Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1989

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Major Professor

Suzanne B. Kruth

Committee Members

Donald W. Hastings, Greer Litton Fox

Abstract

Commitment to the role identity of competitive swimmer was explored. Role identities are ranked according to past degree of self support, past degree of social support, commitment, investment, extrinsic rewards, and intrinsic rewards. People with the leisure identity of Masters swimmer were studied. A data set collected from 497 Masters swimmers was examined. A bivariate screening of sex, marital status, parental status, age, activity interference, self support, social support, against commitment using t-tests was performed. Age, self support, and social support were included with commitment into log linear models. A model containing the interaction effects of commitment and self support, commitment and age, and the marginal effect of social support met the necessary criteria for accepting a log linear model. Commitment to the competitive swimmer role identity was most affected by age, self support, and social support. Younger individuals were less likely to have a high attendance at swim meets than older individuals. Individuals with a high degree of self support were less likely to report attendance at a large number of swim meets.

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