Aggression in Women's Sports
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Authors
Middleton, Susan
Issue Date
1983
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Aggression in women's sports is explored through analysis of what it means to be a female athlete and be aggressive. The research began while the writer was working as a sports consultant for a team of women who eventually became the subjects of this study. The overt expression of aggression in sports seemed to be in conflict with traditional notions of femininity. The expression of aggression in sports was explored in terms of its use in improving sports performance. The two major comparison teams are a group of highly skilled and a group of less skilled athletes from a Northern California volleyball league. Included in the research is a subject of superior athletic status who was also a member of the league. However, with only one subject, there was not too much emphasis put on the results of the superior athlete. Her inclusion here is mainly for comparison and reference to the outstanding athlete. A total group of 14 subjects consisted of eight less skilled athletes, 5 highly skilled athletes, and 1 superior athlete. The subjects were caucasian females aged 25-45. Aggression scores were obtained for all subjects from the Athletic Motivation Inventory, a standard test, and from a test designed specifically for this research, the Aggression Evaluation. A Questionnaire on Aggression was given only to the superior athlete and the less skilled athletes in exploratory research for the eventual study. The responses from the Questionnaire were used to further explore and discuss the aggression scores of these two groups. The results indicate the less skilled athletes to be the least aggressive and the highly skilled athletes and superior athlete to be the most consistently aggressive. The less skilled athletes were also more traditionally feminine. Their performance seemed blocked by concern for the opponent, fear of aggression directed toward them, and overall situational aggression. The highly skilled athletes and superior athlete seem to have avoided the confines of the traditional feminine role to obtain more highly skilled performance in sports. Their aggression scores were mostly consistent and the concern was not a fear Of aggression but that teammates and opponents recognize their skill level. The traditional female role seems to have inhibited the use of aggression in sport and the development of improved performance in sport.