Seeing Red or Feeling Blue?

The World Cup - England's chance for sporting glory, heroism and immortality!

Er, well apparently not on the basis of their last two performances. By all accounts the England team were one of the favorite's going into the competition, but something's gone very very wrong. In their first match against the USA (who, in terms of world rankings, they were really supposed to beat), goalie Robert Green let in a massive howler. Last night's 0-0 draw with Algeria was simply embarrassing. The England team, so accomplished in qualifying, have been rigid and one-dimensional, devoid of spirit, grace or panache.

So what is it with England? Technically, with all their star players, they should be right up there in the big league. But no, every four years it’s the same old story. High hopes dashed as the clock ticks away. Your heart sinking down to your feet with every passing second until the merciful relief of the final whistle (and you’re just glad the whole thing’s over).

And yet despite all the heartache I always go back to them; loyally watching every minute of every match in the hope that they'll pull off a last minute piece of soccering perfection. So where does this seemingly incontestable commitment (to pain) come from?

Well, actually it's not so surprising given that we have a fundamental need for affiliation. We love to be part of something, a member of a group, to revel in the emblematic comfort of being one of "the team". This need is captured by optimal distinctiveness theory. The theory argues we are compelled to join groups even when, and in fact especially because, they evoke such strong reactions in us. Groups allow us to meaningfully distinguishing ourselves from others. Being included helps define who we are. It helps give our lives structure and meaning. It's something to talk about.

Soccer teams are perfect to fulfill this basic human need for inclusion, and raw emotion seems to be part of the driving force. A few years ago I did a study looking at soccer fans' emotional reactions to their team's wins or losses. Each supporter was asked how much they identified with the team and the extent to which they experienced emotions as a result of a win or loss. When the teams won everyone was happy, but when they lost the more a fan identified with their team (i.e., the more it was a key part of their identity - their sense of who they were) the more angry they felt.

This study demonstrated how sporting teams can evoke strong emotional reactions in us, especially when (and perhaps because) they are central to how we define ourselves. We live to be included, to pin our colors to some mast, and emotions may be the psychological glue that binds us to that mast. And perhaps it doesn't matter whether the emotions are highs or lows. Just feeling a strong emotion - whatever emotion that is - can afford vitality and enliven our affiliations. Its the lows that give meaning to the highs.

So, you never know England might still make it to the final. I hope they do, but even if they don't I'll keep the flag flying. After all, it wouldn't make much sense to support anyone else. I'm even looking forward to feeling a bit blue when England finally crash out, because I know that next time maybe ... just maybe ... I'll end up jumping for joy.

References

Brewer, M.B. (1991). The social self: On being the same and different at the same time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 17, 475-482.

Crisp, R. J., Heuston, S., Farr, M. J., & Turner, R. N. (2007). Seeing red or feeling blue: Differentiated intergroup emotions and ingroup identification in soccer fans. Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, 10, 9-26.