GCSEPhysical EducationOCRPhysical Education (PE)Revision NotesSocio-cultural InfluencesEngagement Patterns in Physical Activities & SportsFactors Affecting Engagement Patterns

Factors Affecting Engagement Patterns (OCR GCSE Physical Education (PE)): Revision Note

Exam code: J587

Written by: Emma Mulhern

Reviewed by: Ruth Brindle

Updated on 10 April 2026

Factors affecting participation in physical activity & sport

Engagement patterns is a term used to describe the different rates of sports participation between different social groups
Different factors affect the levels of participation and engagement of different social groups in exercise and sport

Diagram showing factors affecting participation, including age, gender, ethnicity, culture, family, education, income, time, disability, access, discrimination, environment, climate, media, and role models. — **Different factors affect the levels of participation and engagement of different social groups in exercise and sport**

Age

Age can be a factor that affects engagement patterns in sport
Typical trends show that younger people tend to partake in team sports whilst older generations partake more in individual sporting activities such as swimming or golf
Some of the factors that can affect participation are:

Factor	Affect on level of participation
Education	Young people's participation is usually high during curriculum time as physical education (PE) is compulsory After leaving school, participation levels drop (post-school drop-out), especially in girls Teacher preferences may mean that some sports are more familiar to young people than others; people are more likely to participate in familiar sports
Time/work commitments	Leisure time may be limited by work More time during retirement
Family commitments	Working parent's have less time to families Less time due to grandchildren
Cost/Disposable income	Financial commitments increase as people get older
Opportunity/Access	Elderly may need help with transport Not all clubs and memberships are available to all ages
Media coverage	Coverage focuses on younger people Encourages elderly to be spectators only
Role models	Fewer elderly role models
Discrimination	Stereotype that sports are for young people and you are too old if you are over a certain age This impact confidence levels

Gender

Due to historical prejudices it's a well established fact that boys and men are more likely to participate in physical activities and sport than girls and women
Women were originally perceived as weaker and were excluded from many sports
- For example The British Boxing Board of Control refused to issue licenses to women until 1998. Women’s boxing did not make its debut as an official, competitive sport until the 2012 London Olympic Games
Some of the factors that can affect participation are:

Factor	Affect on level of participation
Discrimination	Gender stereotyping still exists in sport -biological sex determines the activities they engage in, as well as how they are treated in these activities Sexist or stereotypical attitudes may affect how comfortable women feel about taking part Women’s sport is often sexualised by the media and public They may also feel judged on how they look
Media coverage	Women’s sport has a lower status and receives less media coverage - judged to be 5% of male sports coverage
Role Models	There are fewer women athletes in the media therefore young performers may find it hard to find a female role model they can look up to
Opportunity/Access	Boys monopolise play and play aggressively – girls may prefer not to be involved Most sports clubs now cater for both men and women, but some can still be largely male dominated, e.g. golf clubs
Family	Women with families may also find they have less time to dedicate to sports
Time/Work commitments	Less spare time due to childcare and domestic responsibilities
Education	Limited choices in PE and school sport Children are often pushed into ‘gender-appropriate’ sports
Cost/Disposable income	Females tend to have less disposable income Females receive lower levels of prize money and salaries

Ethnicity

An ethnic group is a social group that shares the same cultural traditions, religions and other factors
The UK has a wide variety of different ethnic minority groups who have different levels of participation in sport and physical activity
- For example, over 50% of members of black and minority ethnic (BME) communities do no sport or physical activity
The reasons are caused by several influences - there is no one single reason
Some of the factors that can affect participation are:

Factor	Affect on level of participation
Religion and culture	Different cultures place different emphases on sport Some ethnic groups have high regard for certain sports, e.g. India and cricket, and this can influence participation in other sports Certain religions require specific clothing that may make participation harder to achieve Fasting during Ramadan may effect participation levels
Family	Some cultural groups and families may place greater emphasis on academic success over sport
Discrimination	Racism by other sportspeople or spectators can affect people’s decision to participate in a sport Some religious discrimination may prevent performers from wearing a hijab, or finding swimming hats to accommodate natural black hair, for example
Role Models	Disproportionately fewer non-white role models in sports Very few non-white role model in some sporting admin roles
Accessibility	Some people from ethnic minority groups may feel they ‘don’t belong’ in certain sports due to perceived prejudice There are inequalities in all areas – leadership, management, coaching, officiating and volunteering
Cost/Disposable income	Economic deprivation that exists in some cultural groups may limit access to some sports, e.g.sports that are more expensive, such as skiing or horse riding

Disability

A person with some form of impairment, affecting ability to take part in an activity - about 1 in 6 of the population
Three main categories of disability:
- mobility impairments
- sensory impairments
- mental impairments

Much lower participation of people with disabilities in sport than non-disabled people – all age groups
There is currently some disagreement about whether disabled participants should integrate into their sport alongside non-disabled participants, or whether it is better to have adapted sports for disabled sportspeople
- Some new sports have been developed to allow for the integration of people of all abilities, such as boccia and goalball
Some of the factors that can affect participation are:

Factor	Affect on level of participation
Discrimination	Some performers may feel that there is a negative stereotype against those with a disability
Media coverage	Although there has been an increase in coverage since London 2012 Paralympic Games it is still a small fraction compared to that of mainstream sports
Role models	Due to a lack of media coverage there is alack of diverse role models to aspire to
Opportunity/Access	Lack of clubs and facilities in local areas Lack of specialist and fully qualified coaches Some facilities may not have suitable access for wheelchair users
Cost/Disposable income	Disability may impact ability to work full-time so less disposable income for participation in sport Specialist equipment can be expensive Transport to and from specialist facilities can be costly

Two runners take part in a race; one has running blades and the other does not

Integrated sports include both disabled and non-disabled participants competing and playing in the same events

Family

Influence of family and friends on participation can be both positive and negative
Some of the factors that can affect participation are:

Factor	Affect on level of participation
Time/Work commitments	When adults start a family, childcare or children’s activities often become a priority over their own exercise needs which reduces their time for exercise Jobs often demand more time as people become more experienced or senior in their roles Young people maybe need to look after younger siblings
Role models	Active parents are more likely to have active children Children will often become interested in those sports that other family members participate in Some cultural families may place greater emphasis on academic success over sport If family members have a negative view of sports then this could be a barrier to participation
Education	Some families may not know what is available to them in their local area
Cost/Disposable income	Family income and affluence may influence which types of sports you can access May not be able to provide financial support for equipment, kit and transport E.g. running is a free activity, but swimming often requires the money for swimming pool entry

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