Examining the construction of identity among high performance male and female athletes using photography

ABSTRACT

This study, adopting a feminist perspective explored two research questions: (1) how do male and female athletes perform an athletic identity through photographic self-representation, and (2) what are the messages they look to convey, as role models, through these images? Eighteen culturally diverse high-performance athletes (12 female, 6 male; mean age = 20.56 years, SD = 2.83) representing a range of sports took part. Following an individual photo session with autonomy over image capture, participants selected their favoured image and provided a caption symbolising the message they wished to convey to others. Participants were then interviewed to obtain their thoughts, feelings and stories with regards image capture and selection. Analysis of photographic data revealed a tendency for participants to select full body action shots, located in the field of play and wearing sports clothing. Captions emphasised hard work, psychological assets, technical precision and encouraged sports participation. Interview data were organised under two broad themes aligned with the research questions; ‘performing an athletic identity’ and ‘intended messages’. Participants typically wanted to appear in action shots, emphasising good technique, displaying a sporting physique and in relevant uniforms. Intended messages reflected how to be a good role model and comprised of ideals of hard work and giving sport a go. Findings suggest that whilst athletes sought to champion their sport and the physical and psychological qualities that participation produces, gendered performances were also evident in production and interpretation of many images, thus highlighting the pervasive nature of gendered sporting participation.

KEYWORDS:

• Athletic-identity
• gender performance
• role-model
• physicality
• psychological strength

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. High performance in the present paper refers to competing at a national level and above .

2. The Women’s Super League (WSL) is the highest level of women’s football within England and is run by the Football Association, who also manage the men’s game.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tracey J. Devonport

Tracey J. Devonport (twitter – @TjDevonport) is based in the Institute of Human Sciences at the University of Wolverhampton. She is registered as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council. Other certifications include; Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, accredited with the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) for scientific support (Psychology) and a Chartered Scientist. Her primary research interests include stress, coping, emotion regulation, and body image.

Kath Leflay

Kath Leflay is a Principal Lecturer and Head of Outreach and Recruitment at the University or Wolverhampton. Her research interests include community sport, inclusion, media representation of female athletes and the use of sport programmes for improving well-being.

Kate Russell

Kate Russell is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sport at the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at University of East Anglia. She is registered as a Sport and Exercise Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council. She is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society, and is a Motivational Interviewing Trainer. Her primary research interests include gender and sexuality in sport and exercise, teacher and teaching identity, and mental health in sport and teaching contexts.