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Psychologists Tackle Fandom
by
findingDulcinea Staff
The Major League Baseball playoffs are in full swing, and on them ride the hopes and expectations of hundreds of thousands of fans; but what is it about human psychology that compels the sports devotee to cheer and jeer with the team?
30-Second Summary
Approximately 75 percent of people in the United States consider themselves to be at least “moderate sports fans.”
That makes sports fandom the most popular voluntary activity in the country. But what is it about being a sports fan that draws so many people?
Daniel Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State University in Kentucky, says the answer lies in an instinctual need to be part of a group.
“Sports fandom is really a tribal thing” writes Wann, “We've known for decades that social support—our tribal networks—is largely responsible for keeping people mentally sound.”
But a "sense of community" doesn’t wholly describe the link some people feel with their favorite team. A study conducted by James Dabbs, a psychologist at Georgia State University, found that ardent fans actually experience the same hormonal ebbs and surges as do athletes during the game.
A different study by Edward Hirt, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, showed that the self-esteem of die-hard supporters mimics their team’s performance.
Everyone shares the psychological mechanisms that drive fan behavior. And whether one is interested in sports or not, its influence can reach far beyond the stadium, and into the political arena.
However, whether this sort of intense identification is good or bad for an individual’s health, or for society, is still up for debate.
That makes sports fandom the most popular voluntary activity in the country. But what is it about being a sports fan that draws so many people?
Daniel Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State University in Kentucky, says the answer lies in an instinctual need to be part of a group.
“Sports fandom is really a tribal thing” writes Wann, “We've known for decades that social support—our tribal networks—is largely responsible for keeping people mentally sound.”
But a "sense of community" doesn’t wholly describe the link some people feel with their favorite team. A study conducted by James Dabbs, a psychologist at Georgia State University, found that ardent fans actually experience the same hormonal ebbs and surges as do athletes during the game.
A different study by Edward Hirt, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, showed that the self-esteem of die-hard supporters mimics their team’s performance.
Everyone shares the psychological mechanisms that drive fan behavior. And whether one is interested in sports or not, its influence can reach far beyond the stadium, and into the political arena.
However, whether this sort of intense identification is good or bad for an individual’s health, or for society, is still up for debate.
Headline Links: Fan psychology and the health effects of die-hard fandom
Sean Gregory of Time magazine highlights some psychological coping strategies for disappointed fans in his article “Mental help for Mets fans.” Drawing on the advice of experts, Gregory writes that “the first step is to accept how much it hurts, regardless of those dismissive observers you might know who tell you to have some perspective, that it's just the end of the season, not the end of the world. Sure, the fate of your sports team is less pressing than, say, your marriage or mortgage, and it may seem ridiculous to tie your self–esteem to the actions of multimillionaire athletes who don't know you one bit, but you have to allow yourself to mourn a little.”
Source: Time
National Public Radio’s “Talk of the Nation” interviews Edward Hirt, an associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, and Richard Deitsch, associate editor of Sports Illustrated, about the psychology of sports fans worldwide. Recorded just before the start of the 2006 World Cup tournament, program is available on NPR’s Web site in audio format.
Source: National Public Radio's "Morning Edition"
Is being a die-hard fan healthy?
According to an article on the New York University Medical School Web site, being an avid sports fan can be beneficial to a person’s psychological health. "When individuals identify and form a strong connection with a local team, it is related to psychological health ... The more they identify with the team, the higher their self-esteem, the higher their vigor or energy, the lower their fatigue, confusion, depression and alienation ... It doesn’t matter how good the team is, you get the effects anyway,” states Daniel L. Wann, Ph.D, associate professor of psychology at Murray State University in Kentucky.
Source: The Web site of New York University's Medical School
However, a Boston Globe article published during the 2004 pennant series between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees details the adverse health effects associated with avidly following a sports team. Periods of extended stress and anxiety can negatively impact a person’s well-being in a number of ways. Sleeplessness, indigestion and irritability are the most common symptoms, but prolonged, sports-related stress can also exacerbate more serious problems such as existing heart conditions.
Source: The Boston Globe
Background: Sports fans and group psychology and the die-hard fans of Boston and Chicago
Christian End, psychology professor at Xavier University, attributes the attraction of sports fandom to a universal human need to be part of a group. “Being a fan of a team is a very easy group to join. You basically have to refer to the team as ‘we’ or just basically get that jersey or baseball hat and say ‘I’m a fan.’ And because those boundaries are very accessible to a lot of people, that seems to be a group people join.”
Source: ScienCentral News
Daniel Wann, a psychology professor at Murray State University in Kentucky, further explains how group instinct relates to sports fans: “Sports fandom is really a tribal thing ... We've known for decades that social support—our tribal networks—is largely responsible for keeping people mentally sound, whether it's our religious organizations, our business or vocation affiliations, our communities, or our families. We have a psychological need to belong ... These days, people don't live within walking distance to 20 members of their family like they did 50 or 100 years ago. People don't go to church as often as they used to. So one option— although not the only one—is sports fandom. By going to a game, or even watching it, you get that sense of tribalness, of community, of a common bound you can embrace."
Source: WebMD
The die-hard fans of Boston and Chicago
It has been nearly a century since the Chicago Cubs won a World Series, and the Boston Red Sox had to endure 86 years of championship-deprived seasons before they won the series in 2004. Yet, these two teams have some of the most die-hard fans in the country. Why? According to University of Michigan psychologist Christopher Peterson, fans who are subjected to constant disappointment find other, more meaningful payoffs: “Long-suffering is not quite the right phrase, because at some level, I think we do like it ... So much of the human condition is about striving.” Psychologist Christian End adds that such perennial underdogs force fans to identify with their teams in ways that go beyond wins and losses. Loyalty, an interest in team culture and history, and emotional resilience are often more important to fans of “cursed” teams than successful ones. "No one can accuse you of being a lightweight fan," Dr. End said. “You've creatively changed the dimensions of comparison to include not just the outcome, the score, but measures of character.”
Source: The New York Times
Historical Context: The primitive origins of fan psychology
The New York Times highlights a number of studies suggesting that most sports fans’ feelings stem from instinctual behaviors developed during “a primitive time when human beings lived in small tribes, and warriors fighting to protect tribes were true genetic representatives of their people ... Our sports heroes are our warriors,'' Robert Cialdini, a professor of psychology at Arizona State, said about sports fans. ''This is not some light diversion to be enjoyed for its inherent grace and harmony. The self is centrally involved in the outcome of the event. Whoever you root for represents you.'”
Source: The New York Times
Related Topics: Sports and politics and how men and women watch sports differently
Aside from its influence on the psychology of individuals, sport also affects national politics. Alastair Campbell, press secretary to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, highlighted the relationship between politics and sports in his published diaries. Campbell reveals that during an England-Germany game in the semi-finals of the 1996 European soccer championship he actually rooted for Germany to win. It was an election year, and Campbell and Blair were part of the opposition party at the time. Because an English victory would surely have boosted public support for the party in power, Campbell was more than pleased to see Germany victorious: “I tried not to let my happiness show as we walked to the car. Once we got in, I said 'Yess,' and shook my fist. TB [Tony Blair] said can you leave any celebrations until you get home? I said don't pretend you feel any different.”
Source: The London Review of Books (paid subscription may be necessary)
How men and women watch sports differently
According to research published in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, men and women watch sports on television in very different ways. After conducting telephone interviews with 707 adults in Los Angeles and Indianapolis, the study found that men tend to watch sports to relax, while women often watch for companionship with friends or family. The study also found that women are more likely to do other activities, such as work, while they watch, whereas men “typically talk about the game, yell out in response to action, down snacks and drinks, and put off household chores.”
Source: Psychology Today
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