This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shakib, S. Articles by Dunbar, M. D. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

How High School Athletes Talk about Maternal and Paternal Sporting Experiences

Identifying Modifiable Social Processes for Gender Equity Physical Activity Interventions

Michele D. Dunbar

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

Despite increased structural opportunities through Title IX, adolescent females in the US continue to participate in physical activity less than males. This persistent pattern suggests gender stereotypes might subtly groom girls’ and boys’ choices about health behaviors. Although communication can shape gender stereotypes, the majority of physical activity studies employ social influence frameworks (i.e. social learning theory) that ignore this important dimension of influence. Because the family is a primary socializing agent where gender roles are learned, the current qualitative interview study of high school basketball players illustrates: (1) how communication within the family context prompts learning about parental role models in sport; (2) how adolescents talk about maternal and paternal sports participation. This research suggests that communication is an important modifiable social process for physical activity interventions that include a family influence component.

Key Words: gender equity interventions • parents • sport socialization • sports

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. A. Migliaccio and E. C. Berg Women's Participation in Tackle Football: An Exploration of Benefits and Constraints International Review for the Sociology of Sport, September 1, 2007; 42(3): 271 - 287. [Abstract] [PDF]