Perceived Soccer Literacy: A Construct Linking Soccer Video Games Play to Soccer Engagement

Abstract

This study investigates soccer video games as a platform to promote soccer engagement (i.e., involvement, behavioral intentions) among those who do not physically play soccer regularly. Perceived soccer literacy is proposed as a construct explaining the promotional effect, consisting of the four sub-themes of affective attitude, perceived functional knowledge, perceived critical knowledge, and perceived competence. A study was conducted based on an online survey and with US and Canadian adults who do not physically play soccer on a regular basis. With structural equation modeling, (1) the association between soccer video game use and perceived soccer literacy was examined (via mean comparison) and (2) perceived soccer literacy’s link to soccer involvement and behavioral intentions was tested (via latent variable path analysis). Positive links were reported from soccer video games usage to all four sub-themes. Perceived soccer literacy imposed significant influences on soccer involvement/intentions, where perceived critical knowledge was the most influential.