As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 79,000 lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed.
Try it risk-freeAlready registered? Log in here for access
Dana teaches social sciences at the college level and English and psychology at the high school level. She has master's degrees in applied, clinical and community psychology.
Have you ever played on an athletic team? If so, think about your experiences on that team for a moment. Who else was on the team? Did they live near you or attend the same school? What sport did the team play?
These questions provide a glimpse into some important sociocultural aspects of a team. The term sociocultural refers to both the societal and cultural factors related to a behavior. These factors can tell us a lot about people and the ways in which they behave.
Participation in physical activity follows trends throughout society and within various cultures. For example, American football is very different from European and Latin American football, so different in fact that Americans call their counterparts' sport 'soccer.' This is an example of a sociocultural difference in physical activity because the participation is different based on where the person lives.
It's important to note that other sociocultural factors can influence physical activity. For example, people of lower income are less likely to engage in physical activity, as are racial minorities. Gender can account for different levels of physical activity, and age is often a factor as well, with young people being more involved in physical activity than older people.
Now that we understand what the sociocultural aspects of physical activity are and some factors that influence it, let's take a closer look at the sociocultural benefits of participating in physical activity.
Most of us know that physical activity is good for our bodies and our health. But have you ever considered the sociocultural benefits of physical activity? Think about your experiences playing a sport on a team again for a moment. Was it fun? Were your teammates also your friends? Did you work together to achieve a common goal? These questions provide clues about some of the sociocultural benefits of participating in physical activity. These benefits include social inclusion, stronger communities, and reduced healthcare costs.
Participating in physical activities can contribute to feelings of self-esteem and belonging. Let's say that you're a runner. Even if you usually run alone, you belong to a large community of runners with a common interest. This camaraderie, or sense of belonging, creates feelings of social inclusion. The social inclusion created by participating in physical activity can help to unite people, families, and communities. This happens regardless of income, age, culture, or ability. We discussed football earlier in the lesson. No matter which version of the sport is played, participants and spectators rally together to support their team. This exemplifies the sociocultural benefit of social inclusion.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that physical activity can help prevent or at least minimize the symptoms of some physical and mental illness. Therefore, we can conclude that communities with high levels of participation in physical activity will have lower rates of physical and mental illness. What's more, the California Parks Department has found that an increase in physical activity decreases crime rates and brings higher rates of volunteerism among citizens. Stated simply, participating in physical activity is good for your body and mind. As a result, the rates of physical and mental illness tend to be lower in communities with physically active citizens.
Health may also be related to the lower incidence of crime, specifically mental health. Crime rates tend to be higher among the mentally ill. The United States Bureau of Justice Statistics has found 73% of female prisoners and 55% of male prisoners to be mentally ill. Age could also be a factor because young people who engage in physical activity have lower rates of drug abuse and criminal activity than those who are inactive, according to the California Parks Department. However, the reduction in crime likely relates back to the increase in social inclusion. When people are more connected, they watch out for one another. This may explain why rates of volunteerism are higher in physically active communities as well.
We mentioned earlier that physically active people are healthier. This means that they have lower rates of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, and anxiety, among many other ailments. People who are healthy do not need to go to the doctor as often.
The uptick in mental and physical health that results from physical activity decreases health care costs for all. A reduction in health care costs can leave a surplus of funds for other causes within a community. In other words, instead of spending money on sick people, physically active communities may be able to use those funds for education, recreation, or some other positive additions to the community that benefit citizens.
Let's take a second or two to briefly recap what we've learned in this lesson. The term sociocultural refers to the societal and cultural aspects of a behavior. Sociocultural factors can influence physical activity, and participation in physical activity produces sociocultural benefits. Social inclusion, or a sense of belonging to the community, is a major sociocultural benefit of physical activity. Others benefits include strengthened communities and reduced health care costs.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Already a member? Log In
BackAlready registered? Log in here for access
Did you know… We have over 200 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level.
To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page
Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.
Back To Course
AEPA Physical Education (NT506): Practice & Study Guide19 chapters | 145 lessons | 13 flashcard sets
{{courseNav.course.topics.length}} chapters | {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? 's' : ''}}
| 30 day money back guarantee | ||||
|
Starting
Original Price |
/yr | /mo | ||
| Just Just | /day | |||
| Parent Admin Account | $0 | /mo | ||
| /yr | /mo | |||
|
Starting
Original Price |
/yr | /mo | ||
| Discount For months |
- % - | / | ||
| Referral Credit | - | |||
|
Price after trial Starting Price starting today |
/ | |||
| Referral Credit |
- | |||
| Price starting today | / | |||
| Just Just | Just Just | /day | ||
| 30 day money back guarantee | ||
| Save % off monthly plan | /mo | |
| Just | /mo | |
| Price | /yr | |
Your Cart is Empty. Please Choose a Product.
Watch 5 minute video clips, get step by step explanations, take practice quizzes and tests to master any topic.
Study.com has a library of 550,000 questions and answers for covering your toughest textbook problems
I love the way expert tutors clearly explains the answers to my homework questions. Keep up the good work!
- Maritess, College StudentStudy.com video lessons have helped over 30 million students.
"I learned more in 10 minutes than 1 month of chemistry classes"
- Ashlee P.
"I learned more in 10 minutes than 1 month of chemistry classes"
- Ashlee P.
"I aced the CLEP exam and earned 3 college credits!"
- Clair S.
Over 65 million users have prepared for {{displayNameByProductKey[registrationData.product || testPrepCocoon]}} and other exams on Study.com
"The videos have changed the way I teach! The videos on Study.com accomplish in 5 minutes what would take me an entire class."
- Chris F.
Over 65 million users have prepared for {{displayNameByProductKey[registrationData.product || testPrepCocoon]}} and other exams on Study.com
Over 65 million users have prepared for {{displayNameByProductKey[registrationData.product || testPrepCocoon]}} and other exams on Study.com
