Athletic body stereotypes in the academic training of students in the Physical Activity and Sport Sciences

Authors

  • Carmen Rodriguez Fernandez University of Seville, Spain
  • Jonathan Ospina Betancurt Technical University of Madrid, Spain http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7999-9221
  • Joaquin Piedra de la Cuadra University of Seville, Spain

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2016.111.06

Keywords:

Stereotypes, Gender, Athletics, Academic training

Abstract

In the past years, despite advances in recent decades in terms of rights and equal opportunities between women and men, the male and female body stereotypes have not disappeared; on the contrary, they have continued to exist at an even greater scale. However, there are no current studies analyzing this phenomenon in terms of the perceptions held by future professionals in the field of physical education and sport in Spain. In this paper, we have tried to examine the stereotypes of gender that exist in the substructures of beliefs of students of physical and sports activity science in regard to the body of women in athletics. The study took place in three Andalusian public universities currently offering studies in the field of athletics (2009-2010, N= 424). Data collection was conducted through a questionnaire completed online. The analysis of data was conducted by descriptive statistics. Results show the existence of a stereotyped conception, both overt and covert, against the stated objective. Gender stereotypes detected on the woman's body on training in track and field are mainly located in physical appearance and performance, manifestations of gender in terms of the woman's body and on different events that took place. Their need to maintain beauty standards, brought under established social control, emanates from these perceptions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Azzarito, L. (2009). The panopticon of physical education: Pretty, active and ideally white. Physical education and sport pedagogy, 14(1), 19-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408980701712106

Azzarito, L., Marttinen, R., Simon, M., & & Markiewiez, R. (2014). "I'm beautiful": A case for adopting a sociocultural perspective in physical education teacher education. In Barnard Flory, S; Tischler, A.; & Sanders, S. Sociocultural Issues in Physical Education: Case Studies for Teachers (pp. 115-132). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield

Barómetro Audiovisual de Andalucía (2008). Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía, IESA.

Birrell, S. (2000), Feminist theories for sport. In Coakley, J; & Dunning, E., Handbook of sport studies (pp. 61-75). London: Sage Publicacitions Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608382.n4

Boyle, L. (2005). Flexing the tensions of female muscularity: How female bodybuilders negotiate normative femininity in competitive bodybuilding. Women's Studies Quarterly, 33(1/2), 134–149.

Bordo, S.(1993). Unbearable weight: Feminism, Western culture, and the body. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Bourdieu, P. (1986). From rules to strategies. Cultural Anthropology, 1(1), 110-120. https://doi.org/10.1525/can.1986.1.1.02a00060

CAA & HACA (2014). Declaración de la RIRM para promoción de la igualdad de género y la lucha contra los estereotipos sexistas. Consejo audiovisual de Andalucía. Marruecos.

Camacho Miñano, M. J. (2013). Contradicciones del significado de la actividad físico-deportiva en las identidades corporales de las chicas adolescentes. Revista del centro de Estudios sobre la Mujer de la Universidad de Alicante, 21,15-35. https://doi.org/10.14198/fem.2013.21.02

Castañer, M., & Camerino, L. (2012). Juventud e iconos deportivos, el poder de la imagen corporal. Revista de Estudios de Juventud, 96, 143-63.

Christensen, C.L. (1993). Basic exercise physiology. Miths and realities. Newbury Park: Sage Publ.

Choi, P. (2000). Femininity and the physically active woman. London: Routledge.

Consejo Audiovisual de Andalucía, (2008). Estudio sobre género y deporte en televisión.

Colás Bravo, P & Rodríguez Fernandez, C. (2013). La visión masculina de la identidad corporal de la mujer atleta. Una explicación desde la perspectiva de género. In Piedra, J. Géneros, masculinidades y diversidad. Educación Física, deporte e identidades masculinas (pp. 80-99). Barcelona: Octaedro.

Cuadrado, I. (2004). Valores y rasgos estereotípicos de género de mujeres líderes. Psicothema, 16(2), 270-275.

Daniels, E. A. (2012). Sexy versus strong: What girls and women think of female athletes. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 33(2), 79-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appdev.2011.12.002

Dutton, D. J., & McLaren, L. (2014). The usefulness of "corrected" body mass index vs. self-reported body mass index: comparing the population distributions, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive utility of three correction equations using Canadian population-based data. BMC public health, 14(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-430

Fontecha, M. (2012). Cuerpo de mujer. In Suárez, M. Género y mujer desde una perspectiva multidisciplinar (pp. 155-174). Madrid: Fundamentos.

García-Vega, E.; Menéndez Robledo, E.; García Fernández, P; & Rico Fernandez, R. (2010). Influencia del sexo y del género en el comportamiento sexual de una población adolescente. Psicothema, 22(4), 606-612.

George, D.; & Mallery, P. (2003). Frequencies. SPSS for Windows step by step: A simple guide and reference 11.0 Update. (4a ed.). Ally&Bacon.

Hall, A. (1996), Feminism and Sporting Bodies: Essays on theory and practice. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.

Hargreaves, J. (1994). Sporting Female. Londres: Routledge.

Jones, A; & Greer, J. (2011). You don't look like an athlete: The effects of feminine appearance on audience perceptions of female athletes and women's sports. Journal of Sport Behavior, 34(4), 358-377.

Krane, V; Choi, P; Baird, S; Aimar, C; & Kauer, K. (2004). Living the paradox: Female athletes negotiate femininity and musculariy. Sex Roles, 50(5-6), 315–329. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000018888.48437.4f

Krane, V; Waldron, J; Michalenok, J; & Stiles-Shipley, J. (2001). Body image concerns in female exercisers and athletes: A feminist cultural studies perspective. Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal, 10 (1), 17–54. https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.10.1.17

Martín Horcajo, M. (2006). Contribución del feminismo de la diferencia sexual a los análisis de género en el deporte.Revista Internacional De Sociología, 64(44), 111-131.

Macías, V; & Moya, M. (2002). Género y Deporte. La influencia de variables psicosociales sobre la práctica deportiva de jóvenes de ambos sexos. Revista de Psicología social, 17 (2), 129-148. https://doi.org/10.1174/021347402320007564

McCreary, D. R; & Sasse, D. K. (2000). An exploration of the drive for muscularity in adolescent boys and girls. Journal of American College Health, 48(3), 297–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448480009596271

Montín, J. M. (2010). Valores mediáticos del deportista profesional en la publicidad.: Análisis comparativo entre Rafa Nadal y Gemma Mengual. Comunicación: revista Internacional de Comunicación Audiovisual, Publicidad y Estudios Culturales, (8), 26-40.

Morrison, T. G; Morrison, M. A; & Hopkins, C. (2003). Striving for bodily perfection? An exploration of the drive for muscularity in Canadian men. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 4, 111–120. https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.4.2.111

Mosewich, A. D; Vangool, A. B; Kowalski, K. C; & McHugh, T. L. F. (2009). Exploring women track and field athletes' meanings of muscularity. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 21(1), 99–115. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200802575742

Muñoz, B. (2011). Coeducar: un compromiso social por la igualdad. Reflexiones y Experiencias en Educación, 5, 1-28.

Planella, J. (2006). Corpografías: dar la palabra al cuerpo. Revista de Intersecciones entre artes, ciencias y tecnologias, 6, 13-22.

Pope, H. G; Olivardia, R; Gruber, A; & Borowiecki, J. (1999). Evolving ideals ofmale body image as seen through action toys. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 26(1), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-108X(199907)26:1<65::AID-EAT8>3.0.CO;2-D

Ridgeway, R. T; & Tylka, T. L. (2005). College men's perceptions of ideal body composition and shape. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 6(3), 209–220. https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.6.3.209

Rocha-Sánchez, T. E; & Díaz Loving, R. (2005). Cultura de género: La brecha ideológica entre hombres y mujeres. Anales de psicología, 21(1), 42-49.

Rodriguez Fernandez, C. (2015). El atletismo y los estereotipos de género en el alumnado de Ciencias de la actividad física y el deporteTesis Doctoral, Universidad de Sevilla. Inédita.

Ross, S. R., & Shinew, K. J. (2008). Perspectives of women college athletes on sport and gender. Sex Roles, 58, 40–57. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9275-4

Schmader, T; Johns, M; & Forbes, C. (2008). An integrated process model of stereotype threat effects on performance. Psychological review, 115(2), 336. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.115.2.336

Spitzer, B; Henderson, K. A; & Zivian, M. T. (1999). Gender differences in population versus media body sizes: A comparison over four decades. Sex Roles, 40(7-8), 545–565. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018836029738

Suárez Villegas, J. C. (2006). La mujer construida: comunicación e identidad femenina. Madrid: Eduforma.

Steinfeldt, J. (2011). Muscularity Beliefs of Female College Student-Athletes. Sex Roles,64 (7-8),543–554. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-9935-2

Theberge, N. (2000), Gender and Sport. In Coakley, J; & Dunning, E. Handbook of sport studies. Londres: Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608382.n20

Vaamonde, J. D; & Omar, A. (2012). Validación argentina del Inventario de Sexismo Ambivalente. Alternativas en Psicología, 26, 47-58.

Vannini, A; & Fornssler, B. (2011). Girl, interrupted: Interpreting Semenya's body, gender verification testing, and public discourse. Cultural Studies Critical Methodologies, 11(3), 243-257. https://doi.org/10.1177/1532708611409536

Vázquez, B. (2002). La mujer en ámbitos competitivos: el ámbito deportivo. FAISCA. Revista de Altas Capacidades, 9, 56-69.

Weaving, C; & Teetzel, S. (2014). Getting jacked and burning fat: examining doping and gender stereotypes in Canadian university sport. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 7(2), 198-217. https://doi.org/10.1123/jis.2014-0094

Wilmore, J. H; & Costill, D.L. (2007). Fisiología del esfuerzo y del deporte (6ª ed). Barcelona: Paidotribo.

Wright, J; & Clarke, G. (1999). Sport, the media and the construction of compulsory heterosexuality. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 34(3), 227–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/101269099034003001

Young, K. (1997). Women, sport, and physicality. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 32(3),297–305. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690297032003006

Statistics

Statistics RUA

Published

2016-12-25

How to Cite

Rodriguez Fernandez, C., Ospina Betancurt, J., & Piedra de la Cuadra, J. (2016). Athletic body stereotypes in the academic training of students in the Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise, 11(1), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.14198/jhse.2016.111.06

Issue

Section

Physical Education / Children & Exercise