SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF FITNESS: EXPERIENCE OF EMPIRICAL STUDY

The paper studies such a social phenomenon as fitness. The author analyzes the origin and functioning of the fitness industry in modern Russia. To differentiate the basic models of fitness market consumer behaviour in the sociological approach it is necessary to form the proper idea of fitness as a social phenomenon and define its social importance for consumers. Thus, the main task of the work is to reveal the major functions and role of fitness. Based on methodology of structural functionalism of T. Parsons and R. Merton, using the method of literature content analysis, the author identifies and describes socio-economic and socio-cultural function of fitness. This paper investigates the explicit and latent functions of fitness, as well as expressions of its dysfunctions.

The results of empirical research conducted by the author are presented in the work. As a method of collecting data the author used online survey of fitness clubs customers from different regions of Russia, as well as an inquiry of customers directly at the fitness clubs of Ivanovo region. 1150 respondents were interviewed. This empirical research has allowed to fix the social role of fitness, the motives and goals of consumers of this service. The findings of the survey prove that fitness affects many spheres of consumers’ life: it improves their physical abilities, appearance, and health, effectively influences their professional activity and relations with people around them, becomes the right form of leisure activity, etc. The social importance of fitness for the consumers is mainly revealed in its latent functions – from the consumers’ body building to arrangement of their life.