Research Paper On Sports Fandom
At least two-thirds of Americans consider themselves to be sports fans (Lieberman 1991). Little research, less than five percent of the work in sports psychology and sports sociology (Wann and Hamlet 1995), has investigated the thoughts and behaviors of fans. This had resulted in a lack of understanding of sports fans and their behavior. While to some outsiders, sports fandom may not seem like a big deal. They might believe it is a diminutive part of life as a whole and has no importance whatsoever. However, sports fandom actually has meaning. The psychology behind sports fandom proves that it is a form of obtaining the necessary aspects of life that every person needs. It has been well established that people obtain self-esteem benefits
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Social connectedness is a critical human need, and one way we establish it is through symbolic affiliations with others. The need to belong can be so strong that it affects our perceptions of our interactions with others. “When we look at motivation for following a sport team, group affiliation is one of the top ones,” says Wann. “Identifying strongly with a salient local team where other fans are in the environment — that’s a benefit to social-psychological well-being.”
In a series of studies, Wann has surveyed hundreds of undergraduate fans, who vary in their fanaticism for their college teams. After measuring levels of sports team identification and psychological well-being, he found that the results are consistent. Higher identification with a team is associated with significantly lower levels of alienation, loneliness, and higher levels of collective self-esteem and positive …show more content…
Neuroscientists such as UCLA’s Marco Iacoboni say that the brain’s “mirror” neurons underlie fandom by putting fans’ brains in sync with the brains of their teams’ players. Sports may have no actual, real-world significance, but to their followers, they matter. It is entirely rational for a fan to defend his or her identity against outside attack. It is rational to seek an extra level of proof in allegations that might harm you. It is rational to forgive or explain the behavior of in-group
Social connectedness is a critical human need, and one way we establish it is through symbolic affiliations with others. The need to belong can be so strong that it affects our perceptions of our interactions with others. “When we look at motivation for following a sport team, group affiliation is one of the top ones,” says Wann. “Identifying strongly with a salient local team where other fans are in the environment — that’s a benefit to social-psychological well-being.”
In a series of studies, Wann has surveyed hundreds of undergraduate fans, who vary in their fanaticism for their college teams. After measuring levels of sports team identification and psychological well-being, he found that the results are consistent. Higher identification with a team is associated with significantly lower levels of alienation, loneliness, and higher levels of collective self-esteem and positive …show more content…
Neuroscientists such as UCLA’s Marco Iacoboni say that the brain’s “mirror” neurons underlie fandom by putting fans’ brains in sync with the brains of their teams’ players. Sports may have no actual, real-world significance, but to their followers, they matter. It is entirely rational for a fan to defend his or her identity against outside attack. It is rational to seek an extra level of proof in allegations that might harm you. It is rational to forgive or explain the behavior of in-group