Summary
Contents
This book provides students and scholars with a fail-safe guide to the key concepts in the field of Sport & Exercise Science. Intelligently cross-referenced entries provide a sound map of the multi-disciplinary demands of sport related courses including physical and biological sciences, social science and education. The entries use clear definitions, examples, and suggestions for further reading to explore each discipline.
Sociology
Introduction
It is easier to describe what sociologists do rather than give a simple definition of sociology. Sociologists of sport and exercise are interested in studying sport and exercise as social and cultural activities. They focus on the role and place of sport and exercise in people's lives, how these form both a context and medium for social relationships, and how involvement shapes their identity i.e. who people think they are. Although sociology is concerned with studying behaviour, this is very different from, for example, the experimental approach of Psychology. While psychologists are interested in attributes and processes that take place inside individuals – such as perception, attitudes, self-esteem and so on – sociologists focus instead on behaviour in terms of social conditions and cultural ...
