Age and gender differences in young people's perceptions of sport participants

Pre- and middle-adolescent girls' and boys' perceptions of sport were examined using the Draw a Sportsperson test. Almost all the boys drew male figures, while the girls drew figures of both sexes. However, older girls drew a majority of male figures, many of whom were sports celebrities, while younger girls drew similar numbers of male and female figures, most of the latter being peers. A substantial number of drawings of sports celebrities were produced. The majority of these were of male, high-profile soccer players. The possible significance of these results for the increase in the gender gap in sporting interest at adolescence, and the influence of the media on boys' and girls' perceptions of sport are discussed.