Sport as a Social Institution
• What’s a sport?
• Should chess or a game of dice be considered
a sport?
• Could sport be considered a social institution
like family or school?
• Why is competition such a big part of sport
today? Are all forms of competition the same?
Sport
• Sport, according to Sociologists and
Anthropologists, must meet 3 necessary
conditions:
1. Competitive games,
2. Won or Lost on the basis of physical skills, and….
3. Played according to specific rules
Sport as Competition
• 3 Types of Competition:
– Direct Competition
• Two individuals or teams engage each other physically
– Ex. Baseball, Football, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Tennis, Track
– Indirect Competition
• Participants take turns at the same skill
– Ex. Bowling, Ski Jumping, Field Events
– Against a Standard
• Individuals may compete indirectly, but performances
are measured against a preset standard
– Ex. Diving, Figure Skating, Gymnastics
Expository
• Select a physical activity and write a brief
explanation on why it is or it is not a sport.
Consider the three conditions of sport when
writing your essay.
History of Sports
• As old as the existence of people
• Mastery of skills useful for people to survive
their environment
• What were the basic skills needed for the
survival of early human beings?
CAVE OF SWIMMERS (Libya)
•Interest in skills rather than
functional tasks of staying alive
SKILLS BECOME SPORTS
Gladiators fought for enjoyment of
audience; not defending the empire
SKILLS BECOME SPORTS
Yachting for enjoyment or competition
rather than transport or trade
Sport as an Institution
• Social Institution: system of statuses, roles,
values, and norms that is organized to satisfy
one or more basic needs of society
– Ex. Family, Schools, Educational System, Legal
System
Sport as a Social Institution
• Does sport provide something that other
institutions like school and religion cannot
provide?
• Does sport create equality or does it generate
conflict and division in society?
• Are there any statuses and roles in the world of
sport that are unnecessary? Can you think of any
positions or jobs that are not necessary?
• Are we killing sport when we overanalyze it, or
are we improving its condition?
Sport as an Institution
• Characteristics of Sport as Social institution
– Secularization
– Equality
– Specialization
– Rationalization
– Quantification
Secularization of Sport
• Sport moved from the sacred to the profane,
through a process called secularization
– Sacred: supernatural, inspiring awe, respect and
reverence
– Profane: ordinary world, commonplace and familiar
Mesoamerican Ball Game - ōllamaliztli
Early Sports - Chichen Itza in Mexico
(Maya)
Secularization of Sport
• Tim Tebow Story
• National debate about
whether sport is a place
for religion
• What is the place that
religion occupies today
in sports?
• What is the place that
religion occupies today
in the world?
• http://abcnews.go.com
/Nightline/video/timtebow-power-prayer15512001
Equality in Sport
• In past societies, participation was based on
ascribed rather than achieved characteristics
• Today
– Is competition open to everyone?
– Do the same rules apply to everyone?
– Does your school treat athletes of different gender
in the same way?
– Does society treat people of different gender the
same way?
Equality in Sport – Title IX
• What is Title IX? What
was its original
purpose?
• Do you think schools do
a good job in keeping
up with Title IX?
• http://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=KymR6N1H
T88
Specialization
•
•
•
•
Individual concentrates on a single task
Better chance of excelling in that task.
Results from stress on achievement
Ex. Specialization in football: owners,
managers, doctors, specialized players
• Specialization or Diversification? Which one do
you think is better at an early age? Should kids
specialize on one sport or try as many as they can
when they are young?
Specialization or Diversification? Which one do you
think is better at an early age?
Rationalization
• Every feature of human
behavior is subject to
calculation, measurement,
and control
• There is a reason for
everything
• Sport is played according
to rules that are
periodically modified
• Rules are “official” and
widely accepted
Rationalization
• “Rationalization is a process of not perceiving
reality, but of attempting to make reality fit
one’s emotions.”
•
•
•
•
Analyze the quote.
In your own words, what does it mean?
Do you agree with it?
Can you think of any examples that will ratify
or debunk this quote?
Bureaucratization
• Bureaucratization
– Formal organization that develops and enforces
rules
– Settles disputes
– Organizes competitions and keep official records
– Includes International Organizations
– Ex. NBA, NHL, NFL, FIFA
Quantification
• Methods of
measurement get more
sophisticated
• Comparison of Players
• Quantifiable Objectives
• Quantity over Quality?
PowerPoint 13 – The End