The Influence of Sport Appropriateness and Image on the Status of Female Athletes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stereotyped visual images (pictures) on the friendship status ranking of females in “gender-appropriate” and “gender-inappropriate” sports. The study employed a 2×2×3 (sex × sport × image) ANOVA between subjects design, with tennis and basketball being the “appropriate” and “inappropriate” sports chosen respectively. The visual image was manipulated by having a picture of a stereotypical feminine female versus a stereotypical androgynous female. The control group did not have a visual image. We hypothesized that image would interact with sport appropriateness such that the feminine image would enhance the friendship status of the hypothetical basketball player; whereas the androgynous image would lower the hypothetical tennis player’s status. A “sex-byimage” interaction as well as a “sex-by-sport” trend supported the hypothesis for males; males used the perceived femininity/androgyny stereotype to influence their decision about friendship status.Over the last two decades, women’s active involvement in sport has increased. For example, since the 1972 passage of Title IX, participation has increased by over 600% for girls in interscholastic school programs (Boutilier & SanGiovanni, 1983). Despite an increase in the sport opportunities available to women, stereotypes about what is socially appropriate influence how females in sport are perceived. Gender-role stereotypes have been identified as some of the influencing factors in the perception of appropriate sports for males and females (Metheny, 1965) and in one’s social status (Coleman, 1961). Avariable which may enhance the perception of appropriate sports for males and females is the addition of a visual image. Duncan & Sayaovong (1990) have suggested that visual images have the ability to reinforce or contradict gender-role stereotypes. The purpose of this study was to determine how visual images may affect the perceived status of female high school athletes in “gender-appropriate” and “gender-inappropriate” sports.