Socialization of adolescent girls into physical activity.

Abstract

This study examined variables which influence the socialization of adolescent girls into physical activity using the three components of Kenyon and McPherson's (1973) model: personal attributes, socializing agents, and socialization situations. The questionnaire was completed by 661 girls from Grades 6 to 10. Of the six measures of physical activity, participation was significantly different among grades for three variables but not for three others. Different components of the socialization model were more important for certain types of activities than for others. For competitive interschool teams and intramural activities, certain personal attributes (movement satisfaction and self-confident, independent, and assertive self-descriptions) were most important. For community-organized activities, socializing agents and socialization situations (socioeconomic status) were most influential, while for the total activities participated in, socialization situations (amount of sports equipment) were crucial.