Abstract

Stereotyped images of certain sports, and the people who participate in them, often create barriers for new members. This is particularly true of so-called high-risk activities, such as scuba diving, which is often considered to be a very strenuous activity more suited to men than women. To investigate social perceptions of this recreational sport, 294 introductory (first-time) divers were asked to complete a semantic differential measure to describe the typical scuba diver. A very positive, but general, composite picture emerged from the results, suggesting that scuba diving is perceived as an activity in which many types of people participate. No gender differences emerged from the study, indicating that men and women share similar favourable perceptions of the typical scuba diver. Verf.-Referat