Fandom and Psychological Enhancement: Effects of Sport Team Identification and Imagined Interaction on Self-Esteem and Management of Social Behaviors

Abstract

Imagined interactions (IIs) as used by sport team fans were examined in conjunction with sport team identification (STI) and with behavioral outcomes and psychological effects. Sport team fans more strongly influenced by family in the STI process utilize IIs for catharsis, conflict linkage, relational maintenance, and rehearsal. Furthermore, sport team fans affected by media popularity employ IIs for catharsis, and sport team fans swayed by geography make use of IIs for relational maintenance. Sport team fans predisposed toward using IIs for catharsis, conflict linkage, and relational maintenance report higher self-esteem. Identified sport team fans who use catharsis, conflict linkage, and relational maintenance report a greater inclination to commit negative social behaviors as a result of team performance. Conversely, those who use IIs for rehearsal have a decreased tendency to commit undesirable social behaviors. II functions partially mediate the direct association between STI factors and outcomes, whereby more negative behaviors and positive psychological effects such as self-esteem represent the outcomes.