| Youth living in low-income urban areas are at high risk of being pulled into a culture of violence that can have long lasting and widespread effects on their lives. Research indicates that sport participation, by itself, does not drive positive character development, despite the common belief in the United States that it does. However, sports programs that are intentionally designed to meet specific youth development outcomes have proven to be highly effective.;This study measured whether the experience of being on the same sports team as someone from an out-group (a group determined by an individual not to be "part of self") reduces prejudice toward people from that group. The strategy examined was intentional mixing of teams to include a mix of players from conflicting groups. The theoretical basis for this strategy lies in social science theories on prejudice and intergroup bias. The study found that participants expressed significantly less prejudice toward out-group peers after participating in an 8-week basketball program when teams were mixed to include players from different groups. |
