WOMEN AND COMPETITION: A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION
Loading...
Authors
Levy, Susan
Issue Date
1996
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
A qualitative investigation into the nature of the female competitive experience is conducted in order to gain a greater understanding of that experience and answer the questions of what meaning the experience holds for the athlete, what relevance it has to the rest of her life, and how she understands the experience. Nine female mountain bike racers, with varying levels of experience, are interviewed in-depth about their experiences in competition. The most prevalent themes emerging regarding the nature of their experience relate to self-esteem and self-confidence, personal growth and introspection, personal challenge, improvement, social support, mental control and focus, winning, task enjoyment, and accomplishment. The information gained through the qualitative inquiry is broader in spectrum and richer in content than descriptions that have been proposed in existing research. The implications for future research are several including continued use of this type of inquiry in investigations of similar nature.