Our project aims to better understand how teamwork and shared goals in college sports influence how people see and relate to others from different backgrounds.

College athletes often work closely with teammates who may differ in background, culture, or life experiences. We study whether their everyday interactions — especially when teams work together toward common goals, such as winning games — can help build mutual respect and foster more positive attitudes among athletes.

By learning how cooperation in sports shapes social attitudes, we hope to contribute knowledge that can inform educational programs, team environments, and broader efforts to promote understanding in society.

This study explores how participation in college sports teams affects how athletes view people from different racial and social groups. Sports teams are unique environments where individuals regularly cooperate, communicate, and depend on each other to succeed. We are interested in whether these shared experiences — both successes and challenges — influence attitudes toward others outside one’s own group.

To carry out this research, we are inviting college athletes from across the United States to voluntarily complete an anonymous online survey about their team experiences and perspectives. Coaches are contacted only to help share the survey link with their players; coaches themselves do not participate in the survey and cannot see any responses. All responses are confidential and used only for research purposes.

The goal is not to evaluate individual teams or institutions, but rather to understand broader social patterns about teamwork, cooperation, and attitudes. The findings will help researchers and the public better understand how structured group activities like sports can shape social relationships and perceptions beyond the playing field.

This study has been reviewed and approved by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure that it meets ethical research standards and protects participants’ privacy.