Psychophysiological Responses of Sport Fans

The present study investigated psychophysiological differences in identified sport fans within the context of the biphasic theory of emotion (P. J. Lang, 1985). Forty participants, grouped into three levels of identification with the local university athletic teams, viewed five pictures from each of two categories (team-relevant sport and team-irrelevant sport). Self-identified sport fans rated team-relevant pictures as more pleasant and arousing compared to team-irrelevant pictures. The P3 component of the event-related potential to an irrelevant startle probe was diminished and heart-rate deceleration was enhanced during team-relevant pictures as a function of fan identification level, suggesting that these pictures evoked a motivated attentional state. Neither probe-P3 nor heart rate differed for team-irrelevant pictures. Lastly, increased positivity for slow cortical potentials was evident for team-relevant compared to team-irrelevant pictures, regardless of fan identification level. These results suggest the utility of psychophysiological measures in the study of sport fans, and for other positive emotions as well.