Bridging Gender: Attitudes & Inequalities
Overview
This project analyses attitudes to gender among bridge players based on 151 email questionnaires and 52 interviews from the Bridging Minds study. The initial analysis of the interview data was conducted by Elizabeth Graham for her Masters thesis, combined with the follow-up email questionnaires carried out by BAMSA. This project explores gender differences in the mindsport of bridge and the question of why, at the top of the game, men are more successful in terms of winning more prestigious events. This work is also informed by a literature review of gendered brains, titled: ‘Sex differences in the human brain and the game of bridge’ (McPherson, Punch and Graham).
The fieldwork consisted of email questionnaires (2017-2018) and in-depth interviews (2013-2019). Findings were published in 2021-2023. These research findings have led to the development of a Gender Policy by the Women’s Committee of the European Bridge League (EBL).
Journal Articles
Bridging Gender
Punch, S., Snellgrove, M., Graham, E., McPherson, C. and Cleary, J. (2023) Bridging Brains: Exploring Neurosexism and Gendered Stereotypes in a Mindsport, Leisure/Loisir Journal.
- Practical summary
- Infographic Poster: pdf format or png format
Rogers, A., Snellgrove, M.L. and Punch, S. (2022) Between Equality and Discrimination: The Paradox of the Women’s Game in the Mind-sport Bridge, World Leisure Journal, 64(4): 342-360.
Punch, S. and Rogers, A. (2021) Building, not Burning Bridges in Research: Insider/Outsider Dilemmas and Engaging with the Bridge Community, Journal of Leisure Research, 53(2): 272-289.