The social context and the social forces that influence the dynamics of physical education classes are complex issues in the need of study. Some attempts have been made to investigate ethnicity and gender and how they influence teaching and learning in the physical education class because they are not clearly understood. This study, framed theoretically within social cognition, utilizes self schema theory intensified by a projection technique in order to identify beliefs that may otherwise be edited by the individual. This study is part of a larger study that examines themes and social positioning constructed in short stories based on ethnicity and gender. Specifically addressed in this phase are the differing character attributes assigned by ethnicity and gender and activity selections indicated by the participants. The participants were 58 fifth-grade students from southeastern United States. The research instrument begins with sketched representations of four youth approximately 12 years of age (an African American male and female and a Euro-American male and female) of the same height and similar clothing. Each subject assigns a name and five attributes under each character. They are asked at the end of producing their short stories to explain which character they most and least identify with and explain why. Lastly for the purposes of this analysis the subjects indicate the five physical activities they most enjoy participating in or watching. The results indicate that there were no apparent trends in the character attributes assigned to the characters and the attributes included wide variation. Also, there was no significant variation in the physical activities listed. The participants displayed a propensity to identify with the character that coincided with their own race and gender. Overall 67% of participants identified with the character that corresponded to their race and gender, with 72% of African American and 64% of European American participants doing so. Interestingly, only one participant mentioned race or gender in explaining the reason for identifying with the character, while all other participants alluded to the characteristics ascribed the character. This may indicate the participants implicit or unconscious identification with characters that coincide with their own race and gender. An alternative explanation is that the participants have learned the unwritten taboo of discussing race and gender in certain environments in American society. Keyword(s): diversity, gender issues, multiculturalism/cultural diversity