Robert O. Deaner, Shea M. Balish, and Michael P. Lombardo (2015)
Abstract
Although girls and women in many societies avidly participate in sports, they have been
traditionally underrepresented compared with boys and men. In this review, we address
the apparent sex differences in sports interest and motivation from an evolutionary
perspective. First, we demonstrate that females’ underrepresentation generally reflects
lesser interest, not merely fewer opportunities for engagement. Moreover, there is
mounting evidence that male and female athletes generally differ in their motivation,
specifically their competitiveness and risk taking. Second, we examine the functional
explanations for sports. We argue that the courtship display hypothesis applies mainly
to females; the spectator lek hypothesis applies chiefly to males; and that 2 other
hypotheses—the allying with coalitions hypothesis and the development of skills
hypothesis—are important for both females and males. Third, we explore the proximate
causes for the sex differences in sports interest and motivation. We show that although
there is compelling evidence that prenatal hormones contribute, the evidence that
socialization plays a role remains equivocal. We conclude by discussing key findings
and identifying areas for further research.
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