Perceptions of the Relationship between Biracialism and Athletic Performance and Physiology (2012)

Undergraduate: Malia Melvin

Faculty Advisor: Deborah Stroman
Department: Exercise & Sport Science

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau report, “Components of Population Change by Race and Hispanic Origin,” the number of biracial people in the United States increased by 36.6% from 2000 to 2009. An additional report from the U.S. Census Bureau, “Overview of Race and Hispanic Origin: 2010” determined that the most common racial paring is White and African American or Black; this accounts for 20% of the biracial population in the United States. The purpose of this study is to determine students' perceptions on the relationship between biracialism and intercollegiate athletic performance and physiology, specifically in White and Black biracial athletes. Currently enrolled UNC students between the ages of 18 and 22 are eligible to participate in this study. This questionnaire contains 19 questions in four parts regarding students’ relationships with biracial people, expectations in intercollegiate athletics based on race, definitions, and demographic information. The qualitative portion of the survey has potential to reveal whether society has clear definitions of race, ethnicity, and biracial. The quantitative data will be entered into the statistical program SPSS, and a set of descriptive statistics analysis will be run to determine how select demographics affect a student’s perceptions of biracialism in intercollegiate athletic performance and physiology.