Social Cognitive Theory and Mass Communication: A Content Analysis of Youth Sport Publicity

Many children learn about their respective sport interests through their interactions (e.g., reading, listening, watching) with sport media. Noted psychologist Albert Bandura emphasized how learning is impacted by what children read. Using Bandura?s social cognitive theory of mass communication as a guide, this book examines the written (e.g., articles) and photographic coverage of a popular United States youth sports publication, Sports Illustrated for Kids. Specifically, the analysis focuses on the type (e.g., soccer, basketball) and category (e.g., collegiate, professional) of sport and athlete coverage, while analyzing the gender and race of the affiliated athletes, authors, and photographers. Another area examined includes portrayals of individuals with disabilities. With the increasing popularity of youth sports and media content designed and marketed to youth, this analysis elucidates the importance of such academic attention. This book will resonate with media corporation professionals, sport journalists, parents, coaches, and teachers as well as scholars and professionals in the fields of Sport Management, Sociology, Psychology, Communication, and Journalism.