THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN COMPETITIVE ROAD CYCLISTS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES BY ANNA MARIA DELLANEBBIA, B.A. DENTON, TEXAS MAY 2020 Copyright © 2020 by Annamaria DellaNebbia ABSTRACT ANNAMARIA DELLANEBBIA THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN COMPETITIVE ROAD CYCLISTS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY MAY 2020 Cycling has been recognized in scientific research for numerous benefits to well- being. The benefits to cycling are clear, but barriers are present for women who wish to participate in the sport. While there have been substantial gains in understanding aspects of cycling, there remains a lack of in-depth phenomenological descriptions from a woman’s perspective, as the sport is dominated by men. This study explored the lived experiences of 8-12 women competitive road cyclists in relation to their thoughts, feelings, and actions. This inquiry used interpretive phenomenological analysis of semi- structured interviews. The analysis revealed several themes, including sexist attitudes and behaviors, gendered barriers such as size, interpersonal dynamics between cyclists, and inclusive transitions for women competitive road cyclists. These findings suggest that cycling may be a microcosm for broader societal trends, and implications for reducing gendered cycling barriers, promoting women cyclists, and creating an inclusive road cycling community are discussed. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. ii LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................... vii Chapter I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Background ...................................................................................................... 1 Statement of Purpose ....................................................................................... 3 Definition of Terms.......................................................................................... 4 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 7 Gendered Differences in Sports ........................................................................ 7 History of Women in Cycling ........................................................................... 9 Benefits of Cycling ......................................................................................... 12 Physical Benefits ................................................................................. 12 Psychological Benefits ........................................................................ 15 Social Benefits .................................................................................... 19 Transportation Benefits ....................................................................... 25 Barriers to Cycling for Women....................................................................... 28 Rates of Cycling ................................................................................... 28 Perceptions of Safety and Risk ............................................................ 32 Additional Barriers............................................................................... 36 Rationale for the Current Study ...................................................................... 41 III. METHODS .......................................................................................................... 42 Researcher Qualifications and Biases ............................................................. 42 Data Collection ............................................................................................... 46 Participants ........................................................................................... 46 Instrumentation .................................................................................... 49 Pre-Screening ............................................................................ 49 Interview Guide ........................................................................ 49 Procedure .................................................................................. 49 Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 51 iii Philosophical Approach ....................................................................... 51 Analysis Process .................................................................................. 52 Reading and Re-Reading ......................................................... 53 Initial Note-Taking................................................................... 53 Emergent Theme Development ............................................... 53 Searching for Connections Among Themes ............................ 54 Moving to the Next Case ......................................................... 54 Looking for Patterns Across Cases .......................................... 54 Triangulation ................................................................................................... 54 Review by Participants ....................................................................... 55 Documentation .................................................................................... 55 IV. RESULTS ............................................................................................................ 56 Theme 1: Road Cycling Benefits .................................................................... 56 Physical Benefits ................................................................................. 56 Psychological Benefits ........................................................................ 57 Increased Confidence ................................................................ 57 Mental Clarity ........................................................................... 58 Stress Relief .............................................................................. 59 Psychological well-being from being outdoors ........................ 60 Enjoyment ................................................................................. 60 Social Benefits ..................................................................................... 61 Transportation Benefits ........................................................................ 62 New Experiences/Travel Benefits........................................................ 62 Theme 2: Identifying as a Road Cyclist .......................................................... 63 Time Commitment ............................................................................... 64 Family Responsibility ............................................................... 65 Theme 3: Road Cycling Culture ..................................................................... 66 Few Women ........................................................................................ 68 Growth ...................................................................................... 69 “Rules” ................................................................................................ 71 Competition......................................................................................... 72 Strategy ..................................................................................... 73 Teamwork ................................................................................. 74 Present/In the Moment .............................................................. 75 Self-Talk ................................................................................... 76 Attention to Non-Verbal Communication ................................ 78 Perceived Risk .......................................................................... 79 Negative Race Experiences....................................................... 80 Effective Team Efforts .............................................................. 80 iv Combined Races ....................................................................... 81 Teaching Other Cyclists ...................................................................... 84 Evaluating Others................................................................................ 84 Earned Respect/Having to Prove Oneself ................................. 85 Judgement ................................................................................. 87 Individual Differences Within the Community ........................ 89 Bikes ................................................................................................... 90 Clothing............................................................................................... 92 Diversity .............................................................................................. 93 Age ............................................................................................ 96 Size ............................................................................................ 96 Income....................................................................................... 98 Barriers .............................................................................................. 100 Theme 4: Gender Differences