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The Effects of Sport-gender Stereotypes and Their Intervention Strategies

  • LIU Zhiyuan ,
  • JIAN You ,
  • XUE Yuhan ,
  • WANG Zhihao ,
  • KANG Guanlan
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  • 1School of Psychology, Beijing Sport University, Beijing 100084, China;
    2Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;
    3Laboratory of Sports Stress and Adaptation of General Administration of Sport, Beijing 100084, China
*KANG Guanlan, kangguanlan@bsu.edu.cn

Online published: 2026-10-23

Abstract

Sport-gender stereotypes are cognitive representations of the characteristics, abilities, and preferences attributed to different genders in the field of sports, reflecting societal beliefs about what traits each gender should or should not possess. These stereotypes originate from the long-standing social and cultural gender roles, which closely associate sports with masculinity while excluding women from certain athletic activities. This paper systematically examines sport-gender stereotypes and their negative impacts on mass fitness, competitive sports, and physical education. This stereotype may discourage mass exercise participation, affect athletes' performance, and undermine equity in physical education. To address these issues, this paper reviews two strategic approaches for sport-gender stereotypes: using conditioning to modify individuals' implicit attitudes and reconstructing cognition to alleviate the negative effects of stereotypes. Additionally, considering the unique nature of sports, we propose an exercise intervention framework that integrates the mind and body, emphasizing the combination of physical experience and cognitive regulation to reduce the negative effects of gender stereotypes. Future research should focus on clarifying the unique connotations of sport-gender stereotypes, carefully determining stereotype valence, and exploring more effective intervention strategies to promote inclusive development in sports.

Cite this article

LIU Zhiyuan , JIAN You , XUE Yuhan , WANG Zhihao , KANG Guanlan . The Effects of Sport-gender Stereotypes and Their Intervention Strategies[J]. Psychological Communications, 2026 , 9(1) : 34 -40 . DOI: 10.12100/j.issn.2096-5494.226007

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