Final answer:
Malcolm Gladwell uses cultural and environmental factors, including parenting strategies, work ethic derived from geographical practices, and the psychology of attributions, to explain the composition of rosters and paths to success.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon that Malcolm Gladwell uses to explain why the roster is the way it is relates to the cultural and environmental factors that influence success. Gladwell examines the concept of success through various lenses, including sociological research, geographical analysis, cultural practices, and the psychology of attributions. For instance, Gladwell references sociologist Annette Lareau's study on parenting techniques across economic backgrounds. Parents from higher-income families engage in strategies that foster a child's talents and skills, which could affect the success of children, including their inclusion in activities or programs like sports rosters. Moreover, Gladwell also explores how geographical and cultural environments, such as the intensive labor of wet rice farming, can instill a strong work ethic that might contribute to success in other areas, like mathematics.
Another aspect Gladwell delves into is our perception of success and failure, noting that we often attribute our favorite sports team's victories to internal, stable, and controllable factors, while losses are attributed to external, unstable, and uncontrollable factors. This psychology of attributions influences how we perceive individual and team success on rosters. For instance, local athletes becoming stars can create a positive feedback loop in their region—inspiring others, increasing competition, and generating more success stories. This pattern is of interest to geographers studying success in various domains.