The Cultural Characteristics of Sports: Especially Concerning the Implicit Norms of Sports as Seen in the Attitudes of Japanese University Athletes

Abstract

Examined attitudes toward sports of 512 Japanese undergraduate athletes and nonathletes, using t test, principal factor analysis, and stepwise multiple regression analysis, and defines the cultural characteristics of English, American, and Japanese sports that are played in Japan. Ss held a spiritual attitude toward sports. The cultural characteristics of English sports were sportsmanship according to gentleman ideal. American sports were characterized by audience enjoyment, amusement, power, victory and obedience to the judge. The cultural characteristics of Japanese sports are fights with real swords, self-training, spiritual cultivation, and self-restraint. Sports were divided into 3 groups by their cultural characteristics, including sports that have inherited the national characteristics of each sport group, sports that have not inherited any national characteristics but have been internationalized, and sports that have come to take national characteristics of 2 groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)