Merrill J Melnick
Biographic Data
| ID | 263295 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Merrill J Melnick |
| GIVEN NAMES | Merrill J |
| FAMILY NAME | Melnick |
| SIGNATURE | MELNICK M J |
| AFFILIATIONS | State University of New York |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 26 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 183 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 26 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1975 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| H-INDEX | 9 |
An examination of sport fandom in Australia
To examine sport fandom in Australia, a convenience sample of 163 university students (62% males, 38% females, M = 21.3) attending a large, multi-sector institution located in a western suburb of Melbourne voluntarily completed a 25-item questionnaire survey which included the Sport Fandom Questionnaire ( Wann, 2002 ) and the Sport Spectator Identification Scale ( Wann and Branscombe, 1993 ). Descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that m…
Athletic Involvement and Adolescent Delinquency
Untangling the Links among Athletic Involvement, Gender, Race, and Adolescent Academic Outcomes
Although previous research has established that high school sports participation may be associated with positive academic outcomes, the parameters of the relationship remain unclear. Using a longitudinal sample of nearly 600 Western New York adolescents, this study examined gender- and race-specific differences in the impact of two dimensions of adolescent athletic involvement ("jock" identity and athlete status) on changes in school grades and s…
Gender/Racial Differences in Jock Identity, Dating, and Adolescent Sexual Risk
High School Athletic Participation and Adolescent Suicide
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among US adolescents aged 15-24, with males incurring higher rates of completion than females. This study used hierarchical logistic regression analysis to test whether athletic participation was associated with lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior among a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 US public and private high school students. Net of the effects of age, race/ethnicity, paren…
A Comparison of Health Risk Behavior in Adolescent Users of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, by Gender and Athlete Status
Contrary to popular assumption, adolescent anabolic-androgenic steroid use is not limited to serious male athletes. This paper examines the relationships among gender, athletic participation, and health-related problem behaviors among adolescent steroid users. Regression analyses were performed on a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 high school students (the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey), of whom nearly 500 had used steroids. Com…
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Predicting Adolescent Sexual Risk
Though often conflated, informal physical exercise and organized athletic participation have very different implications for adolescent sexual risk outcomes. The purpose of this research is to disaggregate strenuous exercise from sports, examine how each is associated with sexual risk, and explain the observed differences using the conceptual lens of cultural resource theory. Using a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 public and priv…
Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use and other Adolescent Problem Behaviors
Based on a national sample of over 16,000 public and private high school students (the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey), we used logistic regression analysis to examine relationships among anabolicandrogenic steroid use and other problem behaviors for female and male athletes and nonathletes. After controlling for age, race/ethnicity, parental educational attainment, urbanicity, and recent exercise, users had significantly greater odds of engagin…
Globalization American-Style and Reference Idol Selection
While there have been significant refinements in the scholarly development of the sport and Americanization/globalization literature in recent years, the individual, psychosocial consequences resulting from the intersection of global forces and local cultures remain largely unexplored. A sample of 510 New Zealand youth (average age = 14.5 yrs) was administered a survey instrument to identify their public heroes and heroines (reference idols), tha…
Sport Fans
1. An Introduction to the Study of Sport Fans Defining and classifying sport fans Demographic and personality traits of sport fans The pervasiveness and impact of sport in today's society Overview of the remainder of the text PART I: The Desire to Follow Sport, Teams, and Athletes 2. Becoming a Sport Fan Socialization into the role of sport fan Sport fan motivation Some final thoughts 3. Becoming a Sport Spectator Theoretical approaches to sport …
Sports, Sexual Behavior, Contraceptive Use, and Pregnancy among Female and Male High School Students
In this paper, we examine the relationships among athletic participation and sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and pregnancy in female and male high school students. Analyses of covariance and multiple analyses of covariance were performed on a nationally representative sample of 8,979 high school students (the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey). After controlling for race and ethnicity, age, and mother’s education, girls who participated in spor…
Athletic Participation and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents
Using multivariate analysis of covariance to test hypotheses about the effects of sports and sexual behavior on a sample of 611 Western New York adolescents, this study concludes that athletic participation and gender interact to influence adolescent sexual outcomes. Female athletes report significantly lower rates of sexual activity than female nonathletes; male athletes report slightly (though not significantly) higher rates than male nonathlet…
Maori Women and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Netball
In order to test Hallinan’s “Anglocentric Hypothesis,” New Zealand head coaches of female netball union teams completed two mailed questionnaires. The statistical analysis was based on 177 European (69.1%) and 79 Maori (30.9%) players. An overall chi-square for Race x Playing Position was nonsignificant, χ 2 (6) = 8.40. Specifically, Europeans were nonsignificantly overrepresented at center, the most central, highest interacting position. Occupan…
The Maori People and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Rugby Football
In order to test the Anglocentric Hypothesis, namely, that stacking is likely to be found in anglocized societies with a history of structural inequalities and discrimination against minorities, positional segregation among New Zealand Maori rugby players was investigated. In general, little evidence was found to support a belief that racial ideology underlies the assignment of playing positions at the provincial level. The results are discussed …
The Effects of Formal Structure on Leadership Recruitment
The relationship between positional placement and team captaincy was examined for a population of 27 New Zealand provincial rugby teams for the years 1984, 1988, and 1992 (N = 76 player captains). Results revealed that the two most spatially central positions (i.e., No. 8 and halfback) accounted for 35.5% of the captains (n = 27), whereas, the three most peripheral spatial positions (i.e., center, wing and fullback) did not yield a single captain…
High School Athletic Participation and Postsecondary Educational and Occupational Mobility
This study examines the impact of race and gender differences on the social mobility of high school athletes using the longitudinal, panel data of the High School and Beyond study. Regressions of educational and occupational attainment measures on sports participation were estimated for subgroups differentiated by race/ethnic status, gender, and school location (urban, suburban, and rural). It was found that participation in high school sports wa…
Among the Thugs
Effects of Interscholastic Athletic Participation on the Social, Educational, and Career Mobility of Hispanic Girls and Boys
This study examined the social, educational, and career mobility effects of interscholastic athletic participation on subsamples of Hispanic girls and boys drawn from the High School and Beyond Study (U.S. Department of Education), a 1980 national, longitudinal survey of 14,366 sophomores enrolled in 1,015 public and private schools across the United States. These same students were then contacted for follow-up data collection in their senior yea…
The Sports Fan
Sports Spectators
Developmental Effects of Athletic Participation among High School Girls
This study examined the impact of athletic participation on the academic, social, and social–psychological development of high school girls. A panel design and multistage sampling were used to assess the effect of athletic participation on perceived popularity, sex-role attitudes, psychological well-being, sociability, delinquency, academic achievement, educational aspiration, and extracurricular involvement. Data were obtained from transcript re…
Racial Segregation by Playing Position in the English Football League
Over the last 17 years, research has shown that blacks are significantly underrepresented in spatially central playing positions in major league baseball and professional and college football. The present study extends the research literature by analyzing the racial characteristics of playing positions in English football (soccer). Data were obtained from 468 1st Division players. Chi-square analysis revealed that blacks were overrepresented at t…
Analysis of Free Communications Presented at the First Seven NASSS Annual Meetings
An analysis of the 434 free communications by the 575 presenters at the first seven annual meetings of NASSS (1980–1986) reveals several important patterns and trends with respect to (a) number of free communications, (b) number of presenters, (c) presenter’s sex, (d) presenter’s institutional affiliation, and (e) dual and multiple authorships. A classification of the free communications by subject matter reveals which research topics are of curr…
The Mythology of Football Hooliganism
It is argued in this essay that the nature and severity of the football hooliganism problem in Great Britain has been largely overstated by the popular press and unjustly elevated to the status of a major social problem by the State. Eight myths of football hooliganism are identified, described and challenged on the basis of the available theoretical and empirical data. This critical examination of the official definitions and taken-for-granted a…
Toward an Applied Sociology of Sport
The development of the academic sub-discipline sociology of sport over the past 15 years, while noteworthy in many respects, has been characterized by a noticeable disinterest in an applied perspective. In this essay, arguments which support the initiation of such a research paradigm are juxtaposed with a discussion of selected counterforces which make such a possibility problematic. Specifically, it is suggested that (1) the 'court ship' of soci…
Athletic Participation and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents
Using multivariate analysis of covariance to test hypotheses about the effects of sports and sexual behavior on a sample of 611 Western New York adolescents, this study concludes that athletic participation and gender interact to influence adolescent sexual outcomes. Female athletes report significantly lower rates of sexual activity than female nonathletes; male athletes report slightly (though not significantly) higher rates than male nonathlet…
High School Athletic Participation and Postsecondary Educational and Occupational Mobility
This study examines the impact of race and gender differences on the social mobility of high school athletes using the longitudinal, panel data of the High School and Beyond study. Regressions of educational and occupational attainment measures on sports participation were estimated for subgroups differentiated by race/ethnic status, gender, and school location (urban, suburban, and rural). It was found that participation in high school sports wa…
Untangling the Links among Athletic Involvement, Gender, Race, and Adolescent Academic Outcomes
Although previous research has established that high school sports participation may be associated with positive academic outcomes, the parameters of the relationship remain unclear. Using a longitudinal sample of nearly 600 Western New York adolescents, this study examined gender- and race-specific differences in the impact of two dimensions of adolescent athletic involvement ("jock" identity and athlete status) on changes in school grades and s…
Sports, Sexual Behavior, Contraceptive Use, and Pregnancy among Female and Male High School Students
In this paper, we examine the relationships among athletic participation and sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and pregnancy in female and male high school students. Analyses of covariance and multiple analyses of covariance were performed on a nationally representative sample of 8,979 high school students (the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey). After controlling for race and ethnicity, age, and mother’s education, girls who participated in spor…
Developmental Effects of Athletic Participation among High School Girls
This study examined the impact of athletic participation on the academic, social, and social–psychological development of high school girls. A panel design and multistage sampling were used to assess the effect of athletic participation on perceived popularity, sex-role attitudes, psychological well-being, sociability, delinquency, academic achievement, educational aspiration, and extracurricular involvement. Data were obtained from transcript re…
Athletic Involvement and Adolescent Delinquency
Racial Segregation by Playing Position in the English Football League
Over the last 17 years, research has shown that blacks are significantly underrepresented in spatially central playing positions in major league baseball and professional and college football. The present study extends the research literature by analyzing the racial characteristics of playing positions in English football (soccer). Data were obtained from 468 1st Division players. Chi-square analysis revealed that blacks were overrepresented at t…
Gender/Racial Differences in Jock Identity, Dating, and Adolescent Sexual Risk
Globalization American-Style and Reference Idol Selection
While there have been significant refinements in the scholarly development of the sport and Americanization/globalization literature in recent years, the individual, psychosocial consequences resulting from the intersection of global forces and local cultures remain largely unexplored. A sample of 510 New Zealand youth (average age = 14.5 yrs) was administered a survey instrument to identify their public heroes and heroines (reference idols), tha…
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Predicting Adolescent Sexual Risk
Though often conflated, informal physical exercise and organized athletic participation have very different implications for adolescent sexual risk outcomes. The purpose of this research is to disaggregate strenuous exercise from sports, examine how each is associated with sexual risk, and explain the observed differences using the conceptual lens of cultural resource theory. Using a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 public and priv…
Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use and other Adolescent Problem Behaviors
Based on a national sample of over 16,000 public and private high school students (the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey), we used logistic regression analysis to examine relationships among anabolicandrogenic steroid use and other problem behaviors for female and male athletes and nonathletes. After controlling for age, race/ethnicity, parental educational attainment, urbanicity, and recent exercise, users had significantly greater odds of engagin…
An examination of sport fandom in Australia
To examine sport fandom in Australia, a convenience sample of 163 university students (62% males, 38% females, M = 21.3) attending a large, multi-sector institution located in a western suburb of Melbourne voluntarily completed a 25-item questionnaire survey which included the Sport Fandom Questionnaire ( Wann, 2002 ) and the Sport Spectator Identification Scale ( Wann and Branscombe, 1993 ). Descriptive and inferential statistics revealed that m…
Maori Women and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Netball
In order to test Hallinan’s “Anglocentric Hypothesis,” New Zealand head coaches of female netball union teams completed two mailed questionnaires. The statistical analysis was based on 177 European (69.1%) and 79 Maori (30.9%) players. An overall chi-square for Race x Playing Position was nonsignificant, χ 2 (6) = 8.40. Specifically, Europeans were nonsignificantly overrepresented at center, the most central, highest interacting position. Occupan…
High School Athletic Participation and Adolescent Suicide
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among US adolescents aged 15-24, with males incurring higher rates of completion than females. This study used hierarchical logistic regression analysis to test whether athletic participation was associated with lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior among a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 US public and private high school students. Net of the effects of age, race/ethnicity, paren…
The Maori People and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Rugby Football
In order to test the Anglocentric Hypothesis, namely, that stacking is likely to be found in anglocized societies with a history of structural inequalities and discrimination against minorities, positional segregation among New Zealand Maori rugby players was investigated. In general, little evidence was found to support a belief that racial ideology underlies the assignment of playing positions at the provincial level. The results are discussed …
Toward an Applied Sociology of Sport
The development of the academic sub-discipline sociology of sport over the past 15 years, while noteworthy in many respects, has been characterized by a noticeable disinterest in an applied perspective. In this essay, arguments which support the initiation of such a research paradigm are juxtaposed with a discussion of selected counterforces which make such a possibility problematic. Specifically, it is suggested that (1) the 'court ship' of soci…
Effects of Interscholastic Athletic Participation on the Social, Educational, and Career Mobility of Hispanic Girls and Boys
This study examined the social, educational, and career mobility effects of interscholastic athletic participation on subsamples of Hispanic girls and boys drawn from the High School and Beyond Study (U.S. Department of Education), a 1980 national, longitudinal survey of 14,366 sophomores enrolled in 1,015 public and private schools across the United States. These same students were then contacted for follow-up data collection in their senior yea…
Analysis of Free Communications Presented at the First Seven NASSS Annual Meetings
An analysis of the 434 free communications by the 575 presenters at the first seven annual meetings of NASSS (1980–1986) reveals several important patterns and trends with respect to (a) number of free communications, (b) number of presenters, (c) presenter’s sex, (d) presenter’s institutional affiliation, and (e) dual and multiple authorships. A classification of the free communications by subject matter reveals which research topics are of curr…
The Mythology of Football Hooliganism
It is argued in this essay that the nature and severity of the football hooliganism problem in Great Britain has been largely overstated by the popular press and unjustly elevated to the status of a major social problem by the State. Eight myths of football hooliganism are identified, described and challenged on the basis of the available theoretical and empirical data. This critical examination of the official definitions and taken-for-granted a…
The Effects of Formal Structure on Leadership Recruitment
The relationship between positional placement and team captaincy was examined for a population of 27 New Zealand provincial rugby teams for the years 1984, 1988, and 1992 (N = 76 player captains). Results revealed that the two most spatially central positions (i.e., No. 8 and halfback) accounted for 35.5% of the captains (n = 27), whereas, the three most peripheral spatial positions (i.e., center, wing and fullback) did not yield a single captain…
The Sports Fan
Sport and Society
Toward an Applied Sociology of Sport
The development of the academic sub-discipline sociology of sport over the past 15 years, while noteworthy in many respects, has been characterized by a noticeable disinterest in an applied perspective. In this essay, arguments which support the initiation of such a research paradigm are juxtaposed with a discussion of selected counterforces which make such a possibility problematic. Specifically, it is suggested that (1) the 'court ship' of soci…
The Mythology of Football Hooliganism
It is argued in this essay that the nature and severity of the football hooliganism problem in Great Britain has been largely overstated by the popular press and unjustly elevated to the status of a major social problem by the State. Eight myths of football hooliganism are identified, described and challenged on the basis of the available theoretical and empirical data. This critical examination of the official definitions and taken-for-granted a…
Analysis of Free Communications Presented at the First Seven NASSS Annual Meetings
An analysis of the 434 free communications by the 575 presenters at the first seven annual meetings of NASSS (1980–1986) reveals several important patterns and trends with respect to (a) number of free communications, (b) number of presenters, (c) presenter’s sex, (d) presenter’s institutional affiliation, and (e) dual and multiple authorships. A classification of the free communications by subject matter reveals which research topics are of curr…
Sports Spectators
Developmental Effects of Athletic Participation among High School Girls
This study examined the impact of athletic participation on the academic, social, and social–psychological development of high school girls. A panel design and multistage sampling were used to assess the effect of athletic participation on perceived popularity, sex-role attitudes, psychological well-being, sociability, delinquency, academic achievement, educational aspiration, and extracurricular involvement. Data were obtained from transcript re…
Racial Segregation by Playing Position in the English Football League
Over the last 17 years, research has shown that blacks are significantly underrepresented in spatially central playing positions in major league baseball and professional and college football. The present study extends the research literature by analyzing the racial characteristics of playing positions in English football (soccer). Data were obtained from 468 1st Division players. Chi-square analysis revealed that blacks were overrepresented at t…
The Sports Fan
Effects of Interscholastic Athletic Participation on the Social, Educational, and Career Mobility of Hispanic Girls and Boys
This study examined the social, educational, and career mobility effects of interscholastic athletic participation on subsamples of Hispanic girls and boys drawn from the High School and Beyond Study (U.S. Department of Education), a 1980 national, longitudinal survey of 14,366 sophomores enrolled in 1,015 public and private schools across the United States. These same students were then contacted for follow-up data collection in their senior yea…
High School Athletic Participation and Postsecondary Educational and Occupational Mobility
This study examines the impact of race and gender differences on the social mobility of high school athletes using the longitudinal, panel data of the High School and Beyond study. Regressions of educational and occupational attainment measures on sports participation were estimated for subgroups differentiated by race/ethnic status, gender, and school location (urban, suburban, and rural). It was found that participation in high school sports wa…
Among the Thugs
Maori Women and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Netball
In order to test Hallinan’s “Anglocentric Hypothesis,” New Zealand head coaches of female netball union teams completed two mailed questionnaires. The statistical analysis was based on 177 European (69.1%) and 79 Maori (30.9%) players. An overall chi-square for Race x Playing Position was nonsignificant, χ 2 (6) = 8.40. Specifically, Europeans were nonsignificantly overrepresented at center, the most central, highest interacting position. Occupan…
The Maori People and Positional Segregation in New Zealand Rugby Football
In order to test the Anglocentric Hypothesis, namely, that stacking is likely to be found in anglocized societies with a history of structural inequalities and discrimination against minorities, positional segregation among New Zealand Maori rugby players was investigated. In general, little evidence was found to support a belief that racial ideology underlies the assignment of playing positions at the provincial level. The results are discussed …
The Effects of Formal Structure on Leadership Recruitment
The relationship between positional placement and team captaincy was examined for a population of 27 New Zealand provincial rugby teams for the years 1984, 1988, and 1992 (N = 76 player captains). Results revealed that the two most spatially central positions (i.e., No. 8 and halfback) accounted for 35.5% of the captains (n = 27), whereas, the three most peripheral spatial positions (i.e., center, wing and fullback) did not yield a single captain…
Athletic Participation and Sexual Behavior in Adolescents
Using multivariate analysis of covariance to test hypotheses about the effects of sports and sexual behavior on a sample of 611 Western New York adolescents, this study concludes that athletic participation and gender interact to influence adolescent sexual outcomes. Female athletes report significantly lower rates of sexual activity than female nonathletes; male athletes report slightly (though not significantly) higher rates than male nonathlet…
Sports, Sexual Behavior, Contraceptive Use, and Pregnancy among Female and Male High School Students
In this paper, we examine the relationships among athletic participation and sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and pregnancy in female and male high school students. Analyses of covariance and multiple analyses of covariance were performed on a nationally representative sample of 8,979 high school students (the 1995 Youth Risk Behavior Survey). After controlling for race and ethnicity, age, and mother’s education, girls who participated in spor…
Sport Fans
1. An Introduction to the Study of Sport Fans Defining and classifying sport fans Demographic and personality traits of sport fans The pervasiveness and impact of sport in today's society Overview of the remainder of the text PART I: The Desire to Follow Sport, Teams, and Athletes 2. Becoming a Sport Fan Socialization into the role of sport fan Sport fan motivation Some final thoughts 3. Becoming a Sport Spectator Theoretical approaches to sport …
A Comparison of Health Risk Behavior in Adolescent Users of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids, by Gender and Athlete Status
Contrary to popular assumption, adolescent anabolic-androgenic steroid use is not limited to serious male athletes. This paper examines the relationships among gender, athletic participation, and health-related problem behaviors among adolescent steroid users. Regression analyses were performed on a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 high school students (the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey), of whom nearly 500 had used steroids. Com…
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Predicting Adolescent Sexual Risk
Though often conflated, informal physical exercise and organized athletic participation have very different implications for adolescent sexual risk outcomes. The purpose of this research is to disaggregate strenuous exercise from sports, examine how each is associated with sexual risk, and explain the observed differences using the conceptual lens of cultural resource theory. Using a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 public and priv…
Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use and other Adolescent Problem Behaviors
Based on a national sample of over 16,000 public and private high school students (the 1997 Youth Risk Behavior Survey), we used logistic regression analysis to examine relationships among anabolicandrogenic steroid use and other problem behaviors for female and male athletes and nonathletes. After controlling for age, race/ethnicity, parental educational attainment, urbanicity, and recent exercise, users had significantly greater odds of engagin…
Globalization American-Style and Reference Idol Selection
While there have been significant refinements in the scholarly development of the sport and Americanization/globalization literature in recent years, the individual, psychosocial consequences resulting from the intersection of global forces and local cultures remain largely unexplored. A sample of 510 New Zealand youth (average age = 14.5 yrs) was administered a survey instrument to identify their public heroes and heroines (reference idols), tha…
Untangling the Links among Athletic Involvement, Gender, Race, and Adolescent Academic Outcomes
Although previous research has established that high school sports participation may be associated with positive academic outcomes, the parameters of the relationship remain unclear. Using a longitudinal sample of nearly 600 Western New York adolescents, this study examined gender- and race-specific differences in the impact of two dimensions of adolescent athletic involvement ("jock" identity and athlete status) on changes in school grades and s…
Gender/Racial Differences in Jock Identity, Dating, and Adolescent Sexual Risk
High School Athletic Participation and Adolescent Suicide
Suicide is the third leading cause of death among US adolescents aged 15-24, with males incurring higher rates of completion than females. This study used hierarchical logistic regression analysis to test whether athletic participation was associated with lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior among a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 US public and private high school students. Net of the effects of age, race/ethnicity, paren…
Athletic Involvement and Adolescent Delinquency
Psychology (19 works) · Sociology (18 works) · Sports, Gender, and Society (18 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts (11 works) · Demography (10 works) · Medicine (9 works) · Political science (9 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Developmental psychology (8 works)