Jock (subculture)
Encyclopedia
The term jock, when used primarily in the United States
, refers to the classic stereotype
of a male athlete. It is generally a negative stereotype, and is attributed mostly to high school
and college
athletics participants who form a distinct youth subculture
. In sociology, the jock is thought to be included within the socialite
subculture, which also contains the preps
and Ivy-Leaguers
. As a blanket term, jock can be considered synonymous with athlete.
Similar words that may mean the same as "jock" include "meathead," "musclebrain," and "musclehead." These terms are based on the stereotype that a jock is muscular, but not very smart, and cannot carry a conversation on any topic other than one relating to sports or exercise.
," which is an undergarment worn to support the male genitals while playing sports. Since then, the concept of a jock has become ingrained in American culture as a negative stereotype of athletically-oriented males. It is likely that the pigeonholed image of male athletes is a result of the reductionist theory
, which essentially states it is easier for one to simplify life into stereotypes than accept its complexities. Various news outlets over the years have agreed that the term jock is reductionist in nature.
Jocks are often contrasted with another negative stereotype, nerd
s. This dichotomy has been immortalized by countless references and themes in movies, television shows, and books.
, or the erotic
photography
of Bruce Weber
, Steven Underhill
, and others, who photographed jock archetype
s like the Brewer twins
(Keith & Derek), the Hall twins (Bruce
& Seth
), Peter Johnson, Jonathon Huether and "Marky Mark" Wahlberg
.
The primary supporter of the jock image is Abercrombie and Fitch. Founded in 1892, the retailer targets the 18 to 22 year-old crowd. The following quote from a 2007 company report epitomizes how their brand image is derived from the jock stereotype: "The Abercrombie & Fitch brand personifies the privileged All-American collegiate lifestyle. A timeless juxtaposition of the Ivy League and the great outdoors."
These practices spurred a 2003 lawsuit against the company
. The lawsuit stated that the retailer is prohibitive in its hiring of minorities and women. As a result, the company paid $40 million USD in damages. Jennifer Lu, an Asian American, claimed she was fired because she did not match the store's image. She was quoted as saying a corporate official came to the branch she was working at, pointed to one of the company's iconic images of muscular young white men, and said: "You need to have more staff that looks like this."
s, movies, and television shows involving high school
or college
. The stereotype is most prevalent in movies for teenagers such as College
, American Pie
, and Revenge of the Nerds
. The stereotype extends beyond the high-school and collegiate age group, trickling down into media intended for younger audiences. Examples of this include the high school quarterback Dash Baxter in the Nickelodeon cartoon Danny Phantom
. Other notable portrayals of the stereotype include the popular athlete love interest Tommy Ross
in Carrie, the spoiled bullying antagonist Luke Ward
in the first season of The O.C.
, and Kim's wealthy athlete boyfriend Jim in Edward Scissorhands
.
borrows many stereotypical characteristics of jocks, and they are commonly used to portray a character who is relatively unintelligent and unenlightened, but nonetheless socially and physically well-endowed. Usually, jocks will play aggressive sports such as football
or basketball
. The main jock character often occupies a high position, such as the quarterback
or captain of the football team. In many cases the jock is shown to come from a wealthy family: driving a fancy, expensive sports car or SUV, and wearing expensive, name-brand clothing; however, this is not always the case. In this regard there may be significant overlap with the preppie stereotype.
As a protagonist
, the jock is often a dynamic character who through an epiphany
or new understanding will lead to a change in the value
s of the jock. This change often means a cessation of athletics and/or some other equivalent social sacrifice which leads to the character no longer being considered a jock. Examples from movies include Randall "Pink" Floyd in Dazed and Confused
and Andrew Clark
in The Breakfast Club
. Examples from television shows include Nathan Scott
in the teen drama
series One Tree Hill
, Whitney Fordman in Smallville
and Luke Ward
in The O.C.
.
As antagonist
s, jocks can be stock character
s shown as lacking compassion for the protagonist
, and are generally flat and static. Often, in high school comedies or dramas where the main characters are not popular, the jock is the chief antagonist and cruel to the main characters. He is disliked by the nerds and other people considered unpopular, and usually has an unfortunate (and in some cases, violent) ending. Heathers
"Kurt" and "Ram" roles, the Spider-Man
character Flash Thompson
and Jean Grey
's first boyfriend Duncan Matthews in X-Men: Evolution
are such examples. There are also numerous jock antagonists found in teen dramas such as the rapist Dean Walton from Degrassi
, among others.
In 2005, Dr. Sabina Kleitman, a psychology professor at The University of Sydney and Herbert W. Marsh, employed at Oxford University for the same profession teamed together. The pair conducted surveys of over 12,000 American students to find a correlation between sports and grades. The following is a quote from their published results:
"Achievement can be measured in many ways—grades, homework, attendance, standardized test scores, and enrollment in college. In all of these areas except standardized test scores, even after controlling for economic status, race, and other background variables, athletic participation was significantly correlated to academic achievement. Even after controlling for academic success in 8th and 10th grade, athletic participation was still associated with positive academic outcomes in 13 out of 21 measures in 12th grade and 2 years out of high school. This suggests that athletic participation itself may be responsible for some academic achievement—the later achievement isn't completely explained by earlier academic success."
Despite the fact that many schools recruit for sports, they put stipulations in place that hold student athletes to high standards in order to maintain their scholarships. Schools such as Cornell College
recruit students to their athletic teams, but require a student maintain a certain grade-point average in order to have the scholarship renewed. For many young athletes, this is imperative as they could not afford higher education on their own. Therefore, they balance proper study with the demands of their sport.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, refers to the classic stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
of a male athlete. It is generally a negative stereotype, and is attributed mostly to high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
and college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
athletics participants who form a distinct youth subculture
Youth subculture
A youth subculture is a youth-based subculture with distinct styles, behaviors, and interests. Youth subcultures offer participants an identity outside of that ascribed by social institutions such as family, work, home and school...
. In sociology, the jock is thought to be included within the socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
subculture, which also contains the preps
Preppy
Preppy, preppie, or prep refers to a modern, widespread United States clique, often considered a subculture...
and Ivy-Leaguers
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
. As a blanket term, jock can be considered synonymous with athlete.
Similar words that may mean the same as "jock" include "meathead," "musclebrain," and "musclehead." These terms are based on the stereotype that a jock is muscular, but not very smart, and cannot carry a conversation on any topic other than one relating to sports or exercise.
Origin
The use of the term "jock" to refer to an athletic man is thought to have emerged around 1963. It is believed to be derived from the word "jockstrapJockstrap
A jockstrap is an undergarment designed for supporting the male genitalia during sports or other vigorous physical activity...
," which is an undergarment worn to support the male genitals while playing sports. Since then, the concept of a jock has become ingrained in American culture as a negative stereotype of athletically-oriented males. It is likely that the pigeonholed image of male athletes is a result of the reductionist theory
Reductionism
Reductionism can mean either an approach to understanding the nature of complex things by reducing them to the interactions of their parts, or to simpler or more fundamental things or a philosophical position that a complex system is nothing but the sum of its parts, and that an account of it can...
, which essentially states it is easier for one to simplify life into stereotypes than accept its complexities. Various news outlets over the years have agreed that the term jock is reductionist in nature.
Jocks are often contrasted with another negative stereotype, nerd
Nerd
Nerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
s. This dichotomy has been immortalized by countless references and themes in movies, television shows, and books.
Marketing
Although it is hard to trace the trend of the jock image from its root in the '60s to the present, it is definite that retailers have played a huge role in perpetuating the stereotype. The jock image has become an icon in both erotica and marketing, such as that used by HollisterHollister Co.
Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
, or the erotic
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
photography
Photography
Photography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
of Bruce Weber
Bruce Weber (photographer)
Bruce Weber is an American fashion photographer and occasional filmmaker. He is most widely known for his ad campaigns for Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Pirelli, Abercrombie & Fitch, Revlon, and Gianni Versace, as well as his work for Vogue, GQ, Vanity Fair, Elle, Life, Interview, and Rolling Stone...
, Steven Underhill
Steven Underhill
Steven Underhill is an American photographer. He grew up in Northern California and graduated from University of California, Los Angeles....
, and others, who photographed jock archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
s like the Brewer twins
Brewer twins
Derek and Keith Brewer, known as the Brewer Twins, are male models.-Biography:The twins were born on September 21, 1973, at Torrance Memorial Hospital in Torrance, California. Derek was born fifteen minutes before Keith...
(Keith & Derek), the Hall twins (Bruce
Bruce Michael Hall
Bruce Michael Hall is an American actor and former male fashion model.-Biography:Hall originally portrayed Reese Durkee on the NBC soap opera Passions from the show's debut in July 1999 until January 2003 when his twin brother Seth Hall took over the role...
& Seth
Seth Hall
Seth Michael Hall is an American actor and former male fashion model.-Biography:Along with his identical twin brother Bruce, he was photographed by Steven Underhill for a book called Twins, published in 1999...
), Peter Johnson, Jonathon Huether and "Marky Mark" Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
.
The primary supporter of the jock image is Abercrombie and Fitch. Founded in 1892, the retailer targets the 18 to 22 year-old crowd. The following quote from a 2007 company report epitomizes how their brand image is derived from the jock stereotype: "The Abercrombie & Fitch brand personifies the privileged All-American collegiate lifestyle. A timeless juxtaposition of the Ivy League and the great outdoors."
These practices spurred a 2003 lawsuit against the company
Gonzalez v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores
The lawsuit Gonzalez, et al. v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., et al. , filed in June 2003, alleged that the nationwide retailer Abercrombie & Fitch "violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by maintaining recruiting and hiring practices that excluded minorities and women and adopting...
. The lawsuit stated that the retailer is prohibitive in its hiring of minorities and women. As a result, the company paid $40 million USD in damages. Jennifer Lu, an Asian American, claimed she was fired because she did not match the store's image. She was quoted as saying a corporate official came to the branch she was working at, pointed to one of the company's iconic images of muscular young white men, and said: "You need to have more staff that looks like this."
In media
Stereotypical jocks are often present in bookBook
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s, movies, and television shows involving high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
or college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
. The stereotype is most prevalent in movies for teenagers such as College
College (2008 film)
College is a 2008 comedy starring Drake Bell, Andrew Caldwell, and Kevin Covais and directed by first-time director Deb Hagan. It was released on August 29, 2008, by MGM.-Plot:...
, American Pie
American Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
, and Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds
Revenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
. The stereotype extends beyond the high-school and collegiate age group, trickling down into media intended for younger audiences. Examples of this include the high school quarterback Dash Baxter in the Nickelodeon cartoon Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom
Danny Phantom is an American animated television series created by Butch Hartman for Nickelodeon, produced by Billionfold Studios. The show was about a teenage half-ghost boy, who frequently saves his town and the world from ghost attacks, while attempting to keep his ghost half a secret...
. Other notable portrayals of the stereotype include the popular athlete love interest Tommy Ross
Tommy Ross
Thomas "Tommy" Everett Ross is one of the main characters in the horror novel Carrie by Stephen King.In both of the two film adaptations, as in the book, Tommy is asked by his girlfriend Sue Snell to take Carrie White to the prom instead of her. Susan feels guilty for taunting Carrie in the showers...
in Carrie, the spoiled bullying antagonist Luke Ward
Luke Ward
Luke Ward is a fictional character in the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Chris Carmack. At the beginning of the series, Luke was in a long-term relationship with Marissa Cooper. However, it was later revealed that Luke was cheating on Marissa with Holly Fischer. After seeing the two...
in the first season of The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
, and Kim's wealthy athlete boyfriend Jim in Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands
Edward Scissorhands is a 1990 romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. The film shows the story of an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their teenage daughter...
.
Portrayal of jocks in media
The mass mediaMass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
borrows many stereotypical characteristics of jocks, and they are commonly used to portray a character who is relatively unintelligent and unenlightened, but nonetheless socially and physically well-endowed. Usually, jocks will play aggressive sports such as football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
or basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. The main jock character often occupies a high position, such as the quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
or captain of the football team. In many cases the jock is shown to come from a wealthy family: driving a fancy, expensive sports car or SUV, and wearing expensive, name-brand clothing; however, this is not always the case. In this regard there may be significant overlap with the preppie stereotype.
As a protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, the jock is often a dynamic character who through an epiphany
Epiphany (feeling)
An epiphany is the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something...
or new understanding will lead to a change in the value
Value (personal and cultural)
A personal or cultural value is an absolute or relative ethical value, the assumption of which can be the basis for ethical action. A value system is a set of consistent values and measures. A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of integrity are based...
s of the jock. This change often means a cessation of athletics and/or some other equivalent social sacrifice which leads to the character no longer being considered a jock. Examples from movies include Randall "Pink" Floyd in Dazed and Confused
Dazed and Confused
"Dazed and Confused" is a song by Jake Holmes, which was covered by The Yardbirds, and later reworked by Led Zeppelin who hold a separate copyright on the song.-Jake Holmes:...
and Andrew Clark
Andrew Clark
Sir Andrew Clark, 1st Baronet , was a Scottish physician and pathologistHe was born in Aberdeen, the illegitimate son of Amelia Anderson and Andrew Clark. His father, who also was a physician, died when he was only a few years old...
in The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American teen drama film written and directed by John Hughes. The storyline follows five teenagers as they spend a Saturday in detention together and come to realize that they are all deeper than their respective stereotypes.-Plot:The plot follows five students at...
. Examples from television shows include Nathan Scott
Nathan Scott
Nathan Royal Scott is a fictional character on The CW television series One Tree Hill, portrayed by James Lafferty. He was the second protagonist during the first six seasons; but following Lucas Scott's departure, Nathan has become the main character and central figure of the show. Nathan is Lucas...
in the teen drama
Teen drama
A teen drama is a dramatic television series with a major focus on teenage characters. The genre was relatively non-existent for the first 45 years of television; it came into prominence in the early 1990s...
series One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
, Whitney Fordman in Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
and Luke Ward
Luke Ward
Luke Ward is a fictional character in the FOX television series The O.C., portrayed by Chris Carmack. At the beginning of the series, Luke was in a long-term relationship with Marissa Cooper. However, it was later revealed that Luke was cheating on Marissa with Holly Fischer. After seeing the two...
in The O.C.
The O.C.
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox television network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 21, 2007, running a total of four seasons...
.
As antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
s, jocks can be stock character
Stock character
A Stock character is a fictional character based on a common literary or social stereotype. Stock characters rely heavily on cultural types or names for their personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. In their most general form, stock characters are related to literary archetypes,...
s shown as lacking compassion for the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, and are generally flat and static. Often, in high school comedies or dramas where the main characters are not popular, the jock is the chief antagonist and cruel to the main characters. He is disliked by the nerds and other people considered unpopular, and usually has an unfortunate (and in some cases, violent) ending. Heathers
Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
"Kurt" and "Ram" roles, the Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
character Flash Thompson
Flash Thompson
Eugene "Flash" Thompson is a supporting character in Marvel Comics’s Spider-Man series. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, he first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 ....
and Jean Grey
Jean Grey
Jean Grey-Summers is a fictional comic book superheroine appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. She has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix and is best known as one of five original members of the X-Men, for her relationship with Cyclops, and for her...
's first boyfriend Duncan Matthews in X-Men: Evolution
X-Men: Evolution
X-Men: Evolution is an American animated television series about the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. In this incarnation many of the characters are teenagers rather than adults...
are such examples. There are also numerous jock antagonists found in teen dramas such as the rapist Dean Walton from Degrassi
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...
, among others.
Stereotypical characteristics of jocks
The following is a list which includes the various characteristics of the jock stereotype often borrowed by the media:- Arrogant
- Handsome, muscular, and athletic, but unintelligent
- Competitive and aggressive
- Homophobic
- Womanizer, or "player," who constantly cheats and cannot commit to a serious relationship
- Has an attractive girlfriend (usually a cheerleader) but shows signs of disrespect toward women (abuse, possessiveness, sexism)
- Popular among classmates or students similar to his own clique
- Generally popular with girls, but often despised by non-jock boys
- A bullySchool bullyingSchool bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in connection with education, either inside or outside of school. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeated over a period of time.In schools, bullying occurs in all areas...
who is hostile to those outside his social circle - Targeted by outcasts and the bullied, especially in school shootings
- Often perceived as getting preferential treatment solely due to athletic ability (e.g., passing grades undeserved, bad conduct overlooked)
Education and athletics
The general perception that athletes are unintelligent is derived from the idea that athletic and academic success are mutually exclusive.In 2005, Dr. Sabina Kleitman, a psychology professor at The University of Sydney and Herbert W. Marsh, employed at Oxford University for the same profession teamed together. The pair conducted surveys of over 12,000 American students to find a correlation between sports and grades. The following is a quote from their published results:
"Achievement can be measured in many ways—grades, homework, attendance, standardized test scores, and enrollment in college. In all of these areas except standardized test scores, even after controlling for economic status, race, and other background variables, athletic participation was significantly correlated to academic achievement. Even after controlling for academic success in 8th and 10th grade, athletic participation was still associated with positive academic outcomes in 13 out of 21 measures in 12th grade and 2 years out of high school. This suggests that athletic participation itself may be responsible for some academic achievement—the later achievement isn't completely explained by earlier academic success."
Despite the fact that many schools recruit for sports, they put stipulations in place that hold student athletes to high standards in order to maintain their scholarships. Schools such as Cornell College
Cornell College
Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows...
recruit students to their athletic teams, but require a student maintain a certain grade-point average in order to have the scholarship renewed. For many young athletes, this is imperative as they could not afford higher education on their own. Therefore, they balance proper study with the demands of their sport.
See also
- HeartiesHeartiesHearties was a term used for athletic students at the University of Oxford and elsewhere, especially in the 19th and early 20th century. The term is often used in contrast to the less athletic "aesthetes"....
- the equivalent term at Oxford University - NerdNerdNerd is a derogatory slang term for an intelligent but socially awkward and obsessive person who spends time on unpopular or obscure pursuits, to the exclusion of more mainstream activities. Nerds are considered to be awkward, shy, and unattractive...
- for many intents the antonym of 'jock' - Anti-jock movementAnti-jock movementThe anti-jock movement is a loosely organized cyber-movement consisting of similarly themed websites, whose goal is to challenge the perceived cultural dominance of institutionalized competitive sports and to raise issues of the perceived detrimental effects of such a dominance...
- Ivy LeagueIvy LeagueThe Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...