The author suggests that athletes engage in overconformity in sports because of their desire to

• A. Play and be accepted as an athlete by other athletes
• B. Avoid responsibilities outside sport
• C. Win at any cost even if it harms health
• D. Impress sponsors

Answer: (A)

Overconformity in sports often stems from a need to belong and be accepted within the athlete community. When athletes want to be seen as committed and part of the group, they adopt the sport’s norms and push them to the limit. That desire for peer validation makes them conform more than is healthy, because being accepted by other athletes brings status, respect, and a sense of belonging.

So the best answer is that athletes engage in overconformity because of their desire to play and be accepted as an athlete by other athletes. The other motivations—avoiding responsibilities outside sport, winning at any cost, or impressing sponsors—don’t capture the same social-centered pull of belonging within the athletic peer group.