Social & Cultural Constraints

sociocultural constraints

• prevalent group attitudes and values that influence behaviours of individuals w/ in the group

• encourage socially acceptable and discourage socially unacceptable movement activities

social role

pattern of behaviour that is expected of a person in a given setting or group

the socialization process involves complex interaction among…

• socializing agent: family members, SOs, peers, teachers, etc.

• social situations: games, play, toys, etc.

• personal attributes: perceived abilities, SE, motivation, etc. (IFC)

gender typing

• when a parent or SO encourages activities that are deemed “gender appropriate”

• expectations about behaviour base on biological sex

• process through which individuals acquire & internalize such expectations

• can restrict physical activity

sociocultural constraints are…

environmental constraints

sex

• biological attributes

• includes physical features, chromosomes, gene expression, etc.

• individual constraint

gender

• socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions & identities

• not confined to a binary

• sociocultural constraint

Justine Blainey

• very good 12 year old hockey player on very bad girl’s hockey team

• good enough to play on boys team but not allowed

• wrote a letter

• got sex discrimination banned in all sports

Manon Rhéaume

• first woman to play in NHL

• goalie for Tampa Bay Lightening

• played with boys since age 12

women in hockey

• Olympics & Hockey Hall of Fame

• 1985: 250 female teams in Ontario

• 2017: 2910 female teams in Ontario

significant others

• hold significant influence over child’s social development

• heavily involved in gender typing

significant others: parents

• important during early childhood

• fathers tend to reinforce gender typing in boys

• same-sex parent may be more influential

• encourage children to engage in physical or sedentary behaviours (reflecting their own habits)

• ~75% of eventual adult sport participants become involved in sport by age 8

significant others: siblings

• form infants’ first play group (socialization agent)

• likely only reinforce socialization patterns established by parents

• as individual leaves childhood, sibling influence diminishes greatly

significant others: peers

• important after childhood

• strong influence for group activities (teams & clubs)

• peer group preference for passive activities can lead once-active children into sedentary adolescence

significant others: teachers & coaches

• reinforce existing socilazition patterns

• research is inconclusive regarding role in socialization into PA

social situations: play environments & games

• lack of adequate space can diminish opportunities for gross motor activity

• gender-typed play environments, games, & toys deprive girls of opportunities to perform complex, difficult skills

social situations: significant others

• encourage vigorous/rough play for boys

• discourage/punish girls for running, climbing, venturing away

• restrict physical activity options

• reinforces constrained, sedentary play for girls → self-select away from vigorous play

social situations: play with toys

• encourages activity or inactivity

• boys toys: complex, encourage vigorous activity

• encourages traditional gender roles

• marketing, advertising & packaging → gender typing

race

biologically based and relate to genetic similarities within groups

ethnicity

culturally based and relate to cultural simulates that connect groups

sociocultural constraints: race & ethnicity

• can coincide

• assessing independent influence is difficult

• can be interrelated to socioeconomic status

sociocultural constraints: socioeconomic status (SES)

• the social standing or “class” of an individual or group

• measured as combination of education, income, & occupation

SES & physical activity

• higher SES = more opportunity

• children w/ lower SES → less access to organized PA