Download ACHPER CONFERENCE 2010

Figueroa’s framework
An introduction to sociology
Chapter overview
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Sociology and sport
Equity and access
Figueroa’s framework
Now that you’ve finished … answers
page 295
page 298
page 299
What is it?
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“Figueroa’s framework is a useful tool for examining the sociocultural factors influencing equity and access to sport and
physical activity in Australia.”
Senior Syllabus 2010 page 12
Sociology and sport
Page 295
Sociology
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Sociology is the scientific study of how human society and
culture are developed and organised.
Sports sociologists analyse social and cultural influences through
a sports perspective.
Figueroa’s framework is a tool to examine issues in
sociology of sport:
 Identify and understand social problems and issues in sport
Drugs
 Violence
 Racism
 Commodification of sport
 Allocation of funding and facilities
 Marketing of sport
 Sexploitation
Discuss how aspects within society can increase access and
opportunities to physical activities.
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Equity and access
Page 298
Equity and access
Equity: whether resources are distributed fairly to all
members of society
 Access: opportunities to participate in sports of their choice
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The study of equity and access in sport is primarily about
reducing and removing the unreasonable and irrelevant barriers
to participation:
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Discrimination
Prejudices
Stereotyping
This may require a shift in
current attitudes to determine:
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Formation of barriers
Reinforcing of barriers
Personal reflection
Have any barriers prevented you
from participating in a particular
sport or activity?
What opportunities do you need to
succeed in your chosen sport?
Figueroa’s framework
Page 299
Figueroa’s framework
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Examines equity and access through five levels in society:
 Cultural
 Structural
 Institutional
 Interpersonal
 Personal
Cultural level
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Socially shared set of values, beliefs
and assumptions
• Influenced by historical opinions
and events
• Hegemonic (voice of the dominant
group over others)
• Enshrined racism and sexism
• Stereotypical views:
• Tall poppy syndrome
Socio-cultural influences on sports participation
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Australian sporting identity
Regional sporting culture
Socialisation (cultural)
Stereotypes
Hegemonic masculinity (cultural)
Ethnicity
Religion
Structural level
The structural level looks at the distribution of resources. This
covers the allocation of funding through government and how the
corporate sectors influence the opportunities experienced by an
individual.
 Government funding
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Development programs
Government policies
Media
Marketing of sports
Sponsorship
Institutional level
Examines institutions within society and what rules and
regulations they impose which affect access and opportunities for
sport and recreational activity.
 Sporting associations and funding (institutional level)
 Community groups
 Schools (a significant institution)
 Facilities
 Rules and regulations
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Traditions
Religious groups
Interpersonal level
The influence of relationships, both positive and negative, that
affect whether an individual will develop a lifelong association with
sport.
 Parents
 Peers
 Siblings
 Teachers
 Coaches
 Role models
Personal reflection
Which three people have had the
greatest influence on your sports
participation?
Individual level
Personal reasons that affect an individual’s involvement in
physical activity.
 Genetics
 Values
 Attitudes
 Personality
 Experiences
Personal reflection
How have Figueroa’s levels
affected how you participate in
sport?
Now that you have finished ...
Answers
1a. Sociologists study human society. List features of our
society that can have an effect on sports participation.
Sport is a microcosm of society. Many aspects that impact on society,
can also have an impact on sport. Examples of societal issues that effect
sport are:
• Socio-economic status
• Distribution of resources (access and opportunities)
• Religion and cultural influences
• Stereotyping
• Media representation
• Racism
• Violence
• Drugs
• Values and beliefs
• Peer pressure
• Gender
1b. Of the features you listed above, which might have a negative effect on an
individual’s decision to participate in sport? Suggest ways to reduce these barriers.
Each factor can have either a positive or negative effect on an
individual’s decision to play sport. An example of this can be
socio-economic status:
Due to family circumstances (family size, cost of living or income),
a lack of money to purchase equipment and pay the affiliation fees
could be a major factor for an individual. This could be overcome if
sports reduced their costs, the individual chose a different sport
that meets their financial situation, or equipment was donated to
the club.
If financial consideration is not a concern, opportunities may be
found with private coaching, purchase of better equipment, and
access to more competitions.
1b. Continued
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Religious and cultural beliefs
Barriers
Possible solutions
Cannot play on certain days of Increase awareness
religious significance
Structure format to cater for this
Clothing and modesty
New outfits have been made to reflect
religious beliefs and allow for greater
movement (see swimming costumes)
Ignorance of cultural sports
Increase community and school
opportunities to promote different sports
through open days
1b. Continued
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Media representation
Barriers
Possible Solutions
Lack of publicity
Gender imbalance in coverage
Activities promoted
Advocate for your sport by developing
articles for local media outlets
promoting positive aspects.
Values
Barriers
Possible Solutions
Drugs and cheating
Reduce societal pressure on winning.
Violence
Reduce “air time” provided by the
various media promoting negative
behaviours.
2. List the five levels of Figueroa’s framework.
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Cultural
Structural
Institutional
Interpersonal
Individual
Cultural
Structural
Institutional
Interpersonal
Individual
3. Explain why Figueroa’s framework is a useful tool to
analyse sport in society.
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One advantage of using Figueroa’s framework is that it provides
a structure to analyse sport within society. This structure looks at
five different levels.
Each level has its own range of issues that allows for a deeper
analysis of how sport affects an individual and their decision to
participate.
Each level influences other levels. This allows for an
understanding of the complexity of many sociological issues
within sport and explains why some existing practices actually
reinforce barriers and inequities.
Due to the values, beliefs and experiences of each individual, the
impact of each level may be different.
4. Read the following statements and:
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•
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agree or disagree
identify the relevant levels from Figueroa’s framework
list the social aspects that make these statements
difficult to solve.
4a. Problems in sport have steadily increased since more athletes
turned professional.
Agree
 National expectations for winning (cultural level) to maintain and/or develop
national pride (e.g., Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games) has lead to
increased pressures on athletes to consider performance-enhancing drugs
(personal level).
 Recognition and financial gain for wining national competitions has seen NRL
teams try to manipulate their playing roster as in the Melbourne Storm salary
cap scandal 2010 (structural level).
 Only a few Australian sports allow athletes to be full-time professionals
(cultural). Within these sports, only a small percentage are on significant wages.
Opportunities are there for others to make extra money through “match fixing”.
This issue has arisen in cricket, horse racing and rugby league. The choice to
do this can be linked to both individual level (beliefs) and interpersonal level
through pressure from peers.
 Role models (interpersonal) and the saturation of sports on TV and other media
outlets (structural), highlighting negative sportsmanship (swearing, arguing).
4a. Continued
Disagree
 Sport is a microcosm of society (cultural). Hence, issues that cause concern
within society will also be evident in sport across all levels. Examples of these
are:
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Violence: games were more violent in the 50s but rule changes and better equipment
have minimised this. The concern here is the increase in violence amongst spectators
(sport can be a cathartic release for both players and spectators).
Drugs: increased opportunities and accessibility
Racism: greater multicultural population, therefore, more education is required to
increase understanding of different customs.
Alcohol culture associated with sporting teams. This culture is present in all levels
within society, and as such is a societal problem.
Equal promotion of male and female sports in the media will not occur while the
controlling bodies are male dominated (cultural, structural).
Societal values (cultural level) have changed and the cultural belief of “winning
at all costs” is also evident in amateur sports. See articles discussing great
public schools rugby debate (pages 366–8).
4b. Parents are the real role models, not sport stars! Sports stars are just talented
athletes and should not be placed on a pedestal for children to emulate.
Agree: Interpersonal level
 The family is the earliest and most significant influence on an
individual’s attitude towards sport. Research indicates that about one
child in three states that parents are the main influence on their activity
choices.
 Parents who value sport will positively influence their children’s
participation.
 Not all successful sport stars are excellent role models. Some elite
athletes, although successful, can become known for inappropriate
temper tantrums. Others are exposed by the media (structural level) for
acting immorally in their private lives.
 Australians idolise their sporting heroes (cultural) and will often ignore
indiscretions mentioned above (e.g. Shane Warne).
4c. The easiest way to reduce obesity and inactivity is to provide more
sporting facilities in each community.
Is the provision of facilities the dominant factor in increasing participation rates
and reducing obesity?
Agree
Possible factors which would increase chances of success are:
 Opportunity to use new facilities (institutional)
 Friends are keen to try and possibly form a team (interpersonal)
 Organised competition structure provided (institutional and individual)
 Parents have an interest in this activity (interpersonal)
 You have played this activity at school and enjoyed this experience
(institutional)
 Cheap fees to use facility (individual)
 You live within walking distance from the venue (individual)
 Free coaching clinics (structural)
 Equipment provided (institutional)
 Uniforms are excellent (individual)
4c. Continued
Disagree
Possible factors which would decrease chances of success are:
 Costs for fees and/or equipment (individual)
 Peers not interested (interpersonal)
 (More relevant to adolescents)
 Work commitments (individual)
 Negative experiences at school (institutional)
 Facilities are not culturally aligned with community strengths (cultural)
 Lack of competition or social avenues catered for (structural)
 Distance from facility (institutional)
 Opening hours of facility
4d. The media should provide equal coverage when
representing male and female sport
Agree
 50% of population are females and would like to see more of
their sports in the media.
 Consistent sport coverage can benefit the sport and promote
positive role models (interpersonal and individual).
 Media reinforces stereotypes and affects our values. There is an
increase in the manner and representation of female sports, but
this change is very slow (cultural, structural).
 Australian women have won a greater percentage of gold medals
and world championships than males, yet media reports will
focus on the failures of the men’s teams rather than successes
from women’s sport (cultural).
4d. Continued
Disagree
 Dominant sports in the media are male (cultural).
 Stereotype of male sport is more aggressive (cultural).
 Hegemony: men have held the power and authority to influence
society and set rules that govern behaviour and promotion of
sport (cultural, structural).
 Commodification of sport: sport is a business, and the sports
which have yielded the best business opportunities are male
dominated (cultural).
4e. Change can only occur when it begins at the cultural
level
Agree
 The cultural level refers to the development of society’s beliefs,
attitudes and values. Australians are proud when Australia is identified
as a sporting nation. Sport has long been a central feature of Australian
culture—so much so that enthusiasm for sport has widely been
described as a characteristic of Australians (page 313).
 Dominant sports are closely linked to our international success, which
has led to increases in funding and development of business
opportunities for these sports.
 Despite an increase in tolerance, multiculturalism, and understanding of
the benefits of many sports, stereotypical views about certain sports
has still seen some sports marginalised because of “cultural views”, and
the dominant sports still receive most of the funding and promotion
opportunities.
5. Discuss how the following social
determinants have influenced your opinions,
beliefs and values:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
family
peers
school
gender
media
ethnic background
5. Discuss how the following social determinants have influenced
your opinions, beliefs and values
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Answers will vary.
Image credits
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Slide 1, Getty Images/Ian Hitchcock
Slide 5, Newspix/Phil Hillyard
Slide 8, Newspix/Phil Hillyard
Slide 13, Photolibrary/Walter Bibikow
Slide 17, Newspix/Marc Mccormack