Afrocentric kinesiology: Innovators and early adopters in a diffusion of innovations model

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively analyze the physical activity and health attitudes and experiences of selected African American female Innovators and Early Adopters. "Innovators" and "Early Adopters" are the first two groups in Rogers' (1983) Diffusion of Innovations model, which is a model of behavioral change. In the present study, four women were defined as "Innovators" ("IN")--African American women who are involved as leaders in promoting physical activity, and 14 women were defined as "Early Adopters" ("EA")--African American women who participate in physical activity on a regular basis. Their experiences and responses will be used to develop grounded theory to increase African American female participation in physical activity and thereby improve their health. Individual interviews were used to obtain information from the IN, and focus groups were used to obtain information from the EA. The data were transcribed and coded and then analyzed by three separate approaches. First, a general theme and pattern analysis was used to detect similarities in the participants' responses. Next, a specific theme and pattern analysis grouped the raw data responses according to PISES, the P[barbelow]hysical, I[barbelow]ntellectual, S[barbelow]ocial, E[barbelow]motional, and S[barbelow]piritual dimensions of health. Finally, a logical analysis of the data was conducted to generate any discrepancies that were not detected in the theme and pattern analyses. Based on the participants' responses, three major conclusions were drawn. First, any physical activity and health programming that is developed for African American women should incorporate African American culture. Second, education about physical activity and health must be provided to African American women. Third, cultural paranoia, the profound mistrust of European Americans, must be acknowledged as a major factor in physical activity planning and service delivery for African American women.