‘I shared the joy’: sport-related social support and communality on Instagram

Figures & data

FIGURE 1. Analytical framework adapted from Schreiber (2017)

TABLE 1. Descriptions of the main coding categories.

Coding category	Description of the category
Inspiration	Interviewees express that they share or follow sport-related visual content on Instagram to inspire or to be inspired by others. They talk about inspirational sports sites and landscapes, about sport-related experiences, and about practitioners whose performance and lifestyle they admire. They also associate positive emotions and visually satisfying photographs with inspiration.
Motivation	Interviewees express that they share or follow sport-related visual content on Instagram to motivate or to get motivated by others. They post content about personal goals or set goals after seeing others’ photographs. They consider photographs that portray moments of togetherness as a source of motivation. They express that by sharing motivational photographs and reacting to them, practitioners encourage each other not to give up despite challenges, and to believe in themselves.
Information	Interviewees express that they share or follow sport-related visual content on Instagram to inform or to get informed about sport-related issues. This can be information about different locations for practice, conditions of different sports sites, or training tips and advice. Additionally, they use Instagram to inform others about and keep up with others’ personal life events and to follow more generally what is happening in the sport subculture.
Identity	Interviewees express that sharing and following sport-related visual content on Instagram enables them to build their (sport) identity. They do this by following and sharing photographs of a lifestyle they identify with. Additionally, some practitioners mention that sharing photographs on Instagram serves simultaneously as a personal diary.

FIGURE 2. Image types and their respective quantities.

FIGURE 3. An example of the ‘invitation to nature’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

FIGURE 4. An example of the ‘lifestyle reflection’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

FIGURE 5. An example of the ‘in action’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

FIGURE 6. An example of the ‘I did it’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

FIGURE 7. An example of the ‘no matter the weather’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

FIGURE 8. An example of the ‘better together’ image type. Permission for use obtained.

Schreiber, M. 2017. “Showing/sharing: Analysing Visual Communication from a Praxeological Perspective.” Media and Communication 5 (4): 37–50. doi:10.17645/mac.v5i4.1075.

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