For our research, we based our hypothesis, field notes and collection of data through a Ontological View.

The Ontological View states that culture is a way of being, in which we our behaviors are based off of our collective understanding of reality.

This view helps us not only understand the behaviors that occur in the world around us but also why these norms, rituals or any behavior is done the way it is done.

The Ontological View goes past the how of behavior and into the why.

Due to this, we have all personally observed particular behaviors that occurred in these places. But we wanted to go deeper.

We wanted to understand why particular behaviors occur at these spaces, and what this reveals about the larger culture at College of the Holy Cross.

The gym is also where many different students go as a place to decompress, improve themselves and even socialize. This setting provides rich and vast opportunities to collect data on different behaviors that occur.

Main Objective:

Understand the different behaviors that occurred within the Jo and Loyola Gym, specifically looking at gender and race.

Key Questions & Hypothesis: Kaylie

1. Are there differences in behavior or patterns that occur that coincide with student's race or gender?

2. Who is the dominant presence in particular sections?

3. What interactions take place between people of different identities, if any?

   
   

1. I wore regular gym attire

2. I had headphones but kept music low or off to be able to hear interactions

3. I went at different time periods (7-9am), (11-1pm) as well as (3-5pm)

After my first field notes, I found that the Jo is most popular during the shift of 3-5pm, and this is where I have decided to focus most of my analysis.

Social Behavior of Men

1. Large groups of men together (up to 6 Individuals together at a time)

2. Loud & Conversational

3. Dominant Presence in the Weight Room Section

4. Little to none can be observed in cardio section

Social Behavior of Women

1. Smaller groups of women observed

2. Less conversational

3. Dominant presence in cardio section

4. Little to none observed in the weight section

Key Interaction:

A women asks to work in at a machine/bench area with two men.

 One states, "Sorry, we are already alternating." The girl doesn't reply but walks away from the two men and leaves the free weight section of the gym

Field Notes #1

I notice by the dumbbell section, a similar pattern can be observed. Large groups of males together, but seem to be strictly divided by their race.It is here I observe a new barrier, one that transcends gender. Now it is is race that divides individuals. .Not only is there a division in interaction between men and women, but there is a division of interaction between people of color and those who are not.

Field Notes #3

Analysis:

I base my analysis on scholar Jaan Valsiner, who studies this type of phenomena in her book on psychological development.

“A child is born into a group setting, and even if that initial setting may change, the person is embedded in some form of mediating group throughout life”. (Jaan 2000)

This means that those who are of a different inherited category are more likely to form bonds with those who are in their corresponding groups. (Jaan 2000)

There seems to be some barriers between individuals of different identities. While Holy Cross as an institution strives to be a place of inclusivity, there still is distinction of formation of social groups. Based off of Jaan's concepts, people of similar identities are more likely to align themselves with people who are similar to them.

Why do we align ourselves with people who are similar to us?

The Social Identity Theory could explain this.

This theory refers to the how individuals foster a sense of belongingness and self-esteem from aligning themselves with people who are similar to them. Studies have proven that this can actually increase sense of self esteem as well as a sense of community.

According to this theory, there is comfort in similarity for individuals, especially as specific identities (such as being a women or man of color) come with specific experiences that only that person could relate to. Thus, these shared experiences act as the foundation for collaboration and a sense of belongingness, something that is key for any human being to feel, as we are extremely social animals.

Sample Questions:

1. Are there particular spaces in the gym that you gravitate towards? If you could describe the perfect workout day, what would it be?

2. Do you work out with a particular group of people?

3. What are ways we can make the Jo a more safe and inclusive space for all individuals at Holy Cross?

Data:

I found that almost all of my participants stated that they feel the Jo is a comfortable and safe space.

The women I interviewed all mostly stated that they feel as though they tend to gravitate towards the cardio section and the studio room (located next to the free weight section).

One of the ways that they stated we can make the Jo a more inclusive spot is to provide more challenging weights to the studio room, which tends to be a free weight area with lighter weights that women tend to gravitate towards.

 Because of the nature of the yoga room (its private section instead of in the middle of the gym), this room offers a unique space where women can safely cross boundaries without fear of judgment.

Analysis:

 Self Determination theory, which states that individuals are more motivated when they have a sense of autonomy (independence) competence(sense of ease and understanding in activity)  and relates (connection with others in this activity)

There is a sense of autonomy for women when they feel comfortable utilizing  any machine they desire in the gym. This also coincides with a sense of competence, as when they do or master these exercises they can effectively do so without feeling judged or pressured.  They can also feel safe and comfortable being surrounded by similar people, which allows for more feelings of being understood and connected.

• Some boundaries exist within gender and race. Holy Cross women specifically do feel comfortable with the Jo. 

• More rigid boundaries in Loyola Gym- followed more rigidly.

The bigger picture → cultural conclusions

• There are cultural stigmas about going to the gym and different cultures.

• The stigma around weightlifting.

• Male and female bodies.

  • Differences in male and female influences. 

Things I noticed: Women travel in groups. The free-weight section is primarily male-dominated, and the cardio machines are primarily filled with women. The turf area seems to be a safe space for both genders to coexist peacefully.

After conducting field notes three times, my data concluded that the cardio spaces had a higher percentage of women, with men not using the cardio machines often when I observed. The free weight section was a very male-dominated space, with women not entering often and most of the time in groups or with a partner. The turf every single time I observed was always a very even mixture.

The analysis I took away from my field notes was about gender roles that are being made in the Jo. They are extremely prevalent. I also thought about how women travel in groups sometimes, analyzing that as they feel more confident with others around them, being in a heavily male-dominated space. I analyzed the usage of cardio machines by women as a cultural impact and reason. What I mean by this is that as a society, we have certain body standards for each gender, and we have frowned upon women being muscular because they look "bulky," which is not the standard. Women are told to do a lot of cardio and not lift to look slim and toned to line up with the body standard. This cultural and societal issue is how I analyzed the cardio usage in the Jo from my field notes.

From my first set of field notes, this interaction felt very important to highlight the visual discomfort I saw from women, specifically on the basketball court.

"She began to show visible discomfort as it was tough for her to continue shooting with them playing the way they were. They kept looking at her in a way that also felt purposeful. She surrendered, and I watched her walk off the court, hand in her ball, go upstairs to walk on the treadmill upstairs, and complain aggressively to her friend about what had happened."

Some theories I connected my field notes and analysis with were evolutionary psychology's theory. I think this theory supports societal and body standards that men and then men need to be muscular and strong to survive, which supports their dominance in the weight-lifting sections of the Jo. Another theory I thought about was cognitive dissonance. Men who internalize these deeply rooted traditional gender roles in the gym might experience mental and physical discomfort if they engage in activities perceived as a more female role, for example, cardio in the gym. Weightlifting has become a way to align their actions with societal expectations and follow society's gender norms and roles. Breaking those roles and crossing that border is very uncomfortable for many which leads to no change in the Jo.

"Girls don't ask boys to work in; that's just not a thing; it would be a crime."

"Being the only girl in the room, you can feel the eyes on you and the judgment from others in the room."

"I'm the odd one out in a room."

After conducting my interview, many observations from my field notes were backed up and supported by my interview findings. She explained that the free-weight section at the bottom of the Jo was the most substantial segregation spot, even counting that she was down there with fifteen-plus boys once. This really gave me a new understanding; she explained how she can “feel eyes on her” and knows they are there but proceeds with her workout. She was understanding of other female students as she explained that many others might not be as extroverted and carefree as she was to conquer the free-weight section alone. She was specifically describing how one of her friends would not feel comfortable even going to the Jo alone. The working in part of the interview and sharing equipment brought some new things to my attention that I did not notice during my field notes.

This stems from a bigger societal issue that men have a stereotype for lifting heavy weights, being extremely masculine, and having big muscles because our society has made that the stereotype. For the female side of things, we have portrayed an unrealistic body standard, image, and stereotype. Women must be toned, but not bulky, and thin, which in turn means hitting the cardio machines. 

Following this, my research and annotated bibliography highlighted two sources, one talking about grunting and women's weight-lifting stigma and how each gender is perceived. The other source highlights the psychological effects of the stigma around women's weight lifting and other effects it causes. These sources were important for creating our conclusion of cultural stigmas in the gym and how different genders' bodies are different, and this influences gym culture as well. This research was helpful for coming to this conclusion, as well as the research and sources supporting the findings and observations we made here at Holy Cross.

For men,

1. Most would tend to workout in groups or pairs

2. Focused almost primarily on the weight lifting section of the gym

For Women,

1. Most exercised alone

2. Primarily focused their exercises on the cardio equipment in the gym

Although there were few people who would cross over and break the gendered norms of the gym, it stayed in this segregated environment for the wide majority of my time spent in the site. Despite not entering the first field notes with a clear research question in mind, these patterns became clear right from the jump, and prompted me to probe further into why the split exists, and became the main focus of both my interview and annotated bibliography.

• The channel is two twin brothers who post weightlifting content whilst often fighting with one another, yelling and attempting to lift more than each other. The two's name is also a play on the drug trenbolone acetate, which is a powerful steroid that has many harmful side effects for its users. The two are some of the most popular male fitness influencers, with millions of followers across all their social medias. The twins serve as an example of the media portrayals that my interviewee spoke of, as they promote their virtually unattainable physique and are watched by millions.

Along with the Tren Twins, there are countless other portrayals on social media of super muscular, unrealistic physiques that get the most followers and views. The popularity of these people serves as a major influence for men in gym spaces, and helps to play a major role as to why the weight lifting areas tend to be male dominated, as the majority of female fitness influencers do not participate in the same spaces. The promotion of this image makes it "normalized" and that people have to look like that to fit in, causing this staunch divide in the cultures of the gym.