Referees' Decision Making in Handball and Transgressive Behaviors: Influence of Stereotypes About Gender of Players?
Résumé
The purpose of these studies was to examine gender’s effect on transgressive behaviors and
referees’ decisions during handball games (Study 1) and the potential influence of gender
stereotypes about players on referees’ decisions as regards these transgressive behaviors
(Study 2). In Study 1, 20 games (10 women’s games and 10 men’s games) were videotaped
and observed. The findings indicated that men displayed transgressive behaviors more than
women and that referees penalized women more than men. In Study 2, 30 referees answered
a set of questions after they watched an edited video showing similar situations of female and
male players. The findings showed that the similar situations in the video were judged in a
different way by the referees. Thus, female players were granted more penalties than were
male players. Gender stereotypes could effectively influence decision making.