TY - JOUR
T1 - Deconstructing the myth of the monolithic male athlete
T2 - A qualitative study of men's participation in athletics
AU - Schrack-Walters, Andrew
AU - O'Donnell, Kathleen A.
AU - Wardlow, Daniel L.
PY - 2009/1/1
Y1 - 2009/1/1
N2 - A qualitative study using field-based methods examined motivations for participation in collegiate team sports, the psychological and emotional rewards of team membership, and the dynamics of relationships with teammates among male athletes. Previous cross-disciplinary research largely reinforces clear and consistent gender differences within communal and agentic domains. In-depth, oral bibliographic interviews with 11 varsity athletes from basketball and soccer teams were conducted at a university in the USA. Participants spoke freely about multiple dimensions of their experiences as athletes-experiences frequently dichotomized by researchers as masculine or feminine. Analyses document that male athletes rated the importance of interpersonal and emotional relationships with teammates as valuably as they did instrumental needs. Results are discussed in terms of cultural imperatives that polarize domains presumed to be highly gender based and sex-segregated.
AB - A qualitative study using field-based methods examined motivations for participation in collegiate team sports, the psychological and emotional rewards of team membership, and the dynamics of relationships with teammates among male athletes. Previous cross-disciplinary research largely reinforces clear and consistent gender differences within communal and agentic domains. In-depth, oral bibliographic interviews with 11 varsity athletes from basketball and soccer teams were conducted at a university in the USA. Participants spoke freely about multiple dimensions of their experiences as athletes-experiences frequently dichotomized by researchers as masculine or feminine. Analyses document that male athletes rated the importance of interpersonal and emotional relationships with teammates as valuably as they did instrumental needs. Results are discussed in terms of cultural imperatives that polarize domains presumed to be highly gender based and sex-segregated.
KW - Male athletics
KW - Male intimacy
KW - Masculinity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58149131825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=58149131825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11199-008-9499-y
DO - 10.1007/s11199-008-9499-y
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:58149131825
SN - 0360-0025
VL - 60
SP - 81
EP - 99
JO - Sex Roles: A Journal of Research
JF - Sex Roles: A Journal of Research
IS - 1-2
ER -