I just read through Seidman's article dealing with the keys to a successful interview. The principles applied in this article remind me very much to a book I am reading at the moment. I am halfway through Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. The common theme throughout is to show genuine interest in people. One way to do that is to be a good listener, as is mentioned several times in Seidman's article as well. Most people are mainly interested in theirself and that's it. So if you are willing to understand that fact, listen to someone, and be genuinely interested, the person will then feel more comfortable and enjoy your company. This will lead to more productive interviews.
The article by Theberge had some very interesting segments. I'd say the parts that I felt most interesting were the personal accounts from the athletes that were studied. We always hear athletes say, "I'm in the best shape of my life." However, being in that shape doesn't necessarily equate to being healthy. The argument is that in order to be a top-tier athlete, you must push the body beyond healthy limits. The comment is made by one athlete in the article that someone doing yoga and running a few times a week is probably healthier than an NFL athlete. I had never thought about this situation in such a light, but it really makes sense. It is well documented that professional athletes have troubled retirement years because their bodies are so worn down, but we don't think of them as unhealthy while they are competing at such a high level. If they end up that way when they are older, though, they are probably doing unhealthy things during their careers. Also, this reasoning might be an explanation as to why we experienced the steroid era. Athletes felt using these steroids would help protect their bodies from later deterioration (even though I'm sure most were interested in the short-term benefits).
Friday, October 23, 2009
Skinner & Edwards
I wanted to first comment on a section by Skinner and Edwards. The authors say, "A person’s
definition of a situation tells him or her how to assign meaning in constantly shifting conditions," (Skinner and Edwards, 2008, p. 406). They use an example of a fan and the ever-changing climate in which a fan is subjected. The social reality that a fan lives in tells him to buy apparel, wear a team jersey and attend games with other fans. This creates an atmosphere that allows a fan to adhere to a different set of socially acceptable rules. For example, it is most likely frowned upon for an individual to scream and cheer in a hospital. However, this behavior that is so disdained one place is perfectly acceptable within the realm of a stadium, field or arena. What the authors explain, however, is that the relationship a person has with a team is not a fixed relationship. As we've seen recently with the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics, franchises can sometimes be relocated. This has been true with many organizations throughout the years of professional sports. Do you think the Browns fans of the 80s cheered the same for the Baltimore Ravens during the period of time when the Browns were absent from the NFL? I would highly doubt it, because that relationship had basically been terminated. I also believe that this relationship also fluctuates with the success of the team. Most people are fickle, fair-weather fans in the long run. I'll use the Browns as an example again. People still cheer for them and hope for them to do well. But when the expectations of a team become so low, the same excitement is not generated for fans. So while these people are still fans, the level of excitement and dedication to the team isn't as high as it would be if they were in the playoff hunt (perfect example: my boss was recently looking for a parking pass for this weekend's game against Green Bay on eBay. He found two tickets and a parking pass for 20 dollars. This is because of the lack of interest).
definition of a situation tells him or her how to assign meaning in constantly shifting conditions," (Skinner and Edwards, 2008, p. 406). They use an example of a fan and the ever-changing climate in which a fan is subjected. The social reality that a fan lives in tells him to buy apparel, wear a team jersey and attend games with other fans. This creates an atmosphere that allows a fan to adhere to a different set of socially acceptable rules. For example, it is most likely frowned upon for an individual to scream and cheer in a hospital. However, this behavior that is so disdained one place is perfectly acceptable within the realm of a stadium, field or arena. What the authors explain, however, is that the relationship a person has with a team is not a fixed relationship. As we've seen recently with the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics, franchises can sometimes be relocated. This has been true with many organizations throughout the years of professional sports. Do you think the Browns fans of the 80s cheered the same for the Baltimore Ravens during the period of time when the Browns were absent from the NFL? I would highly doubt it, because that relationship had basically been terminated. I also believe that this relationship also fluctuates with the success of the team. Most people are fickle, fair-weather fans in the long run. I'll use the Browns as an example again. People still cheer for them and hope for them to do well. But when the expectations of a team become so low, the same excitement is not generated for fans. So while these people are still fans, the level of excitement and dedication to the team isn't as high as it would be if they were in the playoff hunt (perfect example: my boss was recently looking for a parking pass for this weekend's game against Green Bay on eBay. He found two tickets and a parking pass for 20 dollars. This is because of the lack of interest).
Sunday, October 4, 2009
First Qualitative Research Post
It has taken me a while to get started with this coursework, but with October being a relatively slower month in the evenings, I should be able to get much more accomplished in the near future.
I was unable to access the Skinner article, so I'm starting my blog posts after reading the Ely article.
The part that resonated closest with me had to be the initial assignment for the students to observe a nearby eating establishment. The varying perceptions and the wide array of questions formed is quite impressive. The different perceptions by each student is very true to life in general. These students were in different places, but the same would have happened if they would have all observed the same thing. Our perceptions are, many times, formed based on our prior experiences. For instance, I'm sitting here watching the Bengals/Browns game. As a Bengals fan, I'm viewing this game as missed opportunities by the Bengals as opposed to superior play by the Browns. My friends who are Browns fans believe that Cleveland has been in control and are a better team today. Based on our previous biases, we have completely different views on the exact same game (Note: The Bengals just punted for the first time in overtime).
The other reason this assignment was interesting to me was because I feel like people do this on a daily basis anyways. The difference is that we do not consciously realize that. I do remember, however, playing a sort of game when I was younger. My friends and I had season passes to Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. We would regularly stand in line for rides and pick someone to focus on. We would then try to guess what that person was thinking. We would read their facial expressions, see who they were interacting with, and decide what we thought they were thinking. Most of the time we would make jokes, but the observations we made were similar to this assignment in the different restaurants.
After reading this article, it mostly opened my eyes to the fact that this type of research is done continuously. We are constantly observing and making decisions based on those observations. We don't always think about it or write it down, but the process is always happening.
As far as the area in which I'd like to conduct more research, I want to look at issues regarding socioeconomic status and race. I think there is a perception that sport participation is based on a person's race. I believe that a person's social and financial situation is more indicative of what sports a person will play. I think I can study this in youth athletics, recreational activities and professional athletics.
I was unable to access the Skinner article, so I'm starting my blog posts after reading the Ely article.
The part that resonated closest with me had to be the initial assignment for the students to observe a nearby eating establishment. The varying perceptions and the wide array of questions formed is quite impressive. The different perceptions by each student is very true to life in general. These students were in different places, but the same would have happened if they would have all observed the same thing. Our perceptions are, many times, formed based on our prior experiences. For instance, I'm sitting here watching the Bengals/Browns game. As a Bengals fan, I'm viewing this game as missed opportunities by the Bengals as opposed to superior play by the Browns. My friends who are Browns fans believe that Cleveland has been in control and are a better team today. Based on our previous biases, we have completely different views on the exact same game (Note: The Bengals just punted for the first time in overtime).
The other reason this assignment was interesting to me was because I feel like people do this on a daily basis anyways. The difference is that we do not consciously realize that. I do remember, however, playing a sort of game when I was younger. My friends and I had season passes to Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. We would regularly stand in line for rides and pick someone to focus on. We would then try to guess what that person was thinking. We would read their facial expressions, see who they were interacting with, and decide what we thought they were thinking. Most of the time we would make jokes, but the observations we made were similar to this assignment in the different restaurants.
After reading this article, it mostly opened my eyes to the fact that this type of research is done continuously. We are constantly observing and making decisions based on those observations. We don't always think about it or write it down, but the process is always happening.
As far as the area in which I'd like to conduct more research, I want to look at issues regarding socioeconomic status and race. I think there is a perception that sport participation is based on a person's race. I believe that a person's social and financial situation is more indicative of what sports a person will play. I think I can study this in youth athletics, recreational activities and professional athletics.
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