Cheering is not just pure fun, it is also a psychological phenomenon that has many faces. The time of great international games reveals surprising mechanisms governing the community, awakens hidden instincts in people and forces them to participate in a great, collective ritual. Find out what psychological mechanisms are behind cheering and check what type of supporter you are.

On the occasion of great sports events, Poland is overwhelmed by a fan frenzy. For a month, we become experts in commenting on the matches of the national team, we predict the results, we wear white and red uniforms, we live with reports from the pitch and behind the scenes of the tournament. The time of the fan fever has many faces, however, often full of contradictions. One goal is enough to extinguish the enthusiasm of thousands of fans, bury their hopes for sports success and destroy the sense of national community. And then again, instead of shouts of joy, the same well-known refrain "Poles, nothing happened …".

What rules us, fans, on the days of great sports events? What does the ritual of cheering look like and which type of fan is your closest to?

T-shirt with an eagle and a beer, or cheering as a ritual

The simplest definition describes cheering as watching sports games and cheering on those players with whom you sympathize. However, when we are dealing with competitions at the international level, cheering is not just a simple act of amusing time, but it becomes a ritual with its own symbolism and an unwritten code of conduct. The most important requirement that this ritual imposes on every fan is boundless enthusiasm and optimism regarding the actions of the national team. Predicting a loss, even if it is dictated by a realistic approach, is inappropriate.

In addition, an indispensable part of the ritual is the right dress - in the case of stadium fans, the requirement is a white and red jersey, scarf, flag and appropriate face paintings. Caps, vuvuzelas and rattles are welcome. Fans in front of TV sets can do without white and red accessories, but here it is an unwritten tradition to eat beer and unhe althy snacks during the match. A few weeks before the start of the event, large grocery stores are introducing "fan products" to their assortment at promotional prices:alcohol, carbonated drinks, chips, sweets, frozen pizzas, and even … Kaiser rolls with a football pattern. The ubiquitous advertising of products encourages even those who are not interested in football on a daily basis to join the ritual and cheer in front of the TV with a beer and a bowl of chips in their hands.

World Cup in Russia: what will it impress fans with?

This will be useful to you

Quiz - what kind of football fan are you?

If you are curious about which type of fan you are closest to, take the quiz below. Choose one answer for each question, and then add up the points.

1) What football games are you following?

a) matches of the national team and Polish or foreign league matches (2 points)

b) all game types (3 points)

c) National team matches only (1 point)

2) Have you ever bought a ticket for a match played abroad?

a) no, I only watch foreign matches on TV (2 points)

b) yes, I have been to matches in different parts of the world several times (3 points)

c) no, I don't watch matches of foreign teams (1 point)

3) You cannot imagine cheering without:

a) vuvuzelas and football chants (3 points)

b) beer and crisps (1 point)

c) comfortable couch and HD transmission (2 pts)

4) The maximum amount you can pay for a ticket for a match with your favorite team is:

a) up to PLN 200 (1 point)

b) up to PLN 600 (2 points)

c) the price does not matter (3 points)

10-12 pts Football maniac- you are a faithful football fan, you follow the matches of Polish and foreign teams, you know all the world's top players. You like to watch matches live and don't mind that you can't watch the replay of the action in the stadium.

7-9 pts Sofa fan- you know football well, but you watch matches mostly in front of the TV. You prefer the high quality of transmission and the possibility of watching repetitions above the lively atmosphere of the match.

4-6 pts Sunday fan- you watch matches sporadically, usually when the national team is playing. You are sad when we lose, but you don't think about defeat for a long time. You don't really understand the point in watching matches of teams from abroad.

Cheering as a herd instinct

Cheering in people triggers a mechanism called the herd instinct. It can be observed on many levels. The first is the tendency to organize into groups and cheer in pubs, fan zones or during house parties with friends. This form of doping brings many benefits - it strengthens ties between people, builds a sense of community,but most of all, it intensifies experienced emotions. Scientific research has shown that in a large group of people react more vigorously, have an accelerated pulse, increased blood pressure, breathe faster, and feel every emotion, whether joy, rage or sadness, with redoubled strength. No wonder that we want our relatives, friends and even complete strangers to accompany us during the match - a goal scored in this way gives us more pleasure, and in the event of a loss, it is easier for us to "digest" negative emotions.

But the desire to experience sports games together is also visible on the streets. White and red flags are fluttering on the balconies, and with cars you can more and more often notice small flags or red and white covers put on the front mirrors. Such "herd" gestures play a therapeutic role because, by emphasizing our unity, they increase the sense of self-confidence and fuel faith in success.

Warning - cheering is bad!

Many declared football fans will be indignant at such a thesis, but apart from the obvious benefits of cheering, it also has its downside. Most of them result from the fact that participation in collective doping often changes people beyond recognition, awakens deeply hidden instincts in them, and often harms their he alth.

The dark sides of cheering include:

tendency to malcontent and ruse- people are more prone to complaining and being so-called during big sporting events. an expert on everything. Loud commenting on matches, instructing players by shouting at the TV or pointing out their mistakes in the long run is very irritating for the environment, especially if the person speaking has little idea about football;

tendency to verbal and physical aggression- people who support large crowds of people - in stadiums, in fan zones or in pubs - are especially exposed to it. The crowd gives a person a sense of anonymity, which makes them more prone to destructive behavior. In a large cluster, it is easier to get into a verbal fight, brawl or become its victim;

succumbing to bad eating habits- it's no secret that the consumption of various types of alcoholic beverages, especially beer, increases during high-level competitions. This carries an increased risk of alcohol overdose. Eating crisps, sweets or other processed foods while watching matches can also have negative consequences. By eating in this way throughout the game, we can gain a few kilograms, and even contract diabetes orhypertension.

Rebellious or indifferent

A constant element of cheering is the need to accept that the national team is eliminated from the competition. Polish fans had to swallow the bitterness of defeat many times, most often saying goodbye to their players already at the stage of group games. Each time the reaction to the elimination of idols was rebellion or indifference.

The first attitude is characterized by a sudden change in attitude from enthusiastic and optimistic to resentment and resentment. A fan gives an outlet to his negative emotions by loudly criticizing the losers, and his perspective of looking at the community of fans and players changes. us ”- disappointed fans. Among the screams and curses there are strong slogans "disgrace", "shame", "embarrassment". Although the reaction is very emotional, it allows you to deal with negative feelings quickly and not hold a grudge for a long time. Paradoxically, such a fan will regain balance and confidence in the team faster than an indifferent one.

Indifference is the reaction of withdrawing and refusing to continue doping. Instead of shouting out his dissatisfaction, the supporter adopts a passive, resigned attitude. He declares that he will never watch the matches of the Polish national team again. His disappointment may turn into a general aversion to everything that is Polish, may be the basis for the development of national complexes. Due to a closed attitude, such a person cultivates resentment for a long time and it is difficult for him to come to terms with defeat, which he treats very personally.

How to avoid a "cold shower"?

It seems that the best way to avoid resentment after a national team's defeat is to give up too much expectations. Without renouncing optimism, let's try to realistically assess the chances of our players at great sports events and take into account every possible scenario. In this way, we will avoid the effect of a "cold shower", and the team will also feel less pressure from the fans. It is worth knowing that too much enthusiasm of fans does not always encourage players - it is much more often the cause of too much tension and prevents them from showing all their skills on the pitch.

Category:

Psychology