Soci320 Chapter 9

the meaning, organization, and purpose of sports are heavily influenced by....

money and economic power

is exclusive commitment to a single sport more common in boys or girls?

more likely among boys from lower income backgrounds - this a reflection of life choices

Class ideology

Interrelated ideas and beliefs that people use to understand economic inequalities, identify their class position, and evaluate the impact of economic inequalities on the organization of social worlds;

Life Chances

similar odds for achieving economic success and power in society

Social Stratification

structured forms of economic inequalities that are part of the organization of everyday social life

Life chances

Similar odds for achieving economic success and power in society

Social stratification

Structured forms of economic inequalities that are part of the organization of everyday social life (people in lower-class have fewer opportunities, people born into wealth are better able to become wealthy/powerful themselves)

the most visible sports around the world revolve around what?

the meanings and orientations valued by people with economic resources and power. ex: Steinbrenners, Rooneys

Gross domestic product (GDP)

The monetary value of all goods and services produced annually

Class relations

The ways that social class is incorporated into the organization of our everyday lives

"Power 100" in US sports

the sporting news ranks people with power in and over sports. Rankings change each year, but they consistently show that... 1. power is based in organizations and rests in the hands of the white men who control them 2. athletes and coaches have negligible power to control the organization of sports

tickets to pro sport events are...

too expensive for many people today. - ticket prices increase about 30% after new facilities are constructed

ideas about sports and masculinity __________ by social class

vary

Class relations

ways that social class is incorporated into the organization of our everyday lives

who are the most powerful people in sports?

white men who control the resources that sponsor sports and represent sports in the media

Meritocracy

a form of social organization in which rewards go to people who deserve them due to their abilities, qualifications, and recognized achievements.

Class Ideology

a web of ideas and beliefs that people use to understand economic inequalities, identify their class position, and evaluate the impact of economic inequalities on the organization of social worlds

When athletes sign pro sport contracts at 21 years old, they can expect to retire between the ages of a. 25 and 30 years old. b. 30 and 35 years old. c. 35 and 40 years old. d. 40 and 45 years old.

a. 25 and 30 years old.

In the example of how age relations operate in sports, it was explained that the organization of youth sport programs generally reflects a. adults' ideas about what children should be doing and learning. b. the needs of children who seek exciting physical challenges. c. the needs of elite sport programs in the nation. d. managerial approaches used by adults in major corporations.

a. adults' ideas about what children should be doing and learning.

According to political theorist Antonio Gramsci, the people who sponsor activities that provide popular pleasure and entertainment in society often do so to a. deliver messages about what should be important in people's lives. b. help people around the world gain control over their lives. c. deliver subliminal messages that determine what people think. d. directly undermine governments that do not have capitalist economies.

a. deliver messages about what should be important in people's lives.

The class ideology underlying dominant sport forms in North America involves the belief that a. economic success is proof of ability, worth, and character. b. money is important but it cannot buy happiness. c. being a professional is always better than being an amateur. d. it's better to be lucky than to work hard.

a. economic success is proof of ability, worth, and character.

The author points out that sports and other forms of exciting entertainment are culturally important because they can be used to a. establish ideological outposts in the minds of people. b. train soldiers for combat in hand-to-hand warfare. c. discover how people think about world events. d. help parents provide moral lessons to their children.

a. establish ideological outposts in the minds of people.

The sport participation of young people today depends on family resources more than ever before in recent history. This is important to know because a. family resources have declined recently for most U.S. households b. median household income has been steadily increasing since 2000. c. the wealth of white households declined 60 % between 2005 and 2009. d. one in 20 black children live in households under the poverty line.

a. family resources have declined recently for most U.S. households

The lifestyles of middle-income and working class people are most likely to include those sports that have traditionally been a. free, open, and sponsored with public funds. b. physical, aggressive and sometimes violent. c. family-oriented and played indoors. d. highly competitive and played outdoors.

a. free, open, and sponsored with public funds.

After reading the chapter we could conclude that future occupational success and upward mobility would be highest among former elite athletes in a. golf. b. track and field. c. boxing. d. rodeo.

a. golf.

Data show that ticket prices at men's professional sports in North America have a. increased much faster than the rate of inflation. b. stayed about the same if inflation is taken into account. c. declined dramatically as teams have tried to attract middle-class spectators. d. been rigidly controlled by the city governments that have funded stadiums.

a. increased much faster than the rate of inflation.

Research indicates that problems are most likely when retirement from sport a. is forced on an athlete because of injury. b. comes in connection with changes in an athlete's life. c. is related to a general loss of skills that comes with age. d. forces a person to develop interests outside of sports.

a. is forced on an athlete because of injury.

Data on global income and living conditions show that a. nearly half the people in the world lack the resources to play organized sports. b. in ten years most people in developing nations will escape poverty. c. most elite athletes today are from the poorest nations in the world. d. the poorest children in the world have the most leisure time to play sports.

a. nearly half the people in the world lack the resources to play organized sports.

Women are less likely to get certain jobs in sports and sport organizations because being qualified for the jobs is a. often defined as being able to do them as men have done them. b. dependent on having a deep knowledge of sports. c. related to accomplishments and awards received as an athlete. d. usually related to how one is evaluated by current athletes.

a. often defined as being able to do them as men have done them.

Data on athletic scholarships in NCAA schools indicate that a. over 60 percent of all athletes play with no athletic scholarships. b. nearly all athletes in all NCAA divisions receive some form of athletic aid. c. athletic scholarships guarantee that athletes will graduate in 6 years. d. more students receive athletic scholarships than is popularly believed.

a. over 60 percent of all athletes play with no athletic scholarships.

When tax money is used to build sport stadiums and arenas for professional teams, one of the main results is that a. public money is transferred to wealthy individuals and corporations. b. revenue streams at the stadium help to build public schools and parks. c. women and minorities receive many new, high paying job opportunities. d. everyone has more opportunities to attend games at reasonable prices.

a. public money is transferred to wealthy individuals and corporations.

In the Sports Illustrated rankings of the 50 most powerful people in [U.S.] Sports during 2013, the people most represented in the top 20 of the list primarily were a. high profile retired athletes who had invested in sports. b. CEOs of sport organizations and media companies. c. coaches who had become team owners or league commissioners. d. wealthy hedge fund advisors with corporate clients.

b. CEOs of sport organizations and media companies.

When gender relations and class relations come together in people's lives which category of women is likely to have the highest sport participation rate? a. Women from low-income households. b. Women from upper-income households. c. Women who work outside the home. d. Women with active children over 8 years old.

b. Women from upper-income households.

After looking at data on which nations and which athletes win medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the author concludes that these events a. present a level playing for opportunities to win medals. b. a celebration of wealth and economic inequality. c. are basically contests between wealthy socialist and poor capitalist nations. d. provide people from poor nations a fair chance to succeed.

b. a celebration of wealth and economic inequality.

In his discussion of retirement from competitive sports, the author notes that there is a growing belief that sport organizations should a. never force an athlete to retire before he or she is mentally ready to retire. b. assist athletes during their transition into other parts of their lives. c. set up special teams to enable "senior" athletes to continue competing. d. hire all former athletes back in some coaching or administrative capacity.

b. assist athletes during their transition into other parts of their lives.

The author argues that full gender equity in jobs in sport organizations depends on a. women developing alliances with powerful men in sports. b. changing the cultures of sports and sport organizations. c. women working harder to learn about sports and sport organizations. d. using new forms of affirmative action programs.

b. changing the cultures of sports and sport organizations.

When school sports depend on corporate sponsors, the main problem is that a. corporate executives want free tickets to all games. b. corporations usually sponsor only the sports that promote their interests. c. corporations demand that athletes also are good students. d. many corporate stockholders are strongly opposed to public education.

b. corporations usually sponsor only the sports that promote their interests.

At the same time that public money in cities and states has been used to fund the construction of sport venues a. the price of tickets has declined except in luxury boxes. b. fewer average people can afford to buy tickets to see local teams. c. the taxes generated by those facilities has increased dramatically. d, lasting social unity has been created by sports in those cities and states.

b. fewer average people can afford to buy tickets to see local teams.

Laberge and Albert studied French Canadian boys and found that middle class boys linked sport participation to masculinity because they saw sports as an arena a. for learning to be leaders. b. for gaining social acceptance in male groups. c. for showing that they were superior to teenage girls. d. for displaying tough, hypermasculine behaviors.

b. for gaining social acceptance in male groups.

There have not been significant increases in the proportions of blacks working at top management levels in sports because a. talented blacks choose non-sport jobs that pay more than sport jobs. b. hiring processes for top jobs favor people similar to team owners. c. white male owners are threatened by qualified blacks. d. team owners fear a drop in ticket sales if blacks are hired for top jobs.

b. hiring processes for top jobs favor people similar to team owners.

As defined in the chapter, social stratification refers to a. social differences based on past relationships. b. structured forms of inequality that affect people's life chances. c. socially important differences in identity and abilities. d. systems of socialization that influence family and community relationships.

b. structured forms of inequality that affect people's life chances.

Class ideology in the United States is organized around a. money and happiness. b. the American Dream and a belief in meritocracy. c. the importance of fate and luck. d. a belief that nice people are never successful.

b. the American Dream and a belief in meritocracy.

Quotes from the men interviewed by sociologist Loic Wacquant suggest that participation in professional boxing is best understood in terms of a. the personalities of those who choose to box. b. the social context in which people make choices about their lives. c. the large salaries made by nearly all professional boxers. d. broken families and absent fathers.

b. the social context in which people make choices about their lives.

Data on the salaries of players in the major team sports shows that in recent years a. white players make less than players from ethnic minorities. b. there is no evidence of race-based salary discrimination. c. black players make less than white players. d. black players are paid more due to the guilt of white team owners.

b. there is no evidence of race-based salary discrimination.

As of 2013, for every contract dollar made by NBA players during their season, players in the WNBA made a. 30-cents. b. 10-cents. c. 1-cent. d. 5-cents.

c. 1-cent.

When sports were first desegregated, the existence of "entry barriers" in top-level competitive sports in the U.S. created a situation in which a. white athletes were always the best players on integrated teams. b. black athletes sat on the bench more than they played. c. black athletes had better performance records than white athletes. d. black athletes received higher salaries than white athletes.

c. black athletes had better performance records than white athletes.

Information on the number of blacks in coaching and management positions in North American professional team sports shows that a. at least 30% of these positions are held by blacks. b. blacks hold the majority of coaching positions in baseball only. c. blacks are underrepresented in most power positions in all sports. d. the majority of all assistant coaches in most sports are black.

c. blacks are underrepresented in most power positions in all sports.

According to political theorist Antonio Gramsci, members of the ruling class in contemporary societies maintain their power to the extent that they a. have the ability to undermine their political opponents. b. control the police force and how deviance is defined in society. c. can convince people that society is organized as best as it can be. d. social classes don't exist in society.

c. can convince people that society is organized as best as it can be.

As defined in the chapter, social class refers to a. the social skills and sophistication of individuals in society. b. groups of people who generally vote for the same candidates. c. categories of people who share an economic position in society. d. mythical ideas about economic inequalities and life chances

c. categories of people who share an economic position in society.

Data suggest that opportunities for African Americans in sports are a. more scarce in team sports than in individual sports. b. greater than they are in traditional professions such as medicine and law. c. generally insignificant for the African American population as a whole. d. more plentiful for African American women than for men.

c. generally insignificant for the African American population as a whole.

The ethnic minorities most likely to be hired for top management positions are those who a. give priority to their ethnic identities. b. can ignore the rules and practices in the organizations. c. have orientations similar to other people in top management. d. threaten owners with lawsuits.

c. have orientations similar to other people in top management.

Research on sport participation and social class tends to show that a. low-income people tend to play sports more than they watch them. b. low-income people cannot afford to play or watch any sports. c. higher-income people have high rates of attendance at most sport events. d. participation in sports is highest among those who work in physical jobs.

c. higher-income people have high rates of attendance at most sport events.

In his research on boxers, French sociologist Loic Wacquant notes that being a professional boxer in the U.S. is a life choice that a. leads many men into gang cultures. b. is made early in life, usually before a boy is 10 years old. c. is heavily influenced by the oppressive realities of race and social class. d. indicates a rejection of both educational and occupational opportunities.

c. is heavily influenced by the oppressive realities of race and social class.

NCAA data on the probability of playing sports beyond high school show that a. women have a greater chance of playing pro sports than men do. b. the chances of playing pro sports are highest for male basketball players. c. less than one-half of one percent of high school athletes play pro sports. d. the goal of playing pro sports is realistic for those who want it bad enough.

c. less than one-half of one percent of high school athletes play pro sports.

what does Coakley have to say about the sport of Boxing

- if you want to know who is in the lowest social class... look who is boxing - boxing as a "coerced affection"

Masculinity --- Class Defined

- lower = toughness, rugged individual person - middle = peer belonging - loyalty - upper = leadership, rules are only "advisory"; rules are for others ex: it is better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission --> not the middle class saying this

what does research show about boxing

- research shows that for some low-income, minority men, boxing is an alternative to the violence of the streets. --> boxing is a refuge from the violence, hopelessness, and indignity created by racism and poverty --> many of these men know they would not be boxing if they had other options = "coerced affection"

The author concludes that being a varsity athlete in high school or college is most likely to give people an occupational advantage when a. their parents helped them focus on becoming elite athletes. b. they set records so that other people recognized them as athletes. c. playing sports enabled them to expand their experiences apart from sports. d. they chose occupations that had nothing to do with competitive sports.

c. playing sports enabled them to expand their experiences apart from sports.

When people who control money and economic power use their financial clout to organize and sponsor sports, they give preference to sport forms that a. eliminate participation opportunities for those who lack resources. b. provide impossible challenges to less fortunate people in society. c. reflect and maintain their own values and interests. d. promote the idea that success depends on fate and lucky breaks.

c. reflect and maintain their own values and interests.

When sports in a society are tied to an ideology that stresses the belief that success is based on the ability to compete against and defeat opponents, sports tend to a. work against the interests of wealthy and powerful people. b. promote worker productivity and satisfaction. c. reproduce the power and influence of elite groups in society. d. provide unique opportunities for people from low-income groups.

c. reproduce the power and influence of elite groups in society.

Male athletes from poor and working class households often use sport participation as a means of obtaining a. acceptance by their parents. b. job skills that could be used if they did not attend college. c. respect and a foundation for their identities. d. the material things that other young people had.

c. respect and a foundation for their identities.

Efforts to organize fans to resist ticket price increases have generally failed because a. fans lack the experience and ability needed to create organizations. b. fans want to make sure that stadium employees are well paid. c. wealthy status-conscious spectators don't object to high ticket prices. d. season ticket holders often own shares of stock in the teams they watch.

c. wealthy status-conscious spectators don't object to high ticket prices.

After reading the chapter on social class and sports, it is clear that in recent years a. women and ethnic minorities have taken over most sport organizations. b. affirmative action has changed who obtains top management jobs in sports. c. white men have retained power and control in sport organizations. d. government rules have caused white males to lose power in sports.

c. white men have retained power and control in sport organizations.

Social Class

categories of people who share an economic position in society based on their income, wealth, education, occupation, and social connections

Which of the following is true about women's job careers in sports? a. The salaries of men and women playing pro soccer in the U.S. are equal. b. Job opportunities for women sports are mostly at the highest executive levels. c. Salary equity now exists for women coaches in all colleges and universities. d. Job turnover is relatively high among women.

d. Job turnover is relatively high among women.

Women who work in sport organizations often face the burden of a. doing jobs for which they have few skills. b. working for women supervisors who are threatened by other women. c. being promoted into athletic director positions before they are ready. d. dealing with organizational cultures they have not had a role in shaping.

d. dealing with organizational cultures they have not had a role in shaping.

Among U.S.-born people, the odds of playing professional sports are a. increasing every year due to the expansion of pro sports teams. b. better than the odds of becoming a doctor or lawyer. c. better for ethnic minorities than for Euro-Americans. d. extremely limited for women from all ethnic backgrounds.

d. extremely limited for women from all ethnic backgrounds.

When there are budget shortfalls, the high school sport programs most likely to be cut are in communities where there are a. many private sport programs for young people. b. problems with public mass transportation. c. large corporations willing to fund community-based sports. d. large proportions of low-income families.

d. large proportions of low-income families.

Many people in North America believe that sports are a. organized so that hard work isn't important. b. activities in which luck is more important than skill and good fortune. c. played only by people in the working class. d. models of social equality and meritocracy.

d. models of social equality and meritocracy.

Social class relations are related to sports and sport participation because a. all sports depend on the support of the middle class. b. athletes tend to come from impoverished backgrounds. c. literacy is required to understand written rules. d. organized sports depend on material resources.

d. organized sports depend on material resources.

The two major challenges faced by retiring athletes are reconstructing their identities, and a. finding jobs that didn't require physical work. b. recovering from psychological trauma. c. finding ways to stay active in sports. d. renegotiating their relationships with family and friends.

d. renegotiating their relationships with family and friends.

Data from NCAA schools indicate that a. most scholarships are awarded to students from low income families. b. the sport offering the best scholarship odds to HS seniors is football. c. over half of all scholarships are divided between two or more athletes. d. revenues generated by black athletes often pay for scholarships for others.

d. revenues generated by black athletes often pay for scholarships for others.

Opportunities to play professional sports are best described as a. lucrative and open to many people. b. excellent ways for many ethnic minorities to avoid discrimination. c. more open to women than to men during the past 2 decades. d. short term and limited to relatively few people.

d. short term and limited to relatively few people.

Throughout the chapter the term "class relations" is used to refer to a. interdependencies between people from different backgrounds. b. processes that exist in societies where there are true equal opportunities. c. social relations in high schools and universities. d. the ways that social class is incorporated into our everyday lives.

d. the ways that social class is incorporated into our everyday lives.

In terms of overall employment patterns in sport organizations a. Latinos are more likely to coach in the NFL than Major League Baseball. b. the majority of professional track and field coaches are Native Americans. c. Asian Americans have more sport jobs than other ethnic minorities. d. white men hold most of the good jobs and nearly all of the top jobs.

d. white men hold most of the good jobs and nearly all of the top jobs.

As entry barriers declined, retention barriers took their place. Retention barriers benefited a. black players with good potential. b. only the best white players. c. black players with seniority in the league. d. white players with marginal skills.

d. white players with marginal skills.

Being married with children is most likely to interfere with sport participation among a. women in upper-income families. b. women who have wealthy friends. c. women who have husbands working at home. d. women in lower-income families.

d. women in lower-income families.

cuts in publicly funded sport programs....

disproportionately affect people with few economic resources (e.g. school programs) - low income -

Class relations in the US are based on ideology in which....

economic success is equated with individual ability, worth, and character. - competitive power and performance sports reaffirm this ideology

what has a greater impact on sport participation patters in lower income households?

gender-related factors

boys and girls from ______________________ seldom face constraints that interfere with participation in after-school and summer programs, camps, and leagues

higher-income families - having live-in nanny gives mom relief; being empathetic --> being in someone else's shoes

Suzanne Laberge and Mathieu Albert's study showed that, among 15 and 16 year old French Canadian boys in Montreal, masculinity and sports were connected

1) By upper-class boys with leadership skills 2) By middle-class boys with opportunities to be with peers and gain acceptance in male groups 3) By working-class boys with displays of toughness and development of rugged personas, as well as gaining respect in society where they otherwise lacked a means to do so

Playing sports is positively related to future occupational success and upward mobility when it:

1) Increases opportunities to complete academic degrees, develop job-related skills, and/or extend one's knowledge about the world outside sports 2) Increase support from significant others for overall growth and development, not just sport development 3) Provide opportunities to develop social networks connected with career opportunities outside of sports 4) Provides material resources and the guidance needed to successfully create and manage opportunities 5) Expands experiences, identities, and abilities unrelated to sports 6) Minimizes risks of disabling injuries that restrict physical movement or require expensive and/or chronic medical treatment This list suggests playing sports can either expand OR constrict a person's overall development and future career posibilities

The four challenges that face retiring athletes

1) Reaffirm or reconstruct identities in terms of activities, abilities, relationships that are not directly related to sport participation 2) Nurture or renegotiate relationships with family and friends so that new identities can be established and reaffirmed 3) Re-engage with the normal, everyday world in ways that provide a personal sense of meaning 4) Come to terms with the totality of their life in sports

Points about sport-related opportunities (3)

1) The # of paid career opportunities in sports is limited, and playing careers of pro athletes are short-term 2) Opportunities for women are growing but remain limited on and off the field relative to men 3) Opportunities for ethnic minorities are growing but remain limited on and off the field relative to whites with European heritage

Dominant class ideology in the US is organized around two themes

1) The American Dream 2) The U.S. is a meritocracy

what supports class ideology in the US?

1. Belief in the American Dream plus 2. belief that the US is a Meritocracy

the __1____ the social class, the greater the ____2_____ and ______3_______.

1. higher 2. involvement 3. influence

boys from ______1_____ backgrounds often see sport participation as a means of _____2_______ _______3________

1. lower income 2. obtaining 3. respect - not smiling in pictures

Class ideology in the US is based on:

1. the american dream 2. belief in Meritocracy

sports have become sites for transferring tax money to wealthy individuals and private corporations by...

1. using sales taxes to build facilities by team owners and private corp. 2. funding construction with tax-exempt bonds purchased by wealthy investors 3. discounting property tax rates for sport facilities and development around stadiums 4. granting tax deductions for tickets

The American Dream

A hopeful vision of boundless opportunities for individuals to succeed economically and live a happy life based on consumption. It focuses attention on individual aspirations and often blurs an awareness of social class differences in material living conditions and life chances.

Meritocracy

A social world in which rewards go to people who deserve them due to their abilities, qualifications, and recognized achievements. Success is rightfully earned and failure is caused by poor choices and a lack of ambition.

Wealth

All assets in the form of money in the bank; equity in a home, car, or other appraised possessions; and retirement funds in investments or savings

Social poverty

An absence of vertical social capital that connects young persons to real opportunities to move "up and out" of their immediate circumstances

social class and class relations

influence who plays sports, who watches sports, who consumes information about sports, and the information that is available. - generally the higher the social class, the greater the involvement and influence - sport participation occurs in context of class-related lifestyles.

Social class

Categories of people who share an economic position in society based on their income, wealth (savings and assets), education, occupation, and social connections. They also share similar life chances.

Social mobility

Changes in wealth, education, and occupation over a person's lifetime or from one generation to the next in families; upward or downward.

girls and women in _____________ often face the greatest constraints to sport participation

low-income households