Trash-talking in college basketball

As college sports become more intense and physical, a great deal of attention and scholarly research has begun to focus on the type of communication used during competition. For example, basketball has become vastly more intense and more aggressive and individual communication style has become part of the game. In this study, I am concerned with a type of communication called "trash-talking." Trash-talking is defined as "the act of a person, usually an athlete, who talks to an opponent in an excessively boastful or scornful manner." Most of the talk is a form of insults or "put-downs" that are communicated towards another person. Trash-talking has become a controversial issue for the media, fans, teams, owners and players, and was very evident in the 1992-93 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, especially during the playoffs. Recently trash-talking has appeared in the 1993-94 playoffs as well. Trash-talking was so pervasive that the NBA reconstructed its rules in an attempt to minimize it, and when it apparently began to incite physical aggression', the NBA took immediate action. Action against this style of communication on the court is not limited to the NBA, however. Most all professional and collegiate sports took steps to limit forms of trash-talking and thus reduce the possibility of talk escalating into physical aggression. From my experience as a collegiate basketball player and as one who watches collegiate sports, it appears that trash-talking is common in college basketball. In my study I examine how the players feel about trash-talking, the reasons for its use, and actions that trigger the escalation of trash-talking into physical violence. The research data came from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (West) (PSAC). Players participated in the study by filling out a short questionnaire, watching three short clips of trash-talking, and discussing these clips in a focus group.