The aim of this assignment is to gain a greater understanding of who I am through the use of reflexivity, the impact that I have on others, the influence rugby has on my life, my sense of ‘self’ and what it means to me to belong and play a significant part in Bath Rugby Academy. To achieve this I will use resources, theory and tools available to enhance my knowledge and to make any changes necessary to manage and improve my performance as an athlete from a psycho-sociological perspective drawing on the social theory of Goffman (1959, 1961a, 1961b) to understand how this all fits into the wider social context. Goffman conceptualises in his dramaturgical theory that individuals within specific locations establish identities and roles that define
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I specifically chose to study at Bath University because it was renowned for it’s rugby academy and I wanted to be part of it. Central to understanding social meaning is the fundamental psychological need for social connections (Allen, 2006). I feel I have a strong athletic identity which is synonymous with athletes who compete at a high level of sport (Poux & Fry, 2015; Brewer, Selby, Under, & Petitpas, 1999), which is not a surprise given the amount of time we spend together in the gym, training, competing and socialising. This culture creates the optimal environment for achieving high levels of athletic performance, given that excellence is rarely achieved without this standard of commitment. Although Tsang (2000) would argue that athletic discipline aims to homogenise the individuals and produce top athletes with a united identity. Tsang (2000) maintains that individuality within the team must be removed and as an athlete develops as there is a continuous urge towards conventionality and acceptance of the dominant values and this establishes the team in the wider social …show more content…
Goffman’s (1959) interpretation and representation of ‘self’ are said to accommodate the Foucauldian concept of disciplinary power (Jenkins, 2008). Goffman (1959) defines power as “the capacity of individuals and groups to get things done, to achieve their own ends and/or to support or frustrate the ends of others”. Certainly within the Academy we all work in a united way to achieve our goals which in turn can be said to be powerful especially if the resources we have in place contribute to success. Goffman’s social theory focuses on institutionalisation and the symbolic management of living conditions within a total institution (Hancock & Garner, 2011). Bourdieu’s work on the other hand studies how sport plays a part in the reproduction of class, culture and unequal social relations and the embodiment of gender (Light, 2011). He suggests that elite players have an unfair advantage through long term participation in sport and therefore are usually in the right place at the right time to be selected. Although I consciously made a life choice to attend Bath University for academic reasons I deliberately chose the university for its access to high standards of rugby, however, there was no automatic entry into the rugby squad and certainly no
I specifically chose to study at Bath University because it was renowned for it’s rugby academy and I wanted to be part of it. Central to understanding social meaning is the fundamental psychological need for social connections (Allen, 2006). I feel I have a strong athletic identity which is synonymous with athletes who compete at a high level of sport (Poux & Fry, 2015; Brewer, Selby, Under, & Petitpas, 1999), which is not a surprise given the amount of time we spend together in the gym, training, competing and socialising. This culture creates the optimal environment for achieving high levels of athletic performance, given that excellence is rarely achieved without this standard of commitment. Although Tsang (2000) would argue that athletic discipline aims to homogenise the individuals and produce top athletes with a united identity. Tsang (2000) maintains that individuality within the team must be removed and as an athlete develops as there is a continuous urge towards conventionality and acceptance of the dominant values and this establishes the team in the wider social …show more content…
Goffman’s (1959) interpretation and representation of ‘self’ are said to accommodate the Foucauldian concept of disciplinary power (Jenkins, 2008). Goffman (1959) defines power as “the capacity of individuals and groups to get things done, to achieve their own ends and/or to support or frustrate the ends of others”. Certainly within the Academy we all work in a united way to achieve our goals which in turn can be said to be powerful especially if the resources we have in place contribute to success. Goffman’s social theory focuses on institutionalisation and the symbolic management of living conditions within a total institution (Hancock & Garner, 2011). Bourdieu’s work on the other hand studies how sport plays a part in the reproduction of class, culture and unequal social relations and the embodiment of gender (Light, 2011). He suggests that elite players have an unfair advantage through long term participation in sport and therefore are usually in the right place at the right time to be selected. Although I consciously made a life choice to attend Bath University for academic reasons I deliberately chose the university for its access to high standards of rugby, however, there was no automatic entry into the rugby squad and certainly no