Break dancing is an activity based on hip hop culture and is categorized as a youth sport in America.  Break dancing is currently gaining popularity in the midwest city of Grand Rapids, Michigan.  I will use the concept of social positioning to explore the construction of a hip hop dance club by young people, their parents, and coaches.  I expect to (i) view exhibitions of social presentation among youth individuals; (ii) witness parents as the primary social positioning agents; and (iii) explain how social construction of self occurs through a synthesis of social presentation and positioning.  First, I hypothesize a year-long ethnography of 61syx Teknique will identify two roles of youth break dancers, called “Samplers” and “Beginning Specializers” (Kirk & Macphail, 2003).  Second, I hypothesize that surveying parents will uncover trends in motivating factors to participate that are based on social positioning.  Third, I hypothesize the construction of self for youth is developed in layers of social interaction starting from self and moving outward toward larger groups.

Gaps in existing theories will become apparent through this research.  For example, the idea that human life is a dramatic activity often relies on an analysis of the young performer acting differently for different people (Cooley, 1902).  This omits the awareness that the performer has for his actions affecting not only the immediate audience but the extended audience as well.  The “second level” performance may be presented, e.g. on video at a later date or through immortalization (Schmitt & Leonard II, 1986).  While many professional athletes understand that their actions are recorded and maintain the goal to be recognized in the hall of fame, amateur youth athletes and their parents are less likely to consciously consider the long-term ramifications of activities like participating with a small break dancing crew.

This research will include results that support the grounded theory of social peripheralism, which I define as the explanation of social events emphasizing peripheral human functions, such as acting through influence of multi-layered social interaction, rather than single stratum interactions.  Grounded theory is a methodology, not a theory (Bryant & Charmaz, 2010; Legewie & Schervier-Legewie, 2004).  I will use grounded theory and ethnography to form a model, based on the construction of self in youth break dancers, that will be applicable to multiple social settings.  The model will develop through real examples of social peripheralism occurring within the Grand Rapids youth break dancing group.

H1: Social Presentation of Self – Youth Break Dancers

Theory Texts – Symbolic Interactionism

The Production of Self

Social positioning is “the process by which people take up position about a network of significations” (Deaux & Philogène, 2001).

The concept of “self” is broadly interpreted and studied through a variety of disciplines but especially within sociology and psychology.  Often, the lines blur and develop into a lens of psychosocial or social psychological analysis.  For purposes of this research, I accept Harre’s (1991) interpretations of “Self 1″ and “Self 2.”

• “Self-1, roughly the philosophers’ concept of personal identity” (Harré, 1991)
• “Self-2, the Self that Goffman referred to in his studies of Self-presentation” (Harré, 1991)

“The argument turns on the assumption that both concepts of Self are indispensable both for understanding person-hood and for living as persons. Problems and misunderstandings stem from the use of inappropriate grammatical models for understanding person talk. Setting up more adequate models allows one to propose a social constructionist account of both presented Selves and of the sense of subjective singularity” (Harré, 1991)

Role of the Youth Dancer

Social Presentation – Social Constructionism

• Lock, A., & Strong, T. (2010). Social constructionism: sources and stirrings in theory and practice. Cambridge University Press.
• (Lock, 2010, p. 295) Gergen, K. & Gergen, M.
• (Lock, 2010, p. 308) Harre, R.

H2: Social Positioning – Parents as Primary Agents

Theory Texts

• Giddens, A., & Turner, J. H. (1988). Social Theory Today. Stanford University Press.
• (Giddens & Turner, 1988, p. 302) The Concept of Social Relations: A Critical Assessment
• Hermans, H. J. M., & Hermans-Konopka, A. (2010). Dialogical self theory: positioning and counter-positioning in a globalizing society. Cambridge University Press.
• (Hermans & Hermans-Konopka, 2010, p. 222) The Connection Between the Social and the Personal
• Giddens, A. (1984). The Constitution of Society: Outline of the Theory of Structuration (illustrated edition.). Polity Press.
• (Giddens, 1984, p. 20)
• Garfinkel, H. (1952). The Perception of the other: A Study in social order. Harvard University.
• Bhaskar, R. (1998). The Possibility of Naturalism: A philosophical critique of the contemporary human sciences (3rd ed.). Routledge.
• (Bhaskar, 1979, p. 51) Position-Practice Relation

Methods Texts

• Garfinkel, H. (1967). Studies in Ethnomethodology (1st ed.). Prentice-Hall, Inc.
• (Garfinkel, 1984)

Sport Texts (possible sources gleaned from student ______; permission to use list is pending)

Citation of list: [______]

• Callender, S. (2010). “The Early Specialization of Youth in Sports.” Athletic Training & Sports Health Care, 2.6, 255-257.
• Dodge T., & Lambert, S. (2009). “Positive Self-Belief as a Mediator of the Relationship between Adolescents Sports Participation and Health in Young Adulthood.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38.6, 813-825.
• Findlay, L., & Bowker, A. “The Link between Competitive Sport Participation and Self-concept in Early Adolescence: A Consideration of Gender and Sport Orientation.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38.1, 29-32.
• Gerrard, D. F. (1993). “Overuse Injury and Growing Bones: The Young Athlete at Risk.” Br J Sports Med, 27.1, 14-18.
• Gould, D. (2010). “Early Sport Specialization: A Psychological Perspective: Early Specialization Does Not Guarantee Later Sport Success.” The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81.8, 33-36.
• Kaleth, A. S., & Mikesky, A. E. (2010). “Impact of Early Sport Specialization: A Physiological Perspective Standpoint, The Benefits of Early Specialization are Unsubstantiated.” The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81.8, 29-32.
• Kostka, T. et al (2011). “Recommendations of the Polish Society of Sports Medicine on Age Criteria While Qualifying Children and Youth for Participation in Various Sports.” Br J Sports Med.
• Landers, R., Carson, R., & Blankenship, B.T. (2010). “The Promises and Pitfalls of Sport Specialization in Youth Sport.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 81.8, 14-15.
• Mattson, J.M., & Richards, J. (2010). “Early Specialization in Youth Sport: A Biochemical Perspective: The Value of Early Specialization Appears To Be Sport-specific.” The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81.8, 26-27.
• Oliver, G. H., Adams-Blair, & Dougherty, C. (2010). “Implementation of a Core Stability Program for Elementary School Children.” Athletic Training & Sports Health Care, 2.6, 261-266.
• Wright, C. (2010). “A US Epidemic: Childhood Obesity.” Journal of Physician Assistant Education, 21.2, 39-41.

Role of the Parents

• “The role of sport clubs in socialization of children is evidently greater than any other voluntary organization. About 45 per cent of all boys and 29 per cent of all girls are members of sport clubs” (Seppänen, 1982)
• “The appreciation what sport clubs as socializing agent enjoy is, however, considerably more common than the actual membership of children. Parents’ attitudes toward children’s participation are favourable even among those whose own sport activity is very low or non- existent” (Seppänen, 1982)
• “Systematic training of children — one of the most visible activities of modern sport club socialization — is, however, an activity whose role in socialization is dispensable. The most enthusiastic upholders of competitive sport approve it without any reserve but there is also a great number of parents who consider this kind of activity a matter of great concern or at least are am bivalent in their attitudes. This kind of dispersion in attitudes toward one essential aspect of modern sport may also be a symptom of growing concern on present sport in general” (Seppänen, 1982)
• “There is a great evidence that the role of parents is central in socialization of children into sport. Child’s membership in sport club correlates highly with his or her parents’ sport activity. The choice of ideological type of sport club depends almost solely on the choice his or her parents have made” (Seppänen, 1982)

Social Positioning

“In the United States, children are encouraged to enroll in sports activities. Studies show that these activities are positively associated with reduced delinquent behavior and increased academic and social performance. Research using parents’ reports in interviews and surveys shows that parents view extracurricular sports activities as an arena for socializing their children to important values and skills that go beyond the benefits of participation in athletic activities. Through analysis of parent–child interaction using video data of naturalistic family interaction during formal participation in organized sports (e.g. Little League), informal participation (e.g. backyard pick-up games), and passive participation in sports (e.g. watching televised athletic events), this article reveals that parents play an active role in this socialization process. This article underscores the important function that sports have in family daily life as a socializing tool for culturally cherished skills and values” (Kremer-Sadlik & Kim, 2007).

“We explore the idea that the concept of ‘positioning’ can be used to facilitate the thinking of linguistically oriented social analysts in ways that the use of the concept of ‘role’ prevented. In particular the new concept helps focus attention on dynamic aspects of encounters in contrast to the way in which the use of ‘role’ serves to highlight static, formal and ritualistic aspects” (Davies & Harré, 1990).

Parents’ Perceptions

• Homans, G. C. (1974). Social behavior; its elementary forms. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.
• Social Exchange Theory

“The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to examine how parents perceive their involvement in their child’s sport activity and (b) to compare these perceptions according to the stage of the child’s sport participation. Using a qualitative design, 36 French parents of young tennis players were interviewed with a semistructured format. Transcriptions were analyzed by means of the propositional analysis of discourse, which permits, through the use of linguistic indicators, taking into account semantic and syntactic features. Results indicated that parents of noncompetitive tennis players talked negatively about their own (tangible) involvement and perceived tennis as a leisure-time activity, whereas parents of competitive players considered that both mother and father supported their child (through use of “we” pronouns used in discourses) in this activity” (Hurtel & Lacassagne, 2011).

H3: Grounded Theory – Social Peripheralism

Theory Texts – Layered Social Interaction (Ritual Chains)

• Collins, R. (2004). Interaction ritual chains. Princeton University Press.
• Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: a social critique of the judgement of taste. Harvard University Press.Bourdieu, P. (1990). The logic of practice. Stanford University Press.
• Bourdieu, P., & Passeron, J. C. (1990). Reproduction in education, society, and culture. SAGE.
• Bourdieu, P., & Wacquant, L. J. D. (1992). An invitation to reflexive sociology. University of Chicago Press.