Crossing the line: rites of passage, team aspects, and ambiguity of hazing.

Framed within the psychosocial context of the sport ethic and social-approval goal orientation, 10 female and 11 male current collegiate or former high school athletes participated in individual interviews about their hazing experiences. Data analysis resulted in seven lower order themes and two higher order themes. The higher order theme of the general aspects of hazing included types of factors influencing, reasons for and the effects of hazing. The higher order theme of hazing as deviant overconformity included rites of passage, hazing and the team, and the ambiguity of hazing. Results indicated that athletes reported engaging in risky, hazing behaviors and that both the values of sport as well as the desire to be accepted by teammates encouraged hazing.