Acculturation through sport: Different contexts different meanings

TY - JOUR

T1 - Acculturation through sport: Different contexts different meanings

AU - Elbe, Anne-Marie

AU - Hatzigeorgiadis, Antonis

AU - Morela, Eleftheria

AU - Ries, Francis

AU - Kouli, Olga

AU - Sanchez, Xavier

N1 - CURIS 2018 NEXS 111

PY - 2018/3/4

Y1 - 2018/3/4

N2 - Research on the role of sport as a social integrative agent for migrants has provided equivocal results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between ethnic–cultural identity and sport environmental factors. Young migrant male athletes from two different societal and sport contexts were studied: migrants from Eastern European countries living in Greece (n = 60) and from Latin America living in Spain (n = 60). Participants completed measures of ethnic and cultural identity, task-oriented motivational climate, and autonomysupportive coaching behaviour. Analysis of variance revealed that Eastern European inhabitants of Greece scored higher on fringe and assimilation, and lower on lack of interaction compared to Latin American inhabitants of Spain. In addition, for the former group, a mastery motivational climate and autonomy-supportive coaching predicted an integrative identity, whereas for the latter group, the motivational environment did not predict acculturation patterns. The results suggest that sport may serve different acculturation purposes, thus explaining to a degree the lack of consistent results regardingthe integrative role of sport. The study provides preliminary support for the importance of the sport motivational environment for the facilitation of integration.

AB - Research on the role of sport as a social integrative agent for migrants has provided equivocal results. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between ethnic–cultural identity and sport environmental factors. Young migrant male athletes from two different societal and sport contexts were studied: migrants from Eastern European countries living in Greece (n = 60) and from Latin America living in Spain (n = 60). Participants completed measures of ethnic and cultural identity, task-oriented motivational climate, and autonomysupportive coaching behaviour. Analysis of variance revealed that Eastern European inhabitants of Greece scored higher on fringe and assimilation, and lower on lack of interaction compared to Latin American inhabitants of Spain. In addition, for the former group, a mastery motivational climate and autonomy-supportive coaching predicted an integrative identity, whereas for the latter group, the motivational environment did not predict acculturation patterns. The results suggest that sport may serve different acculturation purposes, thus explaining to a degree the lack of consistent results regardingthe integrative role of sport. The study provides preliminary support for the importance of the sport motivational environment for the facilitation of integration.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Ethnic and cultural identity

KW - Social integration

KW - Motivational environment

KW - Multicultural groups

U2 - 10.1080/1612197X.2016.1187654

DO - 10.1080/1612197X.2016.1187654

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1612-197X

VL - 16

SP - 178

EP - 190

JO - International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

JF - International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

IS - 2

ER -