Family: How it affects physical activity?(Part 2)

The same 2007 study found that organized or formal sports activities were found to be rich sources of education about positive values. This is also the case with the more informal forms of sports. In this form, sports are considered activities where the children themselves have the supervision. For example, they are responsible for organizing, maintaining the score, refereeing, coaching and making key decisions about any disputes that arise during the game. These “situations” offer many opportunities to adjust the rules and negotiate with other children about issues of justice, the conditions of the game and desired behaviors. Also, these sports situations give parents the opportunity to use language as part of the socialization process when discussing the experience with their children. In short, whether the sport is formal or informal, it offers parents significant opportunities to interact with their children and actively assist in the socialization process in order for the children to become healthy and successful adults. A 1978 study (Greendorfer and Lewko) examined the specific role of family members in their childrens’ athletic socialization. In this study, 95 children aged 8 to 13 were interviewed. The conclusion was was that sports socialization begins in childhood and continues into adolescence. In particular, it was found that parents significantly influence the child’s participation in sports activities. The siblings, however, were not found to have a particularly critical effect on either boys’ or girls’ choices regarding sports. The father is also an important predictor of sports choices for both boys and girls. In general, however, boys are more exposed to athletic social factors than girls, and such factors tend to encourage boys to participate more than girls. This was particularly evident from the fact that the father, peers and the teacher were all significant influences for the boys, while only the peers and the father significantly influenced the girls. More generally, this research substantiates the traditional view that boys had more opportunities for socialization in sports and that there is gender segregation in this area.

Race and gender

The importance of the family is further reinforced by the research of Greendorfer and Ewing (1981). They found that this process of socialization can affect children differently, depending on race and gender. The researchers particularly emphasized these two factors in their work “Race and Gender Differences in the Socialization of Children in Sport” (1981). To address these factors, Greendorfer and Ewing distributed questionnaires to more than 100 children, boys and girls, African American and white, aged 9 to 12 years. Questionnaires were designed to determine which factors influenced children’s decisions to engage in sports activities. Based on an analysis of the results, the researchers determined that children of different gender and race were socialized differently in sports. Among white children, boys were more influenced by their peers and fathers, while the biggest influences for girls were their teachers and mothers. Among African Americans, boys were more affected by their peers while girls were more likely to be influenced by their teachers or sisters. The findings contradict those of Greendorfer and Lewko that the girls were not significantly influenced by their teachers or sisters.

The role of upbringing

Lee (1980) examined the effects of the upbringing on both whites and African American families. Lee studied children from lower socioeconomic classes, just over 7 to about 9 years old. The children were grouped according to the attitude of the mothers in their upbringing (authoritarian or not). From this research, Lee determined that children raised by non-authoritarian mothers had superior jumping and running skills. Lee concluded that a non-restrictive environment may be more ideal for a child’s motor development, because increased independence may enhance his / her opportunity for physical activity. In addition, it was found that the free atmosphere is more likely to exist in areas of lower social and economic status where African-American children live. Source: “Human Motor Development” -A Lifespan approach (Greg Payne, Larry Isaacs) Recent Articles