GREENSBORO, N.C. — We know that die-hard sports fans are loyal to their teams whether they win or lose. Fans show their support by wearing jerseys, caps, and painting their faces with the team’s colors.
When fans declare and support their teams, this is a psychological phenomenon called “Basking in Reflected Glory.” In other words, when you associate with a winning team, you celebrate in the glory even if you aren’t directly involved in the success.
Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that undergraduate students whose university football team won were more likely to wear school affiliated clothes. This finding was replicated in a different study, where undergraduate students were more likely to say, “we” when talking about their teams.
Fans who are die-hard fans, who watch all games, wear jerseys, face paint with team’s colors, for example, tend to have a harder time separating from the team’s loss. To help deal with the disappointment or anger, you might want to vent about your feelings, the game, the plays, the loss with another fan who’d empathize with what you’re feeling.
For some fans, they won’t feel better until their team wins again, which could be the next season.
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