Values are taught much more often than caught.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not true
• D. It depends

Answer: (C)

In sport ethics, how we learn values is driven more by observation and experience than by formal instruction. The idea that we teach values more than we “catch” them rests on the fact that learners imitate and internalize what they see in coaches, teammates, and the overall culture. When a coach routinely models fairness, respect for opponents, and accountability—actions like owning a mistake, praising others, or handling disputes calmly—those behaviors shape players’ values even if there isn’t a formal lesson accompanying them. Conversely, explicit talks about values can be undermined if the daily environment contradicts them; say a team preaches sportsmanship but celebrates wins at any cost. In practice, the everyday lived examples—the environment, role models, and peer norms—have a stronger influence on value formation than explicit teaching alone. So the statement is not true; values are largely caught through demonstrated behavior and lived culture rather than taught primarily through instruction.