Psychophysiological responses of sport fans
Hillman, C. H., Cuthbert, B. N., Cauraugh, J., Schupp, H. T., Bradley, M. M., & Lang, P. J. (2000). Psychophysiological responses of sport fans. Motivation and Emotion, 24, 13-28. doi: 10.1023/A:1005535508771
Investigated psychophysiological differences in identified sport fans within the context of the biphasic theory of emotion (P. J. Long, 1985). Forty participants (aged 18-49 yrs), 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.