Faculty Publications

Anti-Fat Bias By Professors Teaching Physical Education Majors

Document Type

Article

Keywords

implicit attitude test, physical education, teacher preparation, Weight discrimination, weight stigma

Journal/Book/Conference Title

European Physical Education Review

Volume

23

Issue

1

First Page

127

Last Page

138

Abstract

Anti-fat bias by professors in physical education departments may interfere with the training provided to pre-service teachers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of professors in physical education departments toward obese individuals. Professors from randomly selected institutions across all four US regions participated in the study (N = 94). Participants took the Implicit Association Test and answered the Anti-Fat Attitude Scale and two questions specifically designed to measure their attitudes toward physical education teachers and majors who are obese. The participants exhibited implicit good–bad (p <.001) and lazy–motivated (p <.001) anti-fat biases. Professors favored accepting majors who are obese (p <.001), but they strongly disapproved of obese physical education teachers as role models to their students (p <.001). Explicit anti-fat bias was associated with a stronger disapproval of physical education teachers who are obese as role models to students (p <.001) and accepting majors who are obese (p <.001). Implicit good–bad anti-fat bias was associated with a stronger disapproval of obese physical education teachers as role models to students (p =.047). The anti-fat bias demonstrated by the professors may negatively affect the training of pre-service physical education teachers to work with students of all body sizes. Awareness programs may be necessary to diminish anti-fat bias among professors in physical education teacher education programs.

Original Publication Date

2-1-2017

DOI of published version

10.1177/1356336X16643304

Repository

UNI ScholarWorks, Rod Library, University of Northern Iowa

Language

en

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