1
Journal Article Summary
Social Psychology Article
Stu D. Name
Department of Psychology, Liberty University
PSY 512: Social Psychology
Dr. Snyder
July 16, 2025
2
Journal Article Summary
Social Psychology Article
Introduction
List the article introduction information here.
The article is about Ingroup identification and the attitudes towards paying college
athletes.
The article is about racial ingroup identification and attitudes toward paying college
athletes. It examines how people’s sense of belonging to their racial group influences their
support for athlete compensation.
Purpose
List the purpose this article was written.
The purpose of this article is to use this article as predictors of black and white
Americans’ attitudes toward paying college athletes. To distinguish the difference in
selfinvestment and ingroup self-defination.
The purpose of this article is to investigate predictors of Black and White Americans’
attitudes toward paying college athletes, specifically examining the differences between
selfinvestment and self-definition in racial ingroup identification.
Hypothesis
What is this paper’s contribution/question/s that it is trying to provide information on.
The hypothesis of racial identification and athlete pay is that the racial ingroup will
support compensation among college athletes. The researchers what to see if race and
selfinvestment in the racial ingroup is amplified to support the respondents. To understand the
interaction of race and self-investment to predict their support for college athletes. It is
expected that the black respondents will have higher support than white respondents and see
the racial gap in support for compensation. This gap should have no difference at the low
investment but greater gaps with high levels of self-investment.
3
The hypothesis of racial identification and athlete pay is that individuals who strongly
identify with their racial ingroup will be more likely to support compensation for college
athletes. The researchers aim to examine whether race and self-investment in one’s racial
ingroup interact to influence respondents’ support. Specifically, it is expected that Black
respondents will show higher levels of support than White respondents, with the racial gap in
support being minimal at low levels of self-investment but widening at high levels of
selfinvestment.
Methodology
Sample
Describe the sample of this study.
For Study 1a the respondents were recruited from Prolific and sperating the participants
race with equal sample size. The final sample 352 particpates with 168 women, 176 men, 7
nonbinary individuals, and 1 other. 161 black respondents and 191 white respondents. Each
participant was paid $3.17. Study 1b particpants were close in replication with the same
measures and procedures used in Study 1a.
For Study 1a, participants were recruited from Prolific, with separate recruitment of
Black and White respondents to ensure approximately equal sample sizes. After applying
preregistered exclusion criteria, the final sample included 352 participants, consisting of 168
women, 176 men, 7 nonbinary individuals, and 1 other, as well as 161 Black and 191 White
respondents. Each participant was compensated $3.17.
Study 1b was a close replication of Study 1a, using the same measures and procedures.
The final sample consisted of 476 participants, including 241 female, 225 male, 8 nonbinary, and
2 other respondents, with 227 Black and 249 White participants. Each participant was also paid
$3.17.
4
Measures
Describe the measures that were used in this study.
The participants were asked two questions about the issues in college sports. The first
question was about the coronavirus and if it was appropriate to resume the college football
games during the pandemic. The second question was about paying the athletes. The second
question had three options. Using a lerit scale of strongly oppose, moderately support, and lean
slightly toward the middle. Scores were 1-4 did not and 5-7 indicated support. Particpants were
also asked to report demographic questions and racial identifican completing a 14 item measure
for ingroup identification and their liberal-conservative idology scale 1 thru 7 with 1 being
extremely liberal and 7 being extremely conservative.
Participants were asked two questions about issues in college sports. The first question,
a filler, asked whether it was appropriate to resume college football games during the COVID-19
pandemic. The second question focused on paying athletes and offered three options: support,
oppose, or be in the middle. Responses were further refined using a Likert scale, with scores
from 1–4 indicating little or no support and 5–7 indicating support.
Participants also answered demographic questions, including gender, race, and ethnicity.
They completed a 14-item measure of racial ingroup identification, which assessed
selfinvestment and self-definition. Finally, participants reported their political ideology on a 1–7
scale, with 1 representing extremely liberal and 7 representing extremely conservative.
Procedures
Describe how this study was done.
First they started with a consent page and the study’s purpose was to investigate how
personality relates to opinions of social issues, especially in sports. They started with a filler
section on resuming college football during the pandemic but only for study 1a. After that was a
5
critical description and questions regarding compensating college athletes. Next, they
responded to cognition scale items and attention check. Lastly, they ended with demographic
questions and an appropriate racial ingroup identification scale.
Participants began with a consent page, and the study’s purpose was described as
investigating how personality relates to opinions on social issues, especially in sports. In Study
1a, participants first completed a filler section on resuming college football during the
pandemic. All participants then completed the critical section describing and asking questions
about compensating college athletes. This was followed by cognition scale items and an
attention check. Finally, participants completed demographic questions and a racial ingroup
identification scale.
Results
What did this study find? You can include both stats and an explanation of the stats.
Self-definition and self-investment were positively correlated, r(350) = .727, p < .001.
Compensation for athletes were supported closely between the two ingroups but for
selfinvestment the two different ingroups shows a wide gap between the two.
Self-definition and self-investment were positively correlated, r(350) = .727, p < .001,
indicating a strong relationship between the two aspects of racial identification. Support for
compensating college athletes differed by racial ingroup: Black respondents generally supported
compensation more than White respondents. Importantly, self-investment moderated this
effect: higher self-investment was associated with greater support among Black respondents
and lower support among White respondents, creating a wider gap in attitudes between the
two groups.
Practical Significance
Why is this study relevant/meaningful?
This study shows how different ingroups can show support for compensation for athletes
while having different ways of how the support for compensation can mean to different
ingroups. This study can help predict how certain ingroups self-investment differs and have
better predictable outcomes for each ingroup.
This study shows that different racial ingroups can both support compensating college
athletes, but the reasons and intensity of that support differ depending on the level of
selfinvestment in one’s racial group. Understanding these differences can help predict how
6
strongly each ingroup will support or oppose policies that benefit their racial ingroup, providing
more nuanced insights into public opinion and policy attitudes.
Critique
Strengths AND weaknesses
The strength of this study was the large sample of people who participated in the study.
It provides more accurate data on certain ingroups and have two closely indetical studies. A
weakness of this study was that it was limited to population of the United States. A more
international study could give a better understanding of the two ingroups.
The strength of this study was its large and diverse sample, which increases the accuracy
and reliability of the findings. Additionally, the study builds on two closely related studies, which
helps replicate and confirm the results. A weakness is that the study was limited to participants
from the United States, so the findings may not generalize to other countries or cultural
contexts. Conducting a more international study could provide a broader understanding of
these ingroups.
Personal Application
Relate to your interests AND the Bible (minimum of one scripture reference)
I learned how different communities show different ways of support and how it
contributes to their sense of belonging and investment in their group. “Do not use dishonest
standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an
honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt”
(Leviticu 19: 35-36). Always be true in your studies as an literal replication can occur and while
uncover the lies conducted in the study. Always be true and no troubles will find you.
I learned that different communities show support in different ways, which reflects their
sense of belonging and investment in their group. This study reminds me to be honest and fair
in my own evaluations and work. “Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length,
weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I
am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt” (Leviticus 19:35-36). By being truthful and
accurate in my studies, I honor integrity and avoid errors or misrepresentations, just as the
scripture teaches.
7
References
Sargent, M. J. (2022, January 13). Skin in the Game: Race, Ingroup Identification, and Attitudes
Toward Paying College Athletes. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.
Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000520
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
