Environment and Social Psychology

Sports, Gender, and Social Equity: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Participation Patterns Through the Lenses of Humanities and Social Psychology

Zijun Wang

School of Physical Education and Health Engineering, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, Shanxi, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i12.4186

Keywords: Sports participation; Gender equity; Social psychology; Humanities; Mixed-methods; Structural barriers; Cultural narratives

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Abstract

Sports participation is often celebrated as a pathway to empowerment, yet disparities persist along gender, socioeconomic, and cultural lines. This study aimed to investigate the multi-level mechanisms that create and sustain inequities in sports participation through an interdisciplinary framework combining humanities, social psychology, and equity studies. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. In the quantitative phase, data were collected from a stratified sample of 1,500 participants and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM), multilevel modeling (MLM), latent class analysis (LCA), and moderated-mediation tests. The qualitative phase included 30–40 semi-structured interviews and focus groups, analyzed thematically to capture lived experiences and cultural narratives. The results revealed significant disparities: males reported higher weekly participation (6.1 hours) than females (3.2 hours) and non-binary individuals (2.8 hours). High socioeconomic status predicted substantially greater engagement (81.6% vs. 54.1% for low SES). SEM showed that these structural inequalities operated through self-efficacy, stereotype threat, and perceived barriers, while MLM confirmed that institutional factors accounted for 26.6% of variance in participation. Qualitative findings highlighted gendered expectations, resource inequities, and cultural stereotypes as pervasive barriers. The study concludes that sports inequities emerge through the interplay of structural, psychological, and cultural mechanisms. Applications include designing equity-driven policies, inclusive coaching practices, and targeted media interventions to foster fairer and more inclusive sporting environments.

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