties, and
strains of modern life.
 Sport encourages the development of character.
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What are the social dysfunctions of sport?
Functionalists have identified some drawbacks
to sport.
 Because it reflects society, sport draws on
achievement-oriented values that can be
intensified to an extreme degree.
 When achievement and winning come to be seen
as the primary goals of sport, any method of
winning–including violence and cheating–may be
encouraged.
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Conflict Theory
 Conflict theorists believe that organized sport
can harm character development.
 To conflict theorists, sport is a social institution in
which the most powerful oppress, manipulate,
coerce, and exploit others.
 While functionalists see sport as contributing to
the unification of society, conflict theorists do not.
 The contribution sport makes in forming good
character is also questioned by conflict theorists.
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Symbolic Interactionism
Symbolic interactionists focus on the self-concepts
and relationships developed through sports activity.
 It contributes to our understanding of sport as a
social institution.
 This theoretical perspective concentrates on
personal meanings, social relationships, and selfidentity processes.
 It is concerned with the symbols of sports, what
they mean, and how they are interpreted.
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What are some limitations of each
perspective?
Each theoretical perspective has limitations.
 While the functionalists point out the positive and
negative role of sport in society, they overlook the
shift from societal well being to personal profit that
has occurred.
 Conflict theorists overlook sport’s positive
contributions to society.
 Symbolic interactionism fails to address the
functions of sport in society or explore sport as it
relates to power and social inequality.
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Does sport promote social mobility?
Participating in sport usually improves a person’s
place in social stratification structure.
 Whatever sport they play, college athletes tend to
be better educated, earn more money, and have
higher occupational prestige than their fathers.
 Sport serves as a social class escalator for
minorities.
 Sport can serve as an upward mobility barrier for
minorities because it emphasizes athletics over
academics, depriving some of solid educations.
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Sport and Racism
The assignment of positions to players is a form of
discrimination.
 One sign of this discrimination shows up in
stacking, where players are assigned to less
central positions on the basis of race or ethnicity.
 Fewer minority players are assigned to “central”
positions that involve leadership and decisionmaking responsibilities.
 Salaries are not awarded equitably.
 Personal appearances and endorsements are not
requested as often from minority athletes.
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 Fewer positions of power are occupied by
minorities.
Sexism in Sport
 The cultural roots of sexism in sport date back to
the ancient Greeks, and these gender definitions
have survived for the 2,500 years.
 Greek gods were depicted as athletic, strong,
powerful, competitive, rational, physical, and
intellectual.
 Many Greek goddesses were passive, beautiful,
physically weak, supportive, unathletic, and
sexually attractive.
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What are some of the consequences of
sexism?
 Stereotypes have traditionally discouraged
females from playing sports.
 Sexism has denied females equal access to
organized sports.
 Women are still denied equal access to the power
structure of sport.
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