1. Using Race to Make Sense of Athletic Performance
Zig A. Ingraffia & Keith D. Markman
In examining self-report measures, significant difference in subjective responses based on video presented F(15, 255) = 6.72, p < .001, Ƞ2 = .28. Significant differences in fear, disgust, eeriness, familiarity and human-likeness were found among the videos, ps < Follow-up comparisons revealed reports of fear and disgust were higher for the disgust relative to the eeriness video, ps < .01, whereas reports of eeriness was greater for the eeriness video compared to the neutral video, p = Familiarity and human-likeness perceptions were lower for the eeriness video relative to each of the other three videos, ps < .013.
Only reports of fear and both eeriness and disgust were positively correlated adjusting for multiple comparisons, ps < .005.
Electrodermal activity was different based on the video presented controlling for baseline activity, F(1.90, 84) = 4.41, p = .02. Specifically, skin conductance response was greater for the eeriness video relative to the other three videos adjusting for multiple comparisons, ps < .006.
INTRODUCTION
This research aims to establish that evaluations of professional athletes and the attributions used to explain their performance are biased based on the ethnicity of the athlete in question. The role that racial stereotypes play within the unique context of sports is of interest in part because some black stereotypes will be relatively positive when applied in an athletic setting (e.g. black people are aggressive; basketball players should be aggressive). References to racial stereotypes may thus remain socially acceptable in a highly public form of media entertainment, even while most expressions of stereotypes are now met with social censure. Previous research (Rada & Wulfemeyer, 2005) has demonstrated this sort of bias among the media, and other research has called for further studies assessing the potential impact of biased media coverage on audience members (Buffington & Fraley, 2008).
METHODS
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
REFERENCES
Participants (N = 77) were presented with a list of 20 professional athletes active in the National Basketball Association and asked to evaluate those players with whom they were familiar on a variety of dimensions, yielding responses per player.
The athletes presented to participants were selected based on having similar overall media rankings and statistics from the previous season, with two white players and two black players at each of the five major positions in basketball being utilized. Participants were asked to rate each player on the given dimension relative to other players at the same respective position. Participants also completed the Symbolic Racism Scale.
Significant differences between the mean ratings provided for white and black players were found with respect to athletic ability, mental ability, emotional composure, confidence, selfishness, patience, aggression, and intensity, all ps < The white players were evaluated on average as having greater mental ability, emotional composure, and patience. The black players were evaluated on average as having greater athletic ability, confidence, selfishness, aggression, and intensity.
No significant differences between white and black players were found with respect to work ethic, hustle, leadership, focus, fundamentals, or likability, all ps > .154.
These results indicate that even professional athletes of comparable skill level are evaluated with racial bias. White and black athletes may have equivalent performances attributed to different qualities due to racial stereotypes. Future research can expound upon the different ways that racial stereotypes influence person perception and social judgments in particular athletic contexts. Dehumanizing language may serve as a conduit for subtle expressions of racial bias if superficially complimentary terms such as “beast” or “freak” are applied to black athletes with greater frequency than to athletes of other ethnicities. Stereotypes may also be more influential within some sporting contexts than others, and even more so when it comes to particular athletic roles (e.g. NFL quarterback).
Buffington, D., & Fraley, T. (2008).
Skill in black and white: Negotiating
media images of race in a sporting context.
Journal of Communication Inquiry, 32(3),
Rada, J. A., & Wulfemeyer, K. T. (2005).
Color coded: Racial descriptors in television coverage of intercollegiate sports. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 49(1),
CONTACT
For further information contact:
Zig Ingraffia
Ohio University