Examination of a Stereotype: Athletes as Conservatives

Abstract

The popular wisdom of American student groups and media representatives in the early 1970's characterized athletes as political conservatives. Such beliefs became emotion-charged and widely verbalized to the extent that it was possible to recognize the existence of a stereotypic image of the "jock" as a campus political deviant. Radical students and media publicity helped in the attachment of political con servatism to Canadian intercollegiate athletes. Research evidence, however, was una vailable to support or deny this stereotype.

Utilizing the McClosky Political Conservatism Scale, a self-report scale, and a variety of attitude items, the political ideologies of athletes and nonathletes in a Ca nadian university setting were evaluated. Both groups were found to be generally liberal in their orientations although some inconsistencies were evident with regard to specific issues.

The stereotype was clearly at variance with the reality of the particular setting and the discrepancy with the American data was discussed in terms of, (a) the in teraction style employed by the coaches at the particular institution; (b) the different approach to the role of the student-athlete in a society where athletic skill is not gen erally subject to scholarship assistance; and (c) the degree of integration of athletes into the wider university community.

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