Attitudes of physical education majors in five traditionally black southeast institutions toward varsity athletics for women.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of undergraduate students majoring in physical education toward women competing in varsity sports. The Thomas, Solomon, Ellis Opinionnaire (TSEO), consisting of physical, emotional, social, and personal domains, was developed to be administered to undergraduate students majoring in physical education at five traditionally black institutions in the Southeast. The TSEO consisted of 53 questions. The institutions, which were located in the state of Mississippi, were Alcorn State University, Mississippi Valley State University, Jackson State University, Tougaloo College, and Rust College. This opinionnaire was administered to 250 undergraduate students during the spring semester of 1987. There were eight hypotheses in the study. The t test and analysis of vaiance statistics were used for the collection and analyses of data. Conclusions made from the opinions expressed by physical education majors toward females competing in varsity sports revealed statistical significance in that (1) female physical education majors had more favorable attitudes than male physical education majors; (2) male athletes had fewer favorable attitudes than female athletes; (3) female nonathletes had more favorable attitudes than female athletes; (4) female athletes had more favorable attitudes than male nonathletes; (5) male nonathletes had more favorable attitudes than male athletes; (6) black and white students showed no differences; (7) age groups showed no differences; and (8) in the physical domain, freshmen and seniors had more favorable attitudes than sophomores, while in the emotional domain seniors had more favorable attitudes than sophomores and juniors.