Attitudes, motivations and social representation of sport in people involved in the sport sector

The aim of this study is to analyze the social representation of sport, the way it is perceived and objectified, in a sample of 518 subjects involved in the sport sector. To deepen the social and cultural transformation of the society could contribute to a better comprehension of the motivation for practicing physical activities. The questionnaire has been the tool used for the survey. Main areas of the questionnaire were: sport practice, motivation for practicing, values and cultural models of sport, aim and definition of sport for all activities, values and cultural models of society observed by the Inglehart scale (1996). The results have shown a trend in the sample, composed mainly by students, toward postmaterialism. Data describe associations between materialisticpostmaterialistic tendencies, sport behaviors and motivation for the sport’s practice. Those having a competitive approach and instrumental motivations to sport have been positive associated to materialism while people with intrinsic and expressive motivations, oriented to sport for all activities, show postmaterialistic trends. This survey, according to Inglehart’s theory, underlines a trend toward postmaterialism in the westernized society and asserts that this tendency influences people’s daily activities.

Keywords: Sport practice, motivation, values

Lavinia Falese, Atteggiamenti, motivazioni e rappresentazione sociale dello sport negli aspiranti operatori del settore in "RIVISTA TRIMESTRALE DI SCIENZA DELL’AMMINISTRAZIONE" 1/2013, pp 65-84, DOI: 10.3280/SA2013-001004