Influence of Athletes as Role Models on Youth Values, Attitudes, and Identity Formation

Abstract

Scholars have theorised that athletic role models can have a beneficial impact on the self-perception of their admirers. Athletes often serve as exemplary figures who appear "attainable," thereby inspiring youths. The objective of this paper is to examine how athletes as role models influence the values, attitudes, and identities of young individuals. Relevant academic studies and grey literature pertaining to this subject were sourced from esteemed electronic databases. The results emphasize the role of sports as a crucial component in the developmental process of young people. Consequently, it is reasonable to conclude that the most prominent sports figures are readily embraced as admirable role models by youths, a notion that aligns with the substantial prominence of sports in our society.