Sociological study on the function of sport as a media

• Project/Area Number: 16500411
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Norihito Kyushu University, Institute of Health Science, Associate Professor, 健康科学センター, 助教授 (50230579)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2005
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2005)
• Budget Amount: ¥1,200,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000); Fiscal Year 2005: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000); Fiscal Year 2004: ¥500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000)
• Keywords: Sport as a media / Communication media / Highly advanced information society / Emotional communication

Research Abstract

Based upon Marshall McLuhan's unique media theory, I examined the possibility that sport not only could be media content, but also functioned as a media itself. To examine the influence of "sport as a media" on our society, human relations and our sensitivity, I observed "J-league pennant race", "High school baseball tournament", "Golden games in NOBEOKA" and "53rd Around the Kyushu Ekiden". As a result, the following became clear.
It is generally said that the highly advanced information society is making people's confidence and sense of reality for every thing lose, their identity vague and the direct communication with person to person collapse.
From the observation of people who watched a game of soccer, field-and-track events and baseball games, it could be understood that sport is attracting people's interests through "membership", "mutual connection", "society participation", "conviction and faith" and "influence to another person". Sport in contemporary society is not only the media contents of newspaper, television and internet, but also functioning as a "communication media" itself which communicate and tie person to person.
Sport could tie person to person immediately enhance interaction between them and contribute to their community by various forms of involvement. In other words, sport brings various relations to members of a group and gives "existent sense" to them via "emotional communication". These are the significance of sport in contemporary society.

Research Products

• [Book] スポーツ科学大事典
  • Author(s): 山本 教人
  • Publisher: 小学館
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より