Athletes As Role Models Research Paper
Athletes as Role Models
Team A: Brent Bennett, Jessica Brounson, & Jennifer Irwin
SOC/105
July 24, 2012
Leska Meeler
Athletes as Role Models * Provide a brief history of the topic and its current state in popular sports.
Sports are not only a major trend of popular culture, but they also play a huge role in society by posing great influences on the participants as well as the fans. The athletes and their actions, behaviors, and attitudes are closely observed, idolized, and mimicked by many, especially by the youth (Koutrou, 2012). They are highly recognized on television, in magazines, movies, and much more. Athletes are put on a pedestal and expected to uphold a good reputation. Like all other humans, athletes make mistakes.
Unfortunately, these mistakes jeopardizes their reputations, careers, and causes much controversy as to the type of role model they portray to be (Buford & Reuben, 2009).
* Construct your own argument about the influence the issue has on sports, its fans, athletes, and imagined communities
Pros: Athletes promote good health. They also inspire and educate others to do the best they can and become successful.
Cons: Atheletes have been known to use drugs to enhance their playing abilities, and are in the news often for promiscuous and illegal activities.
. * Make recommendations about how to consume and participate in sports responsibly, whether watching or playing.
Pros: When watching or playing sports, individuals should act and behave in responsible, positive, and mature manner.
References
Buford, M. & Reuben, A. (2009, September). The good and bad of it all: Professional black male basketball players as role models for young black male basketball players. Sociology of Sport Journal 26(3) 443-461
Donahue, M. (2002, January). Athletes as role models. Current Health 28(5), 22
Koutrou, N. (2012, July). A role model for youth. Psychologist 25(7), 509-510
Team A: Brent Bennett, Jessica Brounson, & Jennifer Irwin
SOC/105
July 24, 2012
Leska Meeler
Athletes as Role Models * Provide a brief history of the topic and its current state in popular sports.
Sports are not only a major trend of popular culture, but they also play a huge role in society by posing great influences on the participants as well as the fans. The athletes and their actions, behaviors, and attitudes are closely observed, idolized, and mimicked by many, especially by the youth (Koutrou, 2012). They are highly recognized on television, in magazines, movies, and much more. Athletes are put on a pedestal and expected to uphold a good reputation. Like all other humans, athletes make mistakes.
Unfortunately, these mistakes jeopardizes their reputations, careers, and causes much controversy as to the type of role model they portray to be (Buford & Reuben, 2009).
* Construct your own argument about the influence the issue has on sports, its fans, athletes, and imagined communities
Pros: Athletes promote good health. They also inspire and educate others to do the best they can and become successful.
Cons: Atheletes have been known to use drugs to enhance their playing abilities, and are in the news often for promiscuous and illegal activities.
. * Make recommendations about how to consume and participate in sports responsibly, whether watching or playing.
Pros: When watching or playing sports, individuals should act and behave in responsible, positive, and mature manner.
References
Buford, M. & Reuben, A. (2009, September). The good and bad of it all: Professional black male basketball players as role models for young black male basketball players. Sociology of Sport Journal 26(3) 443-461
Donahue, M. (2002, January). Athletes as role models. Current Health 28(5), 22
Koutrou, N. (2012, July). A role model for youth. Psychologist 25(7), 509-510