Sports, Aggression, and Steroids

1. Sports, Aggression, and Steroids

2. Evolution of Aggression

3. VS VS

4. Animal Studies- Moyer Environment, brain circuits, and stimuli are all involved in defining aggressive behavior • 1. Territorial defense • 2. Predatory aggression • 3. Inter-male aggression • 4. Fear-induced aggression • 5. Irritable aggression • 6. Maternal aggression • 7. Instrumental aggression

5. Animal Studies- Paul Brian Focused on utility of aggressive behavior. • 1. Self-defensive behavior • 2. Social conflict • 3. Predatory attack • 4. Parental defense • 5. Reproductive termination

6. Human aggression vs. animal aggression Humans are the only primates who kill their own kind?

7. Aggression as a solution to adaptive problems • 1. Aggression is a means to gain resources that are valuable for survival and reproduction • 2. aggression can be used to defend against an attack • 3. Aggression occurs between same-sex rivals who want the same resources.

8. Aggression as a solution to adaptive problems • 4. Aggression increases a person’s status within a social construct • 5. Using aggression in building a reputation deters attacks • 6. Aggression deters long term mates from sexual infidelity

9. Almost all aspects of aggression lead to reproductive success. • Palmer and Tilley studied number of sex partners of males in gangs and males not in gangs • Yanamoma- unokais( those who have killed) have more wives than non-unokais of the same age

10. Darwin • Natural Selection • Variation • Inheritance • Selection • Reproductive success- The relative production of offspring by a particular genotype. Fitness describes the capability of an individual of certain genotype to reproduce, and usually is equal to the proportion of the individual's genes in all the genes of the next generation. If differences in individual genotypes affect fitness, then the frequencies of the genotypes will change over generations; the genotypes with higher fitness become more common. This process is called natural selection.

11. Charles Darwin and company William Erasmus Darwin Anne Elizabeth Darwin Mary Eleanor Darwin Henrietta Emma "Etty" Darwin George Howard Darwin Elizabeth "Bessy" Darwin Francis Darwin Leonard Darwin Horace Darwin Charles Waring Darwin + =

12. Sports and Aggression • 2. aggression can be used to defend against an attack • 3. Aggression occurs between same-sex rivals who want the same resources. • 4. Aggression increases a person’s status within a social construct

14. Law and Policy Modifying Aggression

15. Laws are a proactive means to modify prohibited acts of aggression and unethical/ unsportsmanlike conduct.

16. History In the football season of 1906 eighteen players died due to the volatile nature of the sport and several more were seriously hurt (Conrad). President Teddy Roosevelt became concerned by the violence and summoned sports officials from several colleges to encourage reform. From that the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the U.S. (National Collegiate Athletics Association) was formed (“History”).

17. NCAA The core purposeof the NCAA is “to govern competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.”

18. NCAA One of the measures they take to ensure the good sportsmanship is through their policies on sportsmanship and ethical conduct:

20. National Basketball Association A player shall not hold, push, charge into, impede the progress of an opponent by extending a hand, forearm, leg or knee or by bending the body into a position that is not normal. Contact that results in the rerouting of an opponent is a foul which must be called immediately. A technical foul shall be assessed for unsportsmanlike tactics such as: (1) Disrespectfully addressing an official (2) Physically contacting an official (3) Overt actions indicating resentment to a call (4) Use of profanity (5) A deliberately-thrown elbow or any attempted physical act with no contact involved

21. Major League Baseball “To pitch at a batter's head is unsportsmanlike and highly dangerous. It should be and is condemned by everybody.”

22. National Football League Unacceptable behavior: “Grasping facemask of the ball carrier or quarterback.” “Running into kicker.” “Holding, illegal use of hands, arms, or body by offense.” “A tackler using his helmet to butt, spear, or ram an opponent.”

23. Wake Forest University When participating in intercollegiate athletics competition, you are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship. Your coach will instruct you in positive techniques for communicating with officials and opponents. You will be informed how to react to the aggressive or unsportsmanlike actions of others.

24. Wake Forest University • The Department of Athletics enforces its guidelines related to sportsmanlike conduct. You must avoid actions that display unsportsmanlike behavior. Some of these behaviors are as follows: • Physical abuse of an official, coach, athlete, opponent or spectator • Directing obscene or inappropriate language or gestures to officials, opponents, team members or spectators • Any action which violates generally recognized intercollegiate athletics standards or the values and standards associated with Wake Forest University, or as determined by any individual Head Coach and approved by the Director of Athletics

25. University of Arizona “The University of Arizona Department of Intercollegiate Athletics embraces the National Collegiate Athletic Association's ‘Principle of Sportsmanship and Ethical Conduct’ and believes that student-athletes, coaches and staff should adhere to such fundamental values as respect, fairness, civility, honesty and responsibility.”

26. Effective?

27. Aggression in Sports A Present-Day Application

28. Moral Reasoning During Competition- Exception to the Rules? • The negative effects of competition on morals- Reduces productivity among peers and between opposing groups, reduces levels of cooperation, increases feelings of antagonism. • It is not necessary to eliminate competition, but it can destroy conflict resolution when unrestrained. • Sporting events are accepted as a setting in which everyday societal morals no longer apply- both from the crowd and the athletes. • Fierce competition encourages a level of aggression that precludes critical reflection of moral values and behavior.

29. But Sports Provide A Healthy Release of Anger • Robber’s Cave Experiment • Group of 11 and 12 year old boys at summer camp • Split into two groups and over a period of a few days, they took part in a tournament of competitive sports such as baseball, football and tug of war • Winners were offered prizes, losers received nothing • Tournament began with good sportsmanship, but soon degraded into a “vicious contest in which the sole aim was to win and in which the competitors became increasingly seen as a bunch of incorrigible cheats”

30. Aggression in Collegiate Sports

31. Aggression in Collegiate SportsSexual Abuse and Campus Violence • Study at a large midwestern university • Though male athletes make up less than 2% of the population on campus, they represent 23% of the men accused of sexual assault. • Biggest problem is the acceptance of rape myth among college students. • Nearly 50% of male college athletes interviewed believed that women who report rape are lying • Male athletes were also significantly more likely to agree that athletes were unfairly targeted • Coons et al. (1995) examined the relationship between violations of residence hall disciplinary codes and whether a football game was recently hosted on campus • Results indicated higher incidence of residence hall violations after a home game • Support for the theory that exposure to aggression is related to increases in aggressive behavior.

32. Aggression in Collegiate SportsCauses and Implications • The socializing influence of roles • The phenomena of stereotyped “roles” ie. the athlete, the sorority girl, the techie geek, are especially dominate in a college setting • Social Roles- the set of behaviors expected of people in certain positions. • Aggression is expected from people in certain social roles – ie. Athletes • People placed in one of those roles may become more aggressive as a consequence of adhering to their expected role. • Special Treatment? • Bestowed upon athletes at some institutions based upon their athletic status • This special status enables student athletes the advantage of special admissions criteria, special academic advisement and support, separate and better living and dining facilities, and a celebrity social status • It also can confer sexual privileges including more frequent sexual contacts and a greater number of consensual partners than non-athletes enjoy • This sexual status becomes abusive when the athlete generalizes access to all women but then the privilege is denied by an unwilling participant

33. Aggression in College SportsThe Spillover Theory • When the use of violence and aggression is sanctioned in one setting of an individual’s life, their usage may carry over to other settings of that individual’s life • Bloom and Smith (1996): interviewed a group of Canadian collegiate hockey players about their use and endorsement of aggression in non-hockey settings • The results indicated that the players from the most competitive leagues were significantly more likely to endorse the use of aggression. • These results support the theory that prolonged exposure to intense aggression in sport can cause a lapse in moral judgment that extends beyond the athlete’s game. • More competitive players are also encouraged and pressured to be aggressive, which causes an increase in the appeal of strength-enhancing alternative such as steroids and other sources of supplemental hormones.

34. A History of Violence- Aggression in Professional Sports

35. If You Give an Athlete a Contract… • Reward/Punishment for Behavior • NBA commentators suggested that it is okay to be a good guy off the court but one must be tough and aggressive on the court • Athletes described as “True gentlemen of the NBA … as long as you don’t have to play against them. You know they’re great off the court; on the court, every single guy out there should be a killer” • When players were not doing well, they were described as “hesitant” and lacking aggression, emotion and desire. • Players who get “cleaned out” or “wiped out” by a blocker were often shown on replays • Give it up for the team • Athletes who are “playing with pain,” “giving up their body for the team,” or engaging in obviously highly dangerous plays are consistently framed as heroes. • NBA player Isaiah Rider lauded for having “heart” for “playing with that knee injury” • Sports = war • Commentators use martial metaphors and the language of war and weaponry to describe sports action. • Monday Night Football broadcasts are introduced with explosive graphics and an opening song that includes the lyrics “Like a rocket burning through time and space… NFLs best will rock this place… the battle lines are drawn. • Show Some Guts! • Commentators depict and replay exciting incidents of athletes engaging in reckless acts of speed, showing guts in the face of danger, big hits and violent crashes • When one race ended in a crash, it was repeated over and over in slow motion with the commentators describing the event as “unbelivable” and “original”

36. Part Deux- Beyond the Players

37. Aggression, Sports and the Workplace

38. Sports and the infiltration of the business sector • Corporate entities often emulate athletic game conduct • Business people often consider themselves engaged in a competitive game • Business jargon is full of athletic euphemisms and metaphors • Used to describe problem solving • "attack the problem," "tackle the issue," "take a stab at it," "wrestle it to the ground," "get on top of it." • Used to describe argumentative colleagues • we complain that they "shot down our idea," "took pot shots at us," "used us for target practice," or that "we got killed." • In the face of opposition, we • "back down," "retreat," or "regroup." • problem-solving sessions become war zones, competing ideas are enemies, and problems are viewed as weapons to blame and defeat opposing forces.

39. The Crazed Fan Syndrome

40. Sport Fan Aggression • Team identification: a fan’s psychological connection to a team • Highly identified fans are more likely to act aggressively • They are particularly likely to attempt to influence the outcome of sporting events and they believe that their actions can be successful • Experiment by Russell and Baenninger (1996) • Studied the likelihood of reporting a willingness to commit anonymous violent acts as it relates to specific personalities and demographic variables (gender and irritability) • Data provided strong support for the prediction that highly identified sports fans would be particularly likely to admit a willingness to injure a player or a coach of a rival team anonymously • Gladiators of Corporate America • Theaters of blood • Much like in the time of the Romans, still exist today: we may not stive for the athletes to slaughter each other, but we often attend in hopes that they will • The arena at a convenient distance • We no longer use “subhuman” slaves to entertain us with their bloodspill, but the television is a means to dehumanize the players and distance ourselves from violence. • The drive to play • We no longer force athletes into blood sports against their will, but we make the monetary rewards so enticing that athletes become willing to risk their limbs and lives for our benefit

41. General Steroid Information

42. Steroid Origins • Discovered inadvertently by a German scientist in 1930 • First known reference to steroids was in a Strength and Health magazine in 1938 • FDA approved a steroid named Dianabol in 1958 after promising trials in other countries • Used as a child growth stimulant in 1960, stopped in 1980 when realized it actually has the opposite affect • In 1990 several pharmaceutical companies stopped manufacturing the drug • At this time counterfeit versions of the drug filled with anything from vegetable oil to toxic substances were sold using realistic labels made from computers • In 1991 Anabolic Steroids were put on the Controlled Substance Act • In 2005 act is revised to make it a federal offense to be in possession of the drug

43. Reasons For Steroid Use • Medicinal Purposes • Increased Athletic Performance • Improved Appearance

44. How Steroids Work • Steroids once in the body moves through the cell membrane • Steroid binds to the cytosolic receptor • Steroid-receptor complex enters nucleus • Gene depression/ activation occurs • Increased Protein Synthesis • Change in Muscle Size, glycogen synthesis

45. Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids • Legal form (Prescription Only) • Man made substance • Anabolic- muscle building • Androgenic- masculine characteristics • Steroid- refers to the type of drug • Given to patients who produce low amounts of testosterone, like delayed puberty and certain types of impotence • Also given to people who suffer from Aids and diseases that cause loss of muscle mass

46. Anabolic Steroids • Illegal Form • Natural and synthetic form of the drug • Promotes cell growth and cell division causing growth in several tissues like muscle and bone - Testosterone is the main component, which is the male sex hormone and considered the “original” steroid • Testosterone is secreted in the male testes and the ovaries of women • Average male secretes 10 mg of testosterone/ day; Females less than 1mg • Average Steroid user takes 250-400 mg of testosterone per day

47. Oral Least Popular Puts Pressure on Liver Use once a day Injection Most popular Injected into shoulders, gluteus, thigh Care must be taken when selecting site of injection May be taken several times in one day Administration

48. Men Reduced Sperm Count Impotence Development of Breast Shrinking of Testicles Pain while urinating Women “Masculation” process Facial hair growth Deepened voice Breast Reduction Menstrual Cycle Changes Children Can Halt growth in adolescent children, Once growth plates are closed they can not be reopened Side Effects (Negative)Short Use

49. Side Effects (Negative)Strong Use • Acne • Bloated Appearance • Rapid Weight Gain • Clotting Disorders • Liver Damage • Premature Heart Attacks and Strokes • Elevated Cholesterol Levels • Weakened Tendons

50. Side Effects (Positive) • Increased Protein Synthesis from Amino Acids • Increased Muscle Mass and Strength • Increased Bone Remodeling and Growth • Stimulation of Bone Marrow which increases Red Blood Cells Anabolics do not improve agility, cardiovascular ability, flexibility or skill level