CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE
SOCIOLOGY OF SPORT

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 CULTURE
Consists of the “ways of life” people create as they
participate in a group or society in which they live

These ways of life are produced, reproduced, and changed

over.

The products of learned behavior (attitudes, values,

knowledge) that are shared and transmitted among
members of society.

A + V + K = culture (share & transmit)

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 CULTURE
Culture: learned and shared human patterns or
models for living; day- to-day living patterns.
(Damen, 1987)

Culture has been defined in a number of ways, but

most simply, as the learned and shared behavior of
a community of interacting human beings.
(Useem & Useem, 1963)

© 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

 SOCIETY

A collection of people living in a defined

geographical territory

United through
■ a political system
■ a shared sense of self-identification that
distinguishes them from other people –
that is a sense of “we-ness.”

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 1.2 Values in Sport

VALUES ARE CONCEPTIONS OF WHAT ARE

DESIREABLE UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS BY
WHICH INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL GOALS ARE
CHOSEN

BELIEFS OR ATTITUDES THAT ARE HIGHLY

REGARDED BY SOCIETY LIKE BEING
HARD-WORKING, RESPECTFUL, OBEDIENCE ETC.

© 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

 1.2 VALUES IN SPORT

1. CHARACTER BUILDING
SPORT’S CONTRIBUTION IN NURTURING THE
DEV. OF PERSONALITY TRAITS SUCH AS
INTEGRITY, RESPONSIBILITTY, MATURITY,
HONESTY, DEPENDABILITY ETC.
2. DISCIPLINE
OBEDIENCE TO AUTHORITY

3. COMPETITION
PREPARES ONE FOR THE COMPETITIVENESS OF
LIVING
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 4. PHYSICAL FITNESS
DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN MUSCLE TONE, BE
HEALTHY
5. MENTAL FITNESS
PREPARING THE MIND TO DO BATTLE IN LABOR
MARKET
6. RELIGIOSITY
SPORT CONTAINED CHARACTERISTICS OF
RELIGIOUS CULT & SERVED AS A PREPARATION
FOR LIFE
7. NATIONALISM
INCREASE THE LOVE FOR THE COUNTRY

© 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

 1.3 Defining Sports and Sport Sociology
1.3.1 Defining Sports as a Social
Phenomena

Sports are related to the social and cultural

contexts in which we live

Sports provide stories & images used to

explain & evaluate these contexts

Sports provide a window into culture and

society
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 Defining SPORTS as
1.3.2
contested activities
This means that there are struggles
over:
▪ The meaning, purpose, & organization of
sports
▪ Who will participate and the conditions
under which sport participation occurs
▪ How sports will be sponsored, and what
the reasons for sponsorship will be
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 1.3.3 SPORT –
is defined by some scholars as activities
that are
Physical
Competitive
Institutionalized
Motivated by internal & external
rewards

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 DEFINING SOCIOLOGY

The systematic study of human society

and social interaction.

Study on factor that exist outside and

around the athlete.

Study of sociology started after the

industrial revolution where scientist want
to know the impact of the revolution on
individuals and their society.
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 SOCIOLOGY Vs. PSYCHOLOGY
Sociologists study actions and
relationships in terms of the
social conditions and cultural
contexts in which people live
their lives
Psychologists study behavior in
terms of attributes and processes
that exist inside individuals
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 SPORT SOCIOLOGY

STUDY OF THE NETWORK OF ROLES,

RELATIONSHIP AND INTERACTIONS
IN SPORT AND THEIR APPLICATION
TO THE SPORT INSTITUTION.

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 Thank you

© 2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.