Gender attitudes and sexual behaviors: comparing center and marginal athletes and nonathletes in a collegiate setting.

This research examines the impact of participating in different sports on male athletes' gender attitudes, hegemonic masculinity, sexual behavior, and sexual aggression. Expanding on past research that compares athletes with nonathletes, this research finds differences between collegiate athletes and men who do not participate in collegiate sports, as well as between men who play different collegiate sports. Athletes in center sports (such as football) scored significantly higher on hyper-masculinity scales, had lower attitudes toward women, and displayed more sexual aggression and more sexual activity than men who competed in marginal sports (e.g., track and field) or not at all.