Perceptions of College Students Regarding Race and Stereotypes of College Football Athletes: Looking Beyond the Obvious

Images and perceptions of athletes may be directly related to stereotypes and societal attitudes involving race. This study analyzes the perceptions of college students and their attitudes regarding African-American athletes. It is imperative to assess the societal perceptions of athletes, as sport is one aspect that reflects American society. Several questions may be asked about the general perception of football athletes, specifically African-American athletes. Does race and racial stereotypes play significant roles in the attitudes formed about African-American football players? Does gender play a role in how athletes are perceived? The methods used in this research include a quantitative measurement scale of ordinal ranking. Questionnaires, which included profiles of two college football players, were administered to eighty-one college students. The questions and concepts of race and stereotypes involving an African-American athlete and a Caucasian athlete were examined and evaluated. Dependent variables assessed during the study were characteristics such as, aggression, positive and negative social conduct, decision-making aptitude and intelligence. Although anticipated results regarding the influences of race and gender on perception were not obtained, the results lead to further implications for research involving race and stereotypical perceptions of athletes in society. The argument regarding the significance of race, stereotypes, attitudes and perceptions is projected to be strengthened by further study.