An Inventory Study for Identifying Role Models in Sports

Abstract

Role models, heroes, and mentors are a part of everyday life and they are thought to have a significant impact on the beliefs and actions of individuals. In the sports, they are also often used in programs to deliver desired ideas to the intended groups to evoke behavior revolution. The purpose of this review of the literature was to explore the Role Models (RM) who make an impact on sport participation (SP). In this regard, the objective was developed to understand the current trends and perspectives of the authors on (RM) for increasing (SP). During the identification process of the literature review, Science Direct which is being sponsored by Elsevier was used as the major database search engine. The terms used in the Science Direct search engine were “Role Models” AND” Sports participation. By screening the results of the Science Direct database - 4236 results were obtained based on filtering the literature by 2018-2019. As a result of the engaging PRISMA method, the above inclusions were lowered to 18 articles by focusing an eligibility and study-oriented objective. Based on the

PRISMA results, Content analysis was directed to explore the current trend of the authors who have already done their study regarding the (RM) s who impact on (SP). According to the results, Family members, Sports Coachers and Instructors, Teachers, Neighborhood community, Athletes and Celebrities, Peers and Televisions Actors were represented as (RM) s in Sports. Also, more than 50% of the research papers analyzed were from two or more of the above-mentioned (RM) s. The rest of the research papers have concentrated their academic approach on individual (RM)s related to the (SP), which can be summarized as Family members 27%, Sports Coachers and Instructors 20%, Teachers 16%, Neighborhood community 11%, Athletes and Celebrities 9%, Peer 9% and Televisions Actors 4%. This study evidence supports the potential for academically based researchers who work in partnership with sport and recreation to ensure that the Sports role models are studied in a useful way. Similarly, this study expands on the Knowledge of (RM)s and (SP). It also highlights the involvement of various links between the above concepts. This observation may help researchers who are willing to expand the (RM)s and their impact on (SP) in any selected context such as professional sports teams, University sports fields, etc.