Identification with a National Soccer Team and expectancies regarding success: two experiments on manipulated team salience

Abstract

ABSTRACT Identification with a sports team depends on the team’s success and can also be associated with the mental availability of a team. The present study investigates whether experimentally induced salience of a team may influence team identification and expectancies regarding team performance. Two experimental field studies were done in Germany. Study 1 was done during the group stage of the FIFA world cup in June 2018 with n = 699 participants (age: M = 39.30, SD = 17.76; 52.2% female). Study 2 was done in January 2019, outside of any international soccer tournament, and included n = 292 participants (42.4% female) with mean age M = 42.65 years (SD = 16.51). In both studies, participants were approached in a Germany, Brasil, France or a grey T-shirt (manipulation of German national team salience). All participants provided self-report data (among others) on team identification and the perceived probability of Germany winning the next FIFA world cup. Both, in study 1 and study 2 neither team identification nor estimated success differed among the experimental groups. In study 1 team identification (F(3,674) = 3.22, p = .022, = .014) and estimated success (F(3,645) = 15.82, p < .001, = .069) differed between measurement points, being highest after Germany had won. This study shows that instead of salience the amount of identification with a team and expectancies about its performance depend on the team’s success. It can be assumed that via associating oneself with a successful team, individuals can improve their self-esteem.