Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2007

Abstract

Since the inception of sport, much has been written about the behavior of athletes on and off the field of play. Some suggest that the culture of athletics and the very nature of competition promote aggressiveness, performance-related stress, and increased social pressure on student athletes. It is the intent of this research to explore what influences college athlete behavior. Specifically this researcher will focus on peer influence as a factor in impacting athletes' decisions regarding moral choice. Parson's conceptualization of influence introduces the idea of vulnerability to influence. Suggesting that influence varies by the perceived trustworthiness of the source of information, and that solidarity of relationships impacts the amount of influence that occurs, Parson's perspective of influence will be applied to collegiate student athletes (Parson, 1963). Coupled with the subjective norm (as defined by Ajzen,1991) as a factor in behavioral decisions, this research includes interview-based and moral storytelling as qualitative research tools to understand the influence team members may have on the moral choices co-members make. Gender and the division level of participation are proposed as potential moderators.

Keywords

college athletes, moral choice, theory of planned behavior, influence

Rights

© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

Department/Center

Design & Innovation

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