Predicting athletes’ functional and dysfunctional emotions: The role of the motivational climate and motivation regulations

This study examined the relationships between perceptions of the motivational climate, motivation regulations, and the intensity and functionality levels of athletes’ pleasant and unpleasant emotional states. Specifically, we examined the hypothesised mediational role of motivation regulations in the climate–emotion relationship. We also tested a sequence in which emotions were assumed to be predicted by the motivational climate dimensions and then served as antecedents to variability in motivation regulations. Participants (N = 494) completed a multi-section questionnaire assessing targeted variables. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that a perceived task-involving climate was a positive predictor of autonomous motivation and of the impact of functional anger, and a negative predictor of the intensity of anxiety and dysfunctional anger. Autonomous motivation was a partial mediator of perceptions of a task-involving climate and the impact of functional anger. An ego-involving climate was a positive predictor of controlled motivation, and of the intensity and impact of functional anger and the intensity of dysfunctional anger. Controlled motivation partially mediated the relationship between an ego-involving climate and the intensity of dysfunctional anger. Good fit to the data also emerged for the motivational climate, emotional states, and motivation regulations sequence. Findings provide support for the consideration of hedonic tone and functionality distinctions in the assessment of athletes’ emotional states.     

Muscular Christianity and its makers: sporting monks and churchmen in Anglo‐Norman society, 1000–1300

This research focuses on the (scientific) interaction between civil and military institutions of physical education during the interwar period in Belgium. Based on experimental scientific research, Albert Govaerts, the Research Director of the Military Institute of Physical Education (MIPE), concluded that the Danish gymnastics method of Niels Bukh was more efficient and suitable than the traditional Swedish gymnastics method, which had become institutionalised at an academic level in Belgium since 1908. Based on Govaerts' research results, Danish gymnastics was introduced in 1934 into the entire Belgian Army as the official method of practice and, a few years later, the Danish method was also adopted ‘externally’ in a few Belgian civil institutions. A chronological transition of Scandinavian methods as a result of the modernisations that were implemented did not therefore appear to proceed so naturally in Belgium. The MIPE was to carry out a similar role as a professional profile keeper in the field of physical education in Belgium up to 1947. From a sports historiographical perspective, these Belgian results form a starting point for further international comparative research into early interaction between military and civil institutions of physical education and the associated processes of discipline building, scientification and profile keeping.     

The relationship between sport tourists’ perceived value and destination loyalty: an experience-use history segmentation approach

ABSTRACT

Understanding active sport tourists’ profiles and nurturing their destination loyalty are important considerations in the tourism market. Loyal tourists are valuable because they tend to revisit a focal destination and elicit positive word-of-mouth. Focusing on a snow-based active sport tourism context, this study was conducted to examine (1) the usefulness of experience-use history (EUH) as a segmentation tool and (2) the relationship between perceived value factors (i.e. quality, emotional response, monetary price, behavioral price, and destination reputation) and destination loyalty in each EUH group. Data were collected from the Niseko ski resort in Japan (N?=?328). Based on the EUH variables (i.e. length and frequency of snow-based sport participation), participants were categorized into four segments (i.e. novice, short-active, long-inactive, and expert). The results showed significant differences among EUH groups in terms of their socio-demographics (e.g. gender, age, and income). A series of regression analyses also showed that each segment’s destination loyalty was uniquely enhanced by perceived value factors. Specifically, perceived quality was a significant antecedent of destination loyalty for sport tourists in the novice group. For those in the short-active, long-inactive, and expert groups, perceived emotional response significantly predicted destination loyalty. Perceived reputation of the destination was also important to enhance destination loyalty for the short-active group whereas perceived monetary price was positively associated with the long-inactive group’s destination loyalty. Marketing managers in snow-based sport tourism destinations can utilize the findings to increase the loyalty of active sport tourists, which will improve their competitiveness in the marketplace.     

Sandwiched Between Sport and Politics: Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile,Formula 1, and Non-Democratic Regimes

As the governing body of world motorsports since 1904, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has, through the growth of Formula 1, become increasingly embedded in the globalization of commerce and faced with difficult political issues. Specifically, FIA events are used to sanitize the image of undemocratic countries, and FIA is, thus, becoming increasingly entangled in spheres other than sport. This presents a challenge to a sporting body which traditionally follows the principle of not mixing sport and politics. To explore this topic, two Formula 1 races where sport and politics are intertwined are chosen as examples: the 1985 South African Grand Prix and the 2016 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. As the holding of both events evoked controversy, for various reasons, this paper investigates whether something has changed at FIA along the way, and, in that case, what? As findings demonstrate, while the races differ and the context has changed, the FIA has kept its policy despite the fact that it has become increasingly difficult to maintain its neutral stance.     

Anxious identification in ‘The Sopranos’ and sport: psychoanalytic and queer theories of embodiment

The article uses an episode from the television series ‘The Sopranos’ to illustrate how embodied experiences of sporting practices such as high-school football involve both conscious and unconscious dynamics. It outlines how cultural practices such as masculinist sport are psychically incorporated into the body through the process of identification. The article uses Freud's concept of identification to explain how fantasy and representation are involved in the formation of embodied subjectivity. Contemporary queer theories about identification provide insights into how psychic dynamics both reinforce and undermine the illusory cultural promise of heteronormative whiteness offered by high-school sport and physical education.     

The Asian Games and Diplomacy in Asia: Korea–China–Russia

In this article, I will look at the impact of sport on relations between states. In particular, I will study the role that sport has played in enhancing (or damaging) diplomacy in international relations. I will look especially at the role that the Olympics and the Asian Olympics have played in promoting diplomatic breakthroughs between countries. My cases focus on the use of sports diplomacy to foster the end of the Cold War in Asia, studying the breakthroughs between Korea, China and Russia. I will then look at the Beijing Games of 2008 and Guangzhou Asian Games of 2010.     

The role of sport in reflecting and shaping group dynamics: The “intergroup relations continuum” and its application to Fijian rugby and soccer

A significant body of knowledge exists around the role of intergroup relations in sport for development and peace (SFDP). However, while numerous SFDP researchers have investigated overt conflict, scholars have typically overlooked the varied nature of intergroup relations in comparatively stable SFDP environments. In addressing that issue, the authors explore intergroup relations in the context of Fiji, a country which in recent years has moved from a society characterized by the politics of coup d'état to democratic government and relatively peaceful social relations. That said, Fiji has long been shaped by a fundamental cultural divide between Indigenous Fijians (iTaukei) and Fijians of Indian ancestry (Indo-Fijians): this is reflected in the de facto separatism between these groups in relation to their role in rugby union and Association football (soccer). The authors present a qualitative framework—the Intergroup Relations Continuum (IRC)—by which to map intergroup relations as they apply in Fiji according to identity, ethnicity and sport. While the IRC is applied here in a Fijian context, the model is intended to be generalizable, aiming to provide a practical instrument for researchers, sport managers, policymakers and local stakeholders. The goal is to allow them to visually illustrate group affinities, rivalries, and sensibilities in terms of collective relationships that characterize sport and society.     

The off-break and “doosra”: Kinematic variations of elite and sub-elite bowlers in creating ball spin in cricket bowling

This study sought to identify kinematic differences in finger-spin bowling actions required to generate variations in ball speed and spin between different playing groups. A 12-camera Vicon system recorded the off-spin bowling actions of six elite and 13 high-performance spin bowlers, and the “doosra” actions of four elite and two high-performance players. Forearm abduction and fixed elbow flexion in the bowling arm were higher for the elite players compared with the high-performance players. The elite bowlers when compared with the high-performance players delivered the off-break at a statistically significant higher velocity (75.1 and 67.1 km/hr respectively) and with a higher level of spin (26.7 and 22.2 rev/s respectively). Large effect sizes were seen between ball rotation, pelvic and shoulder alignment rotations in the transverse plane. Elbow extension was larger for elite bowlers over the period upper arm horizontal to ball release. Compared to the off-break, larger ranges of shoulder horizontal rotation, elbow and wrist extension were evident for the “doosra”. Furthermore, the “doosra” was bowled with a significantly longer stride length and lower ball release height. Although not significantly different, moderate to high effect size differences were recorded for pelvis rotation, elbow extension and elbow rotation ranges of motion.     

The long and short of (performance) surfing: tightening patriarchal threads in boardshorts and bikinis?

Surfing economies, working through material culture in the form of high fashion clothing, surfing monikers or fashion clothing has had scholarly attention in the past. Unlike other sports however, clothing for performance rather than fashion or cultural consumption remains under-researched. With increasing research on the gendered and sexualized nature of surfing alongside an increasing emphasis on female surfing as athletic performance, a paradox seems apparent. In warm-water competition, women deal with tensions associated with appearance, sponsorship driven by sexual objectification and functional surfwear that increases exposed body surface – while men’s clothing epitomizes comfort, protection and ultimately a reduction in exposed body surface. Under the guise of athletic performance and celebrating female gains in the sport, a patriarchal thread seems to tie up a particular sex, gender and sexuality order that is neither new nor productive for high performance or full participation.     

Legacy and legitimacy: historical ethnography of a judo dojo in Montréal,Canada

Through fieldwork in a judo dojo (gym) in Montréal, Canada, the author found that assuming the members’ practice as embodiment of identity does not resonate with the actual practice they are producing. Instead of framing the practice as identity politics, this study focuses on the practice itself to highlight agency and practice within the social conditions in transformation. By adapting a historical ethnographic approach, this paper describes how the past is connected to the present as ‘actant’ to produce present practice. The paper discusses that there is little momentum of the people pursuing ‘distinction’, and their emphasis is on the continuity of their practice. Drawing on the pragmatic sociological approach, this study further discusses how legacy and legitimacy are constructed to produce their practice.     

Predicting spectators’ behavioural intentions in professional football: The role of satisfaction and service quality

The present study aimed to examine the relationships among service quality, satisfaction and spectators’ behavioural intentions, in the context of professional football. Using Gronroos’ (1984) theoretical framework, service quality was conceptualized in terms of technical (outcome) and functional (process-related) quality. Outcome quality was measured with two dimensions: game quality and team performance, while five dimensions were used to measure functional quality (tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, access and security). Three hundred and fifty (N = 350) spectators of a professional football game in Greece participated in the study. The results provided support of the two total service quality model used. Furthermore, outcome quality was shown to have a stronger influence on spectators’ satisfaction levels than functional quality; finally, satisfaction was shown to partially mediate the relationship between service quality and spectators’ behavioural intentions. These results contribute to our theoretical understanding of the factors that predict spectators’ loyalty in professional football. Sport marketing implications are also discussed.     

Sport and Politics: The Cultural Revolution in the Chinese Sports Ministry, 1966–1976

Abstract

The Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) was one of the most violent political movements to have taken place in modern Chinese history. Sport was not immune from this political storm. In the first phase of the revolution (1966–1972), the country’s sport system was brought down by the Red Guards and revolutionary rebels. Athletes, coaches and officials who dared to challenge the Maoists were arrested and tortured, and suffered greatly as a result of their ‘counter-revolutionary’ status. In the second phase of the revolution (1972–1976), the Sports Ministry became a battlefront in the power struggle within the PRC leadership. This paper studies the relationships between sport, politics and power struggle during the Cultural Revolution. It points out that what happened in the Sports Ministry demonstrates how China’s sport system was linked to and affected by top-level power struggles and ideological conflicts. It also reflected how ordinary people’s lives were affected by the revolution.     

Is it worth the price? The role of perceived financial risk,identification, and perceived value in purchasing pay-per-view broadcasts of combat sports

Perceived risk, identification, and perceived value play a critical role in consumer behavior. Although previous researchers have examined identification and perceived value, examination of mediated sport consumption is lacking. Additionally, risk has received limited attention within this context. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between identification, perceived value, and purchase intentions, and to assess the moderating role of perceived financial risk within the context of combat sports pay-per-view purchases. Combat sport consumers (N = 364) participated in an online survey. Findings showed that identification had a positive association with perceived value and purchase intentions. Perceived value was directly associated with purchase intentions and partially mediated the relationship between identification and purchase intentions. However, perceived financial risk did not moderate the value-intentions relationship. These findings contribute to the sport consumer behavior by (a) extending the understanding of identification, value, and purchase intentions in a mediated consumption environment, and (b) advancing knowledge on the role of financial risk in this setting. As advances in technology continue, it is important to understand the role of attitudes and behavior, and the potential impact of perceived risk on purchases of mediated sport programming.     

‘Christian Patriotism’ and Physical Education in Pre-Revolutionary France: The Royal Military School in Sorèze in the Eighteenth Century

The Ecole Royale Militaire of Soreze (Royal Military School) was located in the French province of Languedoc. On the eve of the 1789 Revolution it was still a religious institution run by the Benedictine monks, known for having broken with certain traditional models. The establishment offered special forms of instruction, stressing certain scientific and literary disciplines, and also physical education (fencing, dancing, horse riding, and equestrianism). Pupils’ best results were also recorded in swimming. At the end of every school year, all the results were confirmed by public examinations, labelled Exercices publics, and recorded in the Cahiers d’exercices. These materials enable the reconstruction the evolution of the school’s programmes over a period of more than a century. The incalculable richness of Sorèze’s programmes, by distinguishing the elements already present in the military training of the period from the pedagogical innovations that were introduced, demonstrate the special place that was reserved for physical exercise. This Catholic institution was thus able to develop a total coherence of the scholarly programme, considered as a source of ‘Christian Patriotism’, in pre-Revolutionary France.     

The Rise of Modern Sport in Fin de Siècle São Paulo: Reading Elite and Bourgeois Sensibilities,the Popular Press,and the Creation of Cultural Capital

In the period between 1890 and 1910, British sport flourished in a rapidly modernizing Brazilian city. São Paulo boomed as a coffee export centre for the global market, growing into the second largest metropolis in Brazil. New businesses and industries developed and thousands of immigrants from around the world migrated to the expanding South American city. Along with the flow of new residents came new ideas, new attitudes, and new lifestyles. British sporting customs particularly attracted the attention of São Paulo’s wealthy elites and expanding middle classes who saw in these habits the potential to advertize their commitment to modern ideals of civilization and order. The new British-style sporting clubs that sprang up in São Paulo conferred the cultural capital that the leadership castes needed to gain and maintain their hegemony in the city’s rapidly changing social landscape. São Paulo’s press circulated these new sensibilities and revealed that the city’s sporting enthusiasts both reproduced Westernized norms and re-signified athletic sensibilities to fit Brazilian social patterns.     

‘The Charm of Being Loose and Free’: Nineteenth-Century Fisherwomen in the North American Wilderness

During the nineteenth century, the popularity of angling among white, middle- and upper-class North American women grew as it came to be seen as an ideal and respectable means of access to the benefits of nature. Unlike hunting, angling enjoyed a wider and more respectable tradition of white female participation that extended back to the Renaissance. Though nineteenth-century middle- and upper-class white women were limited in their access to the natural world by scientific and cultural views of gender, many discovered that angling afforded unique opportunities to explore and engage nature through the overlapping roles of tourist, naturalist and conservationist. Moreover, angling allowed some elite white women to lay claim to nature as agents of colonisation, while for others, it assisted in the development of a public voice for conservation. Thus, angling served to extend the domestic sphere as it allowed middle- and upper-class white women a more independent use of mind and body within the context of nature.