Sport/Exercise Identity Theory and Participation Marketing: Theory Formation and Theoretical Justification

Abstract

Stakeholders in the active lifestyle industry want to understand how people are attracted to specific forms of active lifestyle pursuits. Exploratory research undertaken for the windsurfing and health club industries suggested that a phenomenon labeled as sport/exercise identity holds important marketing strategy clues. A sport/exercise identity appears to be formed from a comparison between an individual's sport/exercise self-concept (which appears to consist of a summary assessment of physique, physical condition, athleticism, socioeconomic status, age, and gender) and the stereotype the individual has of participants and attributes of movement encompassed by the sport or exercise. This paper provides support for the existence of a sport/exercise self-concept and discusses its subsequent use to form an identity with a sport or exercise program.

It was concluded that sport/exercise self-concept is supported by the “working self-concept” notion discussed in the self-concept literature. The potential purpose of a sport/exercise self-concept is threefold: (a) It provides a personal history that helps guide behavior; (b) it is a means of efficient information processing; and (c) it serves as a source of motivation. We can explain the variety of reactions among people who appear to lack identity with a sport or exercise program because of possible individual differences in (a) levels of self-consciousness, (b) levels of self-awareness, (c) levels of self-monitoring, and (d) degree of urgency to make changes in one's life, to maintain health, and/or to have psychologically enhancing experiences. These conclusions have an implication on the use of modeling strategies when advertising sport and exercise pursuits to potential participant markets.

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