european college of sport science

CAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH? NO WAY
BIRCH, J.
NORWEGIAN SCHOOL OF SPORT SCIENCES
OP-SO04 Sociology 4
Physical activity is apparently beneficial for almost everything these days. Even minds benefit from exercise we are told. At least, that is
what is claimed in studies regarding physical activity to increase mental-, as well as physical health. From a philosophical perspective,
how are we to interpret such claims? The suggestion in this talk is that we are confronting cases of mental causation. The two interesting
ways such causation might happen is: 1) a mental state causes a physical state, and 2) a physical state causes a mental state. The first
way might be psychosomatics, the latter is what I suppose is meant when claims about physical activity and mental health are made, so
I will concentrate on this case, but the argument will also undermine the possibility of psychosomatics.
There are three standard ways to understand the relationship between mind and body in philosophy:
a) Substance dualism is the view that there are two substances in the world: the material body and the immaterial mind. These stand in a
causal relation, but how the interaction works remains a mystery. Such a view of the world is not going to explain how physical activity
makes a difference in the non-physical realm of the mind. It is a difficult scientific position to hold, since one of the most basic laws of
physics is the closure principle.
b) Epiphenomenalism is the view that mind does not make a difference in the physical world, it is just an epiphenomenon. Since the view
denies there is causation between the physical and the mental, it is certainly not the view you want to hold if you’re claiming that physical
activity benefits mental health.
c) So we are left with physicalism. Physicalism is the view that there is nothing but physical matter in the world. So what we call mental
must be realized by, be identical with or supervene on the physical.
From a physicalist perspective, it is impossible to have mental or physical change without a physical cause. For physical activity to benefit
mental health then, the activity must alter a physical state, say at the level of neurotransmitters, because if there isn’t a change at the
physical level, there isn’t going to be any change at all: the mental is physical. If you claim there is a genuine mental change, you must
defend the view called substance dualism. When it comes to mental causation, it’s not a good option.
I believe these considerations are important because our concepts describe the goings on in the world. If what I have claimed above is
justifiable, health workers should stop telling patients they are mentally ill (which some feel ashamed of, or believe is not really an illness
at all), because they are physical ill. In the same way, physical activity cannot increase mental health, only physical health. But that is just
as well.
The talk is based upon the work of Jaegwon Kim (2005).
References
Kim, J. Physicalism, or something near enough. Princeton, Princeton University Press, 2005
17:15 - 18:45
Oral presentations
OP-SO04 Sociology 4
TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE INTEGRITY POLICY IN SPORT? A DECADE OF PREVENTION POLICY OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
IN SPORT IN THE NETHERLANDS
VERTOMMEN, T., MOGET, P., WEBER, M., VAN VELDHOVEN, N.
NOC*NSF
Integrity policies become more and more accepted in public governance, police and other social sectors. In sport however, there seems
to be a lack of interest to install a set of protection measurements concerning integrity. We notice some examples of good practice in
local and national sport federations or clubs. Unfortunately there are not enough coordinated, coherent and subsidized initiatives to
install a toolbox of integrity instruments (Maesschalck & Vanden Auweele, 2008).
The prevention policy of the Dutch Olympic Committee against sexual abuse and harassment in sports has been crucial for the social
safety for a decade now (Moget & Weber, 2008). Rules of conduct were formulated for coaches and other sport leaders and the
NOC*NSF hotline was formed. Victims and perpetrators of sexual harassment but also other (indirect involved)athletes, parents, coaches,
board members of clubs and federations can reach this emergency telephone 24/7 for questions, support, first relief and report on
incidents. More support and advice, when necessary, is given by councilors and advisors.
Every year, several incidents (approximately 100 a year) are reported to NOC*NSF. Cases of sexual harassment and abuse, violence,
unwanted intimacies, abuse of power, handled by the councilors and advisors of NOC*NSF produce crucial information on the nature
and number of complaints concerning harassment and abuse in sport.
The registration forms of the councilors and advisors contain valuable information about the age, sex and position of victim and accused.
Types of harassment, point in time and duration of the incident and sport discipline can also be found in these documents.
With this information we can check theories and models, f.e. the grooming process as described by Brackenridge (2001) and possible
correlation between soft and serious types of harassment.
The research will also take a close look to the process of treating the complaints, so that this can be evaluated.
The ongoing research, of which the first results will be presented during the conference, is the first worldwide to evaluate a prevention
policy in sport based on real incidents.
References
Brackenridge, C.H. (2001). Spoilsports. Understanding and preventing sexual exploitation in sport. London & New York: Routledge.
Maesschalck, J. & Vanden Auweele, Y. (2008). ‘Integrity Management in Youth Sport: How to ensure that the Panathlon Declaration
makes a real difference?’, Ethics Management in Youth Sport, Implementation of the Panathlon Declaration, Strategies and Good Practices
(CD-rom). Ghent: PVLO.
478 14 TH
ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COLLEGE OF SPORT SCIENCE