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Evert, Malin (2020) Sexualized Performance Athletes: An exploratory ZMET study of female athletes’ perceptions. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)]

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Abstract

The focus of this study is on media images of sportswomen that have both appearance

and athletic elements (termed sexualized performance athlete) and it theorizes and

empirically investigates consumer attitudes and perceptions in relation to sexualized

performance imagery. Since the purpose of this study was to gather deep consumer

insights, the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) was used to investigate

attitudes, thoughts and feelings of young, female and athletic participants (n=10) in

relation to sexualized performance imagery.

Using ZMET, three main themes emerged: (1) Sexualized and athletic elements of

sexualized performance athlete imagery (2) Symbolic Metaphors for sexualized

performance athletes (3) Attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of sexualized performance

imagery of athletes and its connection to society and reality. The method allowed to

uncover conscious and unconscious consumer thought and gain a deep understanding of

attitude, motivation and perception through surfacing metaphors participants associate

with sexualized performance imagery.

By exploring the attitudes of participants and how they perceive and asses sexualized

performance imagery which combines athletic and appearance factors, this research

contributes to literature about objectification and gathers empirical data in regards to the

societal and cultural impact of these images which further gives insight about the dual

identity theory and its literature. Using participant-gathered stimuli and imagery, this study

will give an understanding of whether sexualized elements or athletic elements dominate

for viewers in sexualized performance imagery and give advertising and marketing

practitioners deep insights into how consumers perceive sexualized content and the

emotional aspects that influences them and their attitudes.

Item Type:	Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Depositing User:	Evert, Malin
Date Deposited:	14 Apr 2023 09:15
Last Modified:	14 Apr 2023 09:15
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/62516

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