Academics versus athletics: An examination of the effects of background and socialization on African American male student athletes

It has been stated that popular culture's deluging society with images of African American males as athletes and entertainers is detrimental to the academic and social growth of this group. African American males are over-represented in the sports world, which has recently been attributed to the intentional and intensive socialization of African American into sports. The consequences that have emerged from this phenomena include an over identification with athletic achievement to the detriment of academic achievement. This study addresses the socialization process as an indicator of the overall success or failure of student athletes. This research is a case study of an entire football team at a major Division I University. The research questions were addressed by data collected through a questionnaire designed by the researchers. Several scales, tested for reliability and validity, were utilized to tap the relevant dimensions of the socialization process. Several interesting findings were yielded concerning the parental emphasis on athletics and the effects that emphasis has on academics.