The Caitlin Clark Effect from a Psychological Perspective

Caitlin Clark has become the most famous woman to ever play the game of basketball. She set the all time record for most points scored in Division 1 college basketball by either a man or woman, and set the record for most assists by any woman at the same time. She was the Number One draft pick in the WNBA and draws record breaking crowds both in person and on TV. You would think the women of the WNBA would be grateful to have her boost the popularity of the league, but many are not. Dr. Baker takes a psychological look at why so many women in the WNBA are dismissive of Clark, and even physically abusive towards her at times.

[@destinypirate]

I agree, envy is the fuel. There is more though. There is an ideological drive. Clark represents tradition and coming from ''a group'' that is outside of the Bully Club that has been running wbb for the last 30 years. She is breaking the bully club monopoly. Many of these women were conditioned, even as girl athletes, to aspire to the bully club's culture - in the hopes that they can be accepted into it, or at least spared the wrath of it. Clark 's presence is revealing the severe moral debasement of the Bully Club and that there is still a much much larger and stronger value system that is upheld by the Silent Majority. They resent and fear this ''intrusion'' into a sport they have viewed as ''theirs". This comes as a blow to their egos, belief systems, and behavior patterns. Of course the irony is that if they let go of the BUlly Club standards, and just embraced making good sport with Clark, there would be nothing to fear, no ''backlash'' and they could have the life (of success) that they believe they had been deprived up.

[@janeshepard9549]

WNBA - not for all women, but only for the women we want

[@GreatWhite7]

you seem to over estimate how petty not-men really are wnba is a clown show

[@martinwakefield8138]

The NFL often draws some criticism because they over protect their quarterbacks, especially the more popular ones. Its for the good of the League, their "tribe". However, the WNBA seems to be doing quite the opposite

[@destinypirate]

That is because men realize the severity of consequences, and that they must rely upon each other to uphold some level of standards in order to ensure that they are not all succeptible to the worst of what they could be doing to each other.

[@leelee8720]

Seems like they’re jealous. Go figure.