Junior Golf and Social Learning Theory

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Case Study Outline

Building social skills and character in young children of all ages, genders and socioeconomic backgrounds through junior golf programs.

Agency: South Carolina Junior Golf Association/Piedmont Junior Golf Association (PJGA)

Purpose of your case study: To identify how social learning develops from participation in a junior golf program and what beneficial behaviors and attitudes come from active participation.

Goals, purpose and potential significance of your research: The first goal is to identify the connection between sports and social learning theory. The second goal is to identify what actions in a junior golf program help youth learn positive and beneficial behaviors and attitudes that promote health and well-being. The third goal is to identify what impact sports have on youth in relation to their gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity. The potential significance of my research is that sports not only promotes physical health and well-being but also mental and emotional well-being.

Research/thesis question you are addressing or explaining: How can social learning theory be applied to sports like junior golf and what significance do sports have on the development of youth in regards to gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity?

Theories related to the research problem/question: Social Learning Theory

Prior research related to the research problem/question:

In a 2016 article, researchers examined what causes children and teens to act out in violent or negative ways and how that connects to social learning theory. The results showed low self-control as an indicator for girls and peer pressure as an indicator for boys. "Low self-control was significantly associated with an increase in the variety of violent delinquency among females. Among male respondents, those who were more susceptible to peer pressure engaged in fewer types of violent delinquency" (Koon-Magnin, Bowers, Langhinrichsen-Rohling, & Arata, 2016, p. 824). Sports may have a positive impact for both boys and girls because it teaches discipline or high self-control and places them around peers that are positive minded and goal oriented.

Another 2013 article suggested sports played an active role in improving the self-esteem of participants as well as providing the means with which to socially interact with others. "There were many different psychological and social health benefits reported, with the most commonly being improved self-esteem, social interaction followed by fewer depressive symptoms" (Eime, Young, Harvey, Charity, & Payne, 2013, p. 98). Research shows a positive correlation between sports and alleviation of depressive symptoms along with other improvement markers in physical and mental health (Wilhite, 2014).

Aside from social interaction, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can play a key role in other positive development in youth from increase stamina, endurance, and muscle formation to competitiveness, assertiveness, and confidence (Lonsdale et al., 2013). Sports like junior golf enable to children to fulfill small goals that will help them gain confidence to pursue larger goals. Social learning theory explains learning through observation. Sports enables learning through observation and helps youth understand what is necessary to complete an aim or objective (Rotter, 1982).

Application of theory to your research problem/question:

Social learning theory is a culmination of behavior learning theory (learning based on responses to environmental stimuli) and cognitive learning theory (learning influenced by psychological factors). By integrating these two theories, Albert Bandura came up with the four base requirements for learning. These are: