アスリートアドボカシーに対する人々の反応 : 献身性と適合性がもたらす影響

抄録

Athlete advocacy refers to the efforts of elite athletes to raise public awareness of social and political issues. While previous research has examined the public’s mixed reaction to athlete advocacy from various perspectives, little has been studied about the factors that determine this reaction. This study aims to investigate the determinants of public reaction to athlete advocacy, focusing on two key factors : perceived effort and perceived fit. Additionally, the moderating effect of athlete attachment is also examined. Specifically, this study explores public reaction to the racial advocacy of Naomi Osaka. Data was collected from 855 Japanese adults through an online survey. Results from Latent Moderated Structural Equation Modeling (LMS) analysis indicate that perceived effort and perceived fit significantly associate with the public’s positive or negative reaction to athlete advocacy. However, the moderating effects of athlete attachment on the relationship between advocacy attributes and public reaction are mixed. This study contributes to the literature by examining the determinants of public reaction to athlete advocacy from the attribution theory perspective. Furthermore, as athletes’ engagement in social issues can affect their brand image, the findings of this study are useful for athletes developing strategies for disseminating their advocacy efforts.