Research Report: What sways women to play sport? – Motivations & Influencers
Published
Report Contents:
- What do we mean by influencers?
- Behavioural science concepts.
- What do ‘Sway Factors’ mean?
- Case studies.
In the summer we have to do a 1.5 km run and I hate it and want to quit, but thinking about that women who climbed Mount Everest, who didn’t quit, makes you want to finish
Key findings
- The roles that families, peers, local communities, specific sports communities and culture/society generally play varies at different times in a woman’s life and can include both triggers and barriers to her sporting participation.
- The behavioural model identifies six key ‘spheres of influence’ and shows sway factors that affect women’s sporting behaviour.
Recommendations
Influencers can be anyone and everyone
- It is not just those who are ‘sporty’ who influence others to participate in sport.
Influencers impact participation behaviour
- Influencers impact participation behaviour in different ways and in different contexts.
- A multi-pronged approach is required – the actions of different types of influencers should complement one another across the various contextual layers.
The new model of influence can be used to impact participation behaviour
- The ‘sway factors’ are complimentary and work best in combination with each other; each factor becomes more transformative at a different point along the behaviour change journey and then continues to impact participation positively.
Women’s influencers evolve over time
Recommended links and resources
Help us to keep driving change
Women in Sport’s research is open to everyone.
It has been used by major brands, broadcasters, policymakers and educators to drive progress – but producing it isn’t free.
If our research has informed your work, please get in touch to let us know the impact it’s had and consider making a donation today.
1.9 million
fewer women than men play sport once per week
Sport England
1 in 5
women exercise for less than an average of 30 minutes per week
Download the report
