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Unit 12 Assignment 1. Social theories used to study sport and exercise in society.
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Unit 12 Assignment 1. Social theories used to study sport and exercise in societyI have recently gone to a university open day because I am thinking about going to study an
undergraduate in sports and exercise science. They have encouraged me to experience "life as a
university student" by learning about a topic they are conducting research on after chatting with one of
the university course tutors. I must draft a report for the university instructor that examines how social
theories are applied to affect sports and fitness in the UK. The instructor thinks that by knowing more
about a subject like this, I will gain a deeper understanding of this specific field of sport and exercise
science.
Functionalist theory
Emile Durkheim was the person who created the functionalist theory. According to functionalist theory,
society is made up of several social components that are connected and cooperate to make society run
smoothly (Giulianotti, 2015). Society is composed of various components that are interconnected and
work together to maintain a society's functioning and stability. These include family, education, the
workplace, and politics. To make children suitable for job positions, for instance, families teach them
social skills that are taught by the educational system. However, a society will suffer if one of its
institutions does not operate effectively. For instance, if parents ignore their children and schools deliver
a subpar education, the entire society will suffer because the labour force will not have the necessary
skills. Sports are said to reflect the societies in which they are played, therefore if a society has social
issues or corruption issues, they are likely to be represented in sports. For instance, violent or drug-using
civilisations are more prone to generate sports where participants engage in violent or drug-using
behaviour. Functionalists would examine the roles that sport plays in preserving a society's stability and
order. The following aspects of how sports benefit society have been the focus of research from a
functionalist approach. These include developing character through teaching social norms and values;
encouraging positive work ethic; encourages individuals to get together to meet common values and
goals; integrating different social and cultural groups; and increasing fitness and health of a nation
(Pearson Edexcel, n.d.).
Developing character through teaching social norms and values
People can get experiences through sports to help them develop socially useful abilities like leadership
and teamwork. The ideals that are prevalent in a culture can be taught to individuals. Values are things
that members of a society regard as significant and as helping the society succeed. For instance, putting
in a lot of effort and acting honourably and fairly are key ideals in both sports and larger civilizations.
Learning these principles and abilities can help society's citizens develop good character. To maintain
social order, sports can also offer a respectable setting for pent-up emotions to be safely released
(Coakley & Pike, 2014). An example is how basketball allows for Shareef O’Neil to release pent-up
emotions and learn the importance of dedication and teamwork to allow him to be a better student at
college.
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, Encouraging positive work ethic
Sports can help people learn that by working hard, they can advance both in their chosen sport and in
society. If a person is successful in sports, it will help them advance to perform to a higher quality and
become a professional sports person. Societies reward hard workers with opportunities to advance to
better-paying employment. An example is Calvin Brock started his career as an amateur boxer and kept
a positive work ethic which allowed him to become a successful professional boxer as he won “Ring
Magazine’s Knockout of the Year” in 2006 and challenged for the IBF and IBO heavyweight titles. Brock’s
positive work ethic allows him to now be successful in his business (Jack and Landlords) because he
learnt from boxing that selling a product or service requires a team effort for planning, making strategic
decisions, negotiations, legal contracts, marketing, forming relationships, business and payroll expenses,
travel expenses, and accounting.
Encourages individuals to get together to meet common values and goals
Sports can unite people and motivate them to cooperate to accomplish objectives that are essential to
all of them. People collaborate throughout society to accomplish goals they could not accomplish alone,
and this also occurs in team sports. An example is Broderick Brown flew out of bounds during an
Oklahoma-Oklahoma State football game in 2010 and tipped a Landry Jones throw to teammate Shaun
Lewis for an interception. Such an effective play was made possible by Brown's selfless sacrifice and
willingness to take risks, as well as Shaun Lewis's capacity for intuitional execution and intuitional
following.
Integrating different social and cultural groups
Sport offers wonderful opportunity for people from diverse social backgrounds and cultures to play
together, making it a democratic activity. Since everyone on the team will be aiming for the same
objective, it can aid in removing any barriers that may exist between groups. Having said that, some
sports serve to amplify social divisions. For instance, some sports, like golf, are inaccessible to some
people because of the expense of playing the sport and the views against specific social groups that
could enjoy using golf facilities. Communities and societies can share experiences and occasions through
sports spectatorship. People from various levels of society can be found in sports audiences, and
national sporting events like the Olympics or World Cup can bring people together to support their
national teams. An example is the England football team integrates people from different social and
cultural backgrounds to play together and compete at a professional level despite their differences in
backgrounds and upbringings.
Increasing fitness and health of a nation
In the beginning, sports were used in Europe to make sure that young people were healthy enough to
fight in conflicts if they were necessary. Additionally, swimming pools were initially introduced so that
everyone could use washing facilities. Initiatives to promote physical activity are widespread in the
twenty-first century because it has been established that exercise helps prevent diseases like obesity
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