Event Title
Sex Differences in Motivation in NCAA Distance Runners
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Psychology, Computer Science
Mentor Information
Robert Deaner
Department
Psychology
Location
Kirkhof Center KC2
Start Date
10-4-2013 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2013 2:00 PM
Keywords
Gender, Social Science, U.S. Diversity
Abstract
Previous studies indicate that, on average, men are more competitive than women in most sports, including distance running. However, previous studies focused on recreational athletes, not elite ones. We will address this gap in the literature by recruiting several hundred NCAA distance runners to complete online questionnaires regarding their motivation, goals, training, and performance. We predict that male runners will report being more competitive and having a stronger desire to run professionally, whereas female runners will report a stronger interest in starting a non-running career. If these predictions are supported in distance running, a sport where men and women have highly similar professional prospects, it will constitute crucial evidence for the hypothesis that men are more predisposed to achieve in show-off domains such as sports. The show-off hypothesis has important implications for understanding crime, public health, and labor markets.
Sex Differences in Motivation in NCAA Distance Runners
Kirkhof Center KC2
Previous studies indicate that, on average, men are more competitive than women in most sports, including distance running. However, previous studies focused on recreational athletes, not elite ones. We will address this gap in the literature by recruiting several hundred NCAA distance runners to complete online questionnaires regarding their motivation, goals, training, and performance. We predict that male runners will report being more competitive and having a stronger desire to run professionally, whereas female runners will report a stronger interest in starting a non-running career. If these predictions are supported in distance running, a sport where men and women have highly similar professional prospects, it will constitute crucial evidence for the hypothesis that men are more predisposed to achieve in show-off domains such as sports. The show-off hypothesis has important implications for understanding crime, public health, and labor markets.