The presence of negative stereotypes toward student-athletes amongst university faculty based on race and gender

Many collegiate student-athletes are subjected to stereotypes surrounding themes such as student-athletes are “dumb jocks,” they receive special treatment and programs, and are entitled and socially inept (Leach & Conners, 1984; Sailes, 1993; Sellers, 1992; Simons, Bosworth, Fujita & Jensen, 2007; Tucker et al., 2016). Stereotypes can potentially activate stereotype threat or be internalized by stereotyped individuals, perhaps leading to self-fulfilling prophecies (Allport, 1954; Devine, 1989; Hamilton & Troiler, 1986; Jussim & Fleming, 1996; Word, Zanna & Cooper, 1974). Negative outcomes including disengagement or self-handicapping behaviors may then occur and affect academic and athletic performance (Stone, Lynch, Sjomeling & Darley, 1999; Stone, 2002; Stone, Harrison & Mottley, 2012; White, 2010). Faculty often report greater negative attitudes toward student-athletes than toward non-student athletes; though intersections of the race and gender of students reportedly affect negative perceptions (Atwater, 2010; Bartlett, 2011; Baucom & Lantz, 2001; Comeaux, 2010; Knight Commission, 2007). Research on faculty attitudes toward student-athletes has yielded mixed results, used single self-report measures, and collected sample data from a single university independently, thus limiting the generalizability of results (Comeaux, 2011a, Comeaux, 2011b; Engstrom & Sedlacek; 1991; Engstrom, Sedlacek, & McEwen, 1995; Lawrence, 2009). The current study addresses gaps in the literature concerning faculty perceptions of student-athletes, specifically testing for differences present based on the gender and race of students. Data was collected from 209 university faculty members at NCAA Division I, II, and III universities via an online survey. Methods used the Revised Situational Attitude Scale Student-Athlete measure (Engstrom et al., 1995). The study was designed to elicit implicit biases prior to completion of attitude measures through vignettes that corresponded to participants’ random assignment to eight different SAS measure conditions highlighting intersections of students’ identities (Conaway & Bethune, 2015; Greenwald & Banaji, 1995). Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was used to test hypotheses of faculty attitudes toward student-athletes, controlling for possible effects of covariates. Possible interaction effects of the race and gender of students were also tested within primary hypotheses. Results revealed that faculty reported greater negative attitudes toward student-athletes compared to non-student athletes in multiple situations that pertained to stereotypes associated with college student-athlete populations. Interaction effects regarding student-athletes’ racial and gender identities were not found to be significant. Covariate effects of multiple variables (university make-up exam accommodation procedures, and past experience teaching student-athletes) were also tested within the MANCOVA model (Bartlett, 2011; Knight Commission, 2007; Kuga, 1996), but not found to be significant. While differences in attitudes relating to students’ gender and racial identities were not found, findings did support previous literature surrounding stereotypes and student-athletes, as student-athletes were perceived more negatively than non-student athletes in multiple situations of interest.