Professor’s Research Examines Media Framing Of Athlete Concussions, Mental Health, KSU

Press release from Kennesaw State University:

Oct 21, 2020

Professor’s research examines media framing of athlete concussions, mental health

David Cassilo

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Oct 21, 2020) — The manner in which journalists tell stories about football players’ concussions and
athletes’ mental health plays a pivotal role in how people react and treat such issues,
according to Kennesaw State University’s David Cassilo.

Cassilo, assistant professor of communication, defines media framing as the tendency of journalists to include personal bias in
their stories, whether it be through the quotes they include, sentence structure and
what information is included or excluded from the story.

Cassilo has researched how the media connect football to the American identity by
characterizing the ideal American male through the concepts of hegemonic masculinity
and the pain principle.

“Within our society, there’s an idealized version of what it means to be a man – being
tough, showing no emotion, being willing to sacrifice your body for your profession
and living by the mantra ‘no pain, no gain,’” Cassilo said. “In hegemonic masculinity,
that view of a male dominates all other views of a male, so other males who may be
more emotional are thought of as weaker.”

Recently, more football players have chosen to retire early because of the risks of
playing such a high-impact sport. The way the media frame retiring players – either
reacting positively to athletes’ concerns or believing the trend will “weaken” American
men in the future – has a profound impact on the way Americans view them in terms
of masculinity, according to Cassilo.

Cassilo’s research also examines the role media framing has on athlete mental health
and their activism regarding social issues. Cassilo’s paper includes LeBron James’
role in shaping perceptions on athlete inclusion in social justice issues, and how
media framing allows for athletes to shape public policy and opinions. According to
Cassilo, the influence of social media has allowed for athletes to label themselves
as activists and get involved in issues.

“Athletes feel safer to express their activism today, and you see the media responding
with not just positive framing, but extensive coverage on these issues,” Cassilo said.

To hear more from Cassilo, listen to the “Thought Provoking” podcast featuring research and expertise from KSU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

– Paul Floeckher

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its approximately 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status, and one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.

This press release was produced by Kennesaw State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.