In the current article, we extend the literature on fan identification and social identity theory by examining the effects of unscrupulous off-field behaviors of athletes. In doing so, we drew from both social identity theory and Heider’s balance theory to hypothesize a significant interaction between fan identification level and leadership response on fans’ subsequent levels of identification. An experimental study was performed and a 2 (high, low identification) × 2 (weak, strong leadership response) ANOVA was conducted with the pre to post difference score in team identification as the dependent variable. There was a significant interaction effect (F (2, 80) = 23.71, p < .001) which explained 23% of the variance in the difference between prepost test scores. The results provide evidence that unscrupulous acts by athletes off the field of play can impact levels of team identification, particularly for highly identified fans exposed to a weak leadership response. The results are discussed relative to appropriate theory. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are also forwarded.
Search Results
Janet S. Fink, Heidi M. Parker, Martin Brett, and Julie Higgins
Samuel D. Hakim
similarities can include personality traits and work ethic. People see athletes as both hero and as celebrity—both of which carry social desirability that fans strive to either have or be affiliated with ( Billings & Brown, 2017 ; Fontenrose, 1968 ). Social Identity Theory and Fan Identity Social identity
Elizabeth A. Baiocchi-Wagner and Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz
Attempts at investigating female sports reporters’ credibility and persuasiveness from the audience’s perspective are limited and outdated. This study, grounded in social identity theory, fills the gap in media literature. A quasi-experiment tested respondents’ perceptions of male and female sports reporters’ credibility and persuasiveness as a function of salient gender identity and reporter and athlete sex. Respondents’ sports fandom, frequency of sports-media usage, and general perceptions of news-media credibility also were examined. Results of a MANOVA indicated no significant differences in respondents’ perceptions of a male and female reporter, even when controlling for respondent gender; however, sports fandom and general perceptions of news-media credibility did have a significant impact on perceptions.
Jason Stamm and Brandon Boatwright
school student-athletes being recruited by fans’ favorite teams. This project both addresses that gap and extends our understanding of how relevant theories—PSI and social identity theory—can explain the way these connections are made, maintained, and dissolved through social media platforms and what
Natalie Brown-Devlin, Michael B. Devlin, and Vincent Peña
consider potential risks when sponsoring an event whose outcome may violate fans’ expectations. Team Identification Team identification is closely linked with social identity theory ( Abrams & Hogg, 1990 ; Hogg, 2020 ; Lee et al., 2020 ; Liao et al., 2020 ; Prayag et al., 2020 ; Tajfel & Turner, 1986
Brent D. Oja, Henry T. Wear, and Aaron W. Clopton
capital interacts with one’s social identity to impact psychic income generation. Social Identity Theory Social identity theory is a broad-based concept that has been used in various disciplines in an effort to describe and explain the entities individuals associate themselves with, and how these entities
Kenon A. Brown, Nicky Lewis, Matthew Barnidge, and Courtney D. Boman
identity theory and how it relates to our two characteristics in question: fanship and political identity. Social Identity Theory Social identity theory (SIT) proposes that group identity and, by extension, intergroup relations originate not from functional motivations regarding in-group utility, but
Miguel A. López-Gajardo, Inmaculada González-Ponce, Tomás García-Calvo, Edgar Enrich-Alturo, and Francisco M. Leo
.g., collective efficacy or group cohesion; Fransen, Coffee, et al., 2014 ; Fransen et al., 2015 ). Furthermore, in many of these studies, team identification, based on the social identity theory, has helped athlete leaders to enhance team members’ positive behaviors ( Fransen, Coffee, et al., 2014 ). Despite all the
Yuhei Inoue, Mikihiro Sato, Kevin Filo, James Du, and Daniel C. Funk
account the multifaceted nature of subjective well-being ( Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985 ). Regarding the psychological pathway, the relationship between team identification (i.e., social identification with a sport team) and subjective well-being can be predicted based on social identity theory
Tanya McGuane, Stephen Shannon, Lee-Ann Sharp, Martin Dempster, and Gavin Breslin
to study how athletes’ identity formation, and hence group behavior, is influenced by social processes is social-identity theory (SIT; Tajfel, 1982 ). SIT assesses the formation of identity, based on membership in a social in-group. When individuals perceive personal value in subscribing to in
