How does sports participation influence individual gender attitudes? An empirical study based on CGSS data

The modernisation of gender attitudes constitutes a fundamental prerequisite for achieving societal gender equality. Recognized as a powerful vehicle for advancing social equity, sports has demonstrated significant potential in fostering gender equality. However, the micro-level interactions between sports participation and individual gender attitudes remain insufficiently explored.

This study uses data from the 2023 China General Social Survey (CGSS) as the research sample. Multiple linear regression models, robustness tests, instrumental variable (IV) tests, and interaction term tests were conducted to assess the association between sports participation and individual gender attitudes, as well as how this association manifests among the male population.

(1) Sports participation is positively and significantly associated with the modernisation of individual gender attitudes (β = 0.853, p < 0.01); (2) This positive association is also significant among men, suggesting that sports participation may help them break from the constraints of traditional gender norms (β = 0.563, p < 0.05); (3) Compared to its association with women's attitudes, the relationship between sports participation and men's gender attitudes appears relatively weaker.

Our analysis demonstrated that sports participation, as a typical form of embodied practice, has a positive correlation with the modernization of individual gender attitudes. However, this effect exhibits notable gender differences, with the effect on men being relatively weaker than that on women. Future efforts may benefit from optimizing the sporting environment and strengthening institutional reforms within the sports field-such as safeguarding the participation rights of diverse groups, promoting equitable resource allocation, and encouraging the de-gendering of media representation-in order to unlock the greater potential of sports in promoting gender attitudes.