Ch. 5: Deviance in Sports

Socially constructed range of what is considered socially acceptable behavior: actions, traits or idea.

Norm

That which is considered social acceptable actions, traits and ideas

Normally accepted range of action

Felony rates among adult athletes do not seem to be out of control, but they are a serious problem.

-Age, race, ethnicity, & social class background must be taken into account when analyzing data -Sexual assault rates seem to be high and constitute a serious problem

Deviance on the field of play or in the realm of sport

-Bench clearing brawls, cheating (corked bat, drugs, recruiting violations, gambling, etc) -History shows that this is less common today than in the days before television; on-the-field deviance is more likely to be punished -Today, there are more ways to be deviant in sports! -Evident more in power & performance sports -More prevalent at higher levels & more men than women

Athlete is dedicated to the "game" above all else

-Coaches' pep talks and locker room slogans are full of references to these norms -Must prove their love of the game by giving priority to it over all other interests 1) Proper attitude 2) Unwavering commitment 3) Sacrifices 4) Facing demands of competition without question

Data on rates of alcohol use & binge drinking are mixed

-Drinking norms vary by the age of athletes & the contexts in which they live (e.g., dorm vs. parents' home) -Binge drinking also is a problem in society as a whole

Deviance off the field and away from sport

-Examples such as: assaults, criminal activity make headlines and become lead stories -Research does not show if rates of off-the-field deviance have gone up or down or if general crime rates are higher among athletes than other comparable people in the general population

Athlete strives for distinction

-being an athlete means seeking to improve and achieve perfection -The Olympic motto: "swifter, higher, stronger" capures the meaning of this norm

Off the field deviance

-There are exceptions to this in the case of certain athletes (football players and wrestlers in one study) who are more likely to engage in serious fights than other athletes -Sport programs do nothing to alter the social conditions associated with delinquency

Athlete accepts risks and plays through pain

-according to this norm, an athlete does not "give in" to pressure, pain or fear -coaches look for players willing to take risks and play through pain - it illustrates that overconformity to the norms of the sport ethic is valued on their teams Ex: Kerri Stuggs (Olympic gymnast)

Athlete accepts no obstacles in the pursuit of possibilities

-this norm stresses "the dream" and the obligation to pursue it without question -i.e of overconformity to this norm - Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier

Defining Deviance in sports

....

Sport Ethic consists of four norms:

1) Athlete is dedicated to the "game" above all else 2) Athlete strives for distinction 3) Athlete accepts risks and plays through pain 4) Athlete accepts no obstacles in the pursuit of possibilities

Examples of deviant overconformity:

1) Athletes prepare so intensely that they ignore the needs of family members 2) Self-injurious overtraining 3) Unhealthy eating behaviors and weight control strategies 4) Commitments to playing sports with pain and injury

On the field deviance

1) Evidence suggests that cheating, dirty play, and fighting are less common today than in the past -It seems like there is more today because there are more rules to violate and video technology captures it. 2) Athletes in power and performance sports accept "good fouls," "cheating when you can get away with it," and "playing to the level of the referee." 3) People focus exclusively on deviant underconformity and overlook deviant overconformity—the form of deviance that might be more pervasive today. -This historical finding contradicts popular perceptions. Many people think that athletes are more deviant today because there are more rules than ever before, and expectations for conformity are greater.

It is difficult to obtain data on hazing:

1) Hazing becomes an insider secret among members of high status groups 2) Hazing increasingly involves demeaning sex acts which people don't want to admit to or discuss 3) Hazing on some teams becomes increasingly extreme over time and has led to serious injuries and deaths.

Constructionist approach is based on four assumptions:

1) Norms are socially constructed as people interact with each other and determine what's acceptable and what isn't 2) Deviance is socially constructed as people negotiate the boundaries of their acceptance. 3) Power dynamics influence this negotiation 4) Most ideas, traits, and actions fall into a normally accepted range

Why do athletes engage in deviant overconformity?

1) Playing sports is so exciting and exhilarating that athletes will do almost anything to stay involved. 2) Being selected to play high-performance sports often requires overconformity to the norms of the sport ethic. 3) Exceeding normative limits creates drama and excitement and leads to strong social bonds between athletes.

Athletes most likely to overconform to the sport ethic

1) Those with low self-esteem and a deep need to be accepted as athletes by their peers in a sport 2) Those who see achievement in sports as their only way to gain success and respect 3) Those males who link their identities as athletes and as men so that being an athlete and being a man become one and the same thing

Constructionist approach of the three levels of conformity

1) Underconformity 2) Normally accepted range of action 3) Overconformity

1) types & causes of deviance are diverse - no single theory to explain all of them

1) hazing team members and forcing them to do illegal things 2) turning in coursework prepared by others 3) destroying hotel property during a road trip after an embarrassing loss or a difficult win

2) actions that are accepted in sports may be deviant in other spheres of society and actions accepted in society may be deviant in sports

1) ice hockey players would be arrested for actions they define as normal during the game 2) fans act in ways that would quickly alienate friends and family members 3) if athletes take nutritional supplements used by nonathletes, they may be banned from their sport

According to a constructionist approach, there are two types of deviance:

1) one involving underconformity to norms and 2) the other involving overconformity.

Studying deviance in sports presents problems for three reasons:

1) types & causes of deviance are diverse - no single theory to explain all of them 2) actions that are accepted in sports may be deviant in other spheres of society and actions accepted in society may be deviant in sports 3) often involves an unquestioned acceptance of norms and what it means to be an athlete, rather than a rejection and their deviance often involves..

Deviance __ involves violating a norm

ALWAYS

Deviance occurs when ideas, traits, and actions fall outside socially determined boundaries that people use to determine what is acceptable and unacceptable in a social world.

Constructionist approach

An action, trait or idea that falls outside a range of acceptance as determined by people with the power to enforce norms in a social world

Deviance

__ is a chronic issue at many levels of sport

Hazing

Data on academic cheating is inconclusive.

Membership in any tight-knit group is more important than simply playing sports when explaining cheating patterns

Deviance based on accepting and conforming to norms without question involves "supranormal" actions and, in some cases, leads to fascism

Overconformity

3) often involves an unquestioned acceptance of norms and what it means to be an athlete, rather than a rejection and their deviance often involves..

Overconformity: when young men go too far in conforming to expectations and use banned substances to become bigger and stronger

A set of norms accepted as the dominant criteria for defining what is required to be defined and accepted as an athlete in power and performance sports

Sport Ethic

Deviance based on ignoring or rejecting norms; involves "subnormal" actions and, in extreme cases, leads to anarchy

Underconformity

Deviance in sports occurs on __ sides of normal

both

Athletes are not the only ones in sports who engage in deviant behavior. Think of other examples involving:

coaches, administrators, team owners, referees, trainers, public officials, media people, agents, parents, spectators

Research shows __ occurs often in __

deviant overconformity; sports

Research shows that many athletes have __ rates of __ than similar peers who do not play sports

higher rates of delinquency

Deviance research looks at a number of __ of areas of __

issues; sport

Like hazing on all teams, it is used by team veterans as a means of asserting power and control over __ __ __

new team members

People often confuse hazing, bullying, initiation and rites of __

passage

Hazing on professional teams often involves forcing __ to engage juvenile actions that place them in a subordinate position

rookies