Expanding socio-cultural identity research in sport psycho-logy: The potential of athlete autobiographies

Abstract

Within the cultural sport psychology (CSP) genre, researchers have considered multiple and inter-secting athlete identity expression to enhance sport participation, inclusion and performance. The aim with the present paper was to build upon, and expand a CSP research agenda that focuses on socially constructed identities, through exploring narrative inquiry in conjunction with athlete autobi-ographies as data (re)sources. To accomplish this aim, we outline the central tenets of narrative in-quiry and convergences with CSP, followed by an overview of autobiography. We then draw on au-tobiography research from cultural studies and sport psychology in relation to two central areas of concern in CSP: gender issues with a focus on women and health and well-being issues in sport. We conclude with some aspirations for future research on autobiographies grounded in narrative inquiry, to expand a CSP research agenda.

Keywords

• Narrative inquiry
• Cultural sport psychology
• Qualitative research
• Athletics