Radical socialization? Analysis of the secondary socialization process in the table tennis environment

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the secondary socialization process in the table tennis environment. Sports communities represent a specific case study in this context because the secondary socialization processes occurring in them seem more radical. The sports environment is characterized by highly specific features and values conveyed, and interest in this phenomenon may be heightened because sports are a relatively less studied area in terms of their socialization impact on individuals. The main goal of the text is to analyse the specificity of the table tennis environment as a secondary socialization environment. More specific goals include issues related to the specific bonds and relationships formed in such an environment, the specific communication system (slang and characteristic meanings), and the impact of the sports environment on the relations of table tennis players with the world outside of sports. The qualitative analysis allowed for discovering unique patterns that characterize the socialization process in the sports environment. Among these patterns is the blurring of boundaries between values acquired in the sports environment and the external world, as the respondents transferred sports principles to everyday life practices. The totality of socialization in the sports environment also influences the formation of a specific “socialization bubble” and problems in establishing relationships with people not belonging to the sports world: the sports environment became, for many respondents, a reality in itself, generating bonds, rules, and communication patterns for its participants.