Engagement Patterns in Sport Between Different Social Groups (AQA GCSE Physical Education (PE))

Engagement Patterns in Sport Between Different Social Groups

• Engagement patterns is a term used to describe the different rates of sports participation between different social groups

• Factors that can result in differences in sports engagement patterns include:

  • Gender

  • Race, religion and culture

  • Age

  • Family, friends and peers

  • Disability

Gender

• There is a difference in sports participation between males and females

  • Note that the term 'gender', in this context, is used to refer to the biological sex of a person

• Female participation in sport has been affected by stereotyping and myths, e.g.

  • Females are less strong than males so cannot compete in the same sports

  • Feminine females are not 'sporty'

  • Female fertility can be affected if they are too physical

  • Muscular females are too 'male-like'

  • Women should be mothers and care for the home rather than partaking in sport

• These attitudes are sexist and, although they are now less common, they do still exist in some areas of sports and around the world

• Despite changing views around women in sports, the sporting world is still largely male-dominated; factors that contribute to this include:

  • Female sports receive less media coverage

  • Professional female athletes and players receive less money (from advertising or wages) than males for the same sport

  • Women receive less encouragement to partake in sports by society, their families or in education

• Female role models from a wide range of sports are important to educate and inspire younger generations to become involved in sporting activities and events

Female role model diagram

Female role models in sport are important to encourage people to participate and engage

Race, religion and culture

• Engagement patterns in sports differ between cultural, religious and race groups

  • This pattern can be seen in amateur sports and at elite levels

• Some racial stereotypes state that people of certain races are more physiologically suited to some sports due to their genotype, but this idea does not fit with scientific evidence, or with all of the differences in engagement patterns between groups

• Differences arise for reasons that could include:

  • Racial prejudice and resulting discrimination may lead to fewer opportunities for some groups

  • Cultural traditions and norms, such as dress codes or observation of religious festivals, may clash with training and events

  • Economic deprivation that exists in some cultural groups may limit access to some sports, e.g.

    • Sports that are more expensive, such as skiing or horse riding

    • Sports that are more time-consuming

• The presence of role models, particularly in the media, from a diverse range of races, religions and cultures is important to educate society and encourage more people to participate in sports

Age

• Age can be a factor that affects engagement patterns in sport

• Sports participation in young people may be affected by several factors:

  • Young children may not be confident in physical activities due to a lack of coordination and motor skills

  • Access to certain sports may depend on school sports facilities or school traditions

  • Parent or teacher preferences may mean that some sports are more familiar to young people than others; people are more likely to participate in familiar sports

  • Physical abilities of teenagers change during adolescence due to growth spurts; this may affect confidence

  • Teenage participation in sports can also be affected by issues around changes in appearance and peer pressure

• Sports participation in working-age adults may be affected by factors such as:

  • Less access to sports than students

  • Leisure time may be limited by work

  • Available leisure time may be taken up by family commitments

  • During menopause women experience many changes in their bodies which may affect their ability to partake in sports

• Factors affecting sports participation during old age may include:

  • Weight change

  • Reduced flexibility

  • Decrease in physical strength

  • Media coverage of sports shows younger people participating in sports and may discriminate against older sportspeople

• Typical trends show that younger people tend to partake in team sports whilst older generations partake more in individual sporting activities

Participation in sports during old age diagram

Old age can be a barrier to engagement and participation in sports

Family, friends and peers

• Family and friends can have a positive or negative influence on participation in sports

• Positive influence may come from family members or friends that show support for a participant's chosen sport, such as:

  • Attending matches

  • Providing emotional support

  • Making financial contributions

  • Providing transport

  • Participating in the same sport

• Negative influences might include:

  • Other family commitments, such as the activities of siblings, may clash with sporting events

  • A family may prioritise other events that are not sport related

  • There may be peer pressure to be involved in a particular activity or not

Disability

• A person is disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if they "have a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on [their] ability to do normal daily activities"

  • www.gov.uk/definition-of-disability-under-equality-act-2010

• Disability can be:

  • Physical

  • Sensory

  • Mental

• There is currently some disagreement about whether disabled participants should integrate into their sport alongside non-disabled participants, or whether it is better to have adapted sports for disabled sportspeople

• Each has its benefits:

• Some new sports have been developed to allow for the integration of people of all abilities, such as boccia and goalball

Integrated sport diagram

Integrated sports include both disabled and non-disabled participants competing and playing in the same events