ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to examine parents’ behaviors at youth sport competitions (such as games, track meets, tournaments, or playoffs). It is widely accepted that children learn through observation and, if children observe their parents behaving in a certain manner, they may replicate these behaviors (Bandura, 1986). The behaviors that parents display in relation to youth sport can be thought of as a type of role-modeling that influences observational learning (Fredricks and Eccles, 2004). For example, if parents argue with an official, their children may learn from this behavior, viewing it as an acceptable action in sport, and subsequently engage in the behavior themselves. Furthermore, through their behaviors parents communicate their views about the value of winning and losing, expectations regarding success, and their perceptions of children's competence. Such behaviors can have important consequences for children's sporting experiences. As such, researchers have devoted a great deal of attention toward understanding parental behaviors at youth sport competitions.
