Sports arena vs. crowd psychology-a psychosocial aAnalysis of Polish football fans’ participation in UEFA EURO 2012

• Autorzy: Kulmatycki L.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

With reference to the arena in the ancient Greek ritual theater, the Roman circus, or later the medieval arena as the venue of tournaments of knights, the author recalls the changeability of social functions of public spectacles. Together with the expansion of corporeality and the spirit of competition that started at the beginning of the 20th century, when a sports arena became a place of testing human physical possibilities, also the idea of a modern football stadium is born. The aim of this paper is to synthesize psychosocial aspects of Polish fans’ participation in UEFA EURO 2012. In his paper of a theoretical character the author raises three specific questions regarding the reception of the European Football Championships, the greatest sports event ever held in Poland. Were football matches not changed into a manifestation of the need for ludic affiliation and social emotions which cannot find other means of expression? Were the great expectations not a kind of therapy to compensate for national complaints? And did Poland’s matches against certain national teams become a surrogate method to eliminate negative emotions by referring to the metaphor of pseudo-patriotic war against historical enemies? Were the Polish fans’ expectations for their team’s success not too high, taking into consideration the football abilities of the team? The author analyzed fans’ reactions in terms of the assumptions of crowd psychology established by Le Bon. He proves that, on the one hand, fans wanted to demonstrate Europe they were not worse than others and their team could win, too. On the other hand, fans wanted to have much fun regardless of the result, that is to see how it was to be loyal fans of their favorite team. There is also an alarming trend in the attitudes assumed by Polish fans who underline the patriotic and nationalistic context.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity. The Journal of Gdansk University of Physical Education and Sport
• Rocznik: 2013
• Tom: 05
• Numer: 1
• Opis fizyczny: p.70-76,ref.

Twórcy

autor

Kulmatycki L.

• Department of Humanities and Health Promotion, University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw, ul.Rzezbiarska 4, pok. 3/14, 51-629 Wroclaw, Poland

Bibliografia

• 1.Schechner R. Przyszłość rytuału, trans. T. Kulikowski [in Polish] [The future of a ceremonial]. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza Volumen; 2000.
• 2. Huizinga J. Homo ludens: zabawa jako źródło kultury, trans. M. Kurecka and W. Wirpsza [in Polish] [Homo ludens: game as an origin of culture]. Warszawa: Czytelnik; 1985.
• 3. Eastmen S, Riggs K. Televised Sports and Ritual: Fan Experiences. Sociol Sport J 1994;11:249-274.
• 4. Spinrad W. The Function of Spectator Sports. In: G. Luschen G, Sage G, editors. Handbook of Social Science of Sport. Champagne, IL: Stipes; 1981, 354-365.
• 5. Hocking J. Sports and Spectators: Intra-audience Effects. J Commun 1982;32:100-108.
• 6. Grad J. Problem karnawalizacji kultury współczesnej [in Polish] [Issue of carnivalisation of a contemporary culture] In: Grad J, Mamzer H, editors. Ludyczny wymiar kultury. Człowiek i Społeczeństwo [Popular dimension of a culture. A Man and a Society] vol. 22. Poznań: UAM; 2004.
• 7. Le Bon G. Psychologia tłumu, trans. B. Kaprocki [in Polish] [Crowd Psychology]. Warszawa: PWN; 1986.
• 8. Allison M. The Game: A Participant Observation Study. Journal of Sport Behavior 1979;2:93-102.
• 9. Caillois R. Żywioł i ład, trans. A. Tatarkiewicz [in Polish] [Chaos and order]. Warszawa: PIW; 1973.
• 10. Mann L. Sports Crowds and the Collective Behavior Perspective. In: Goldstein J. editor. Sport, Games and Play: Social and Psychological Viewpoints. Hillsdale, NJ: Laurence Earlbaum; 1989, 229-327.
• 11. Branscombe N, Wann D. Role of Identification with a Group, Arousal, Categorization Processes and Self-Esteem in Sports Spectator Aggression. Hum Relat 1992;45:1013-1033.
• 12. Boire J. Collective Behavior in Sport. Review of Sport and Leisure 1980;25:2-45.
• 13. Jacobson B. The Social Psychology of the Creation of a Sports Fan Identity: A Theoretical Review of the Literature, University of Connecticut, The Online Journal of Sport Psychology 2003.
• 14. Buruma I. Football Nationalism after: Policy Innovations, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Project Syndicate, July 14, 2008 [www. policyinnovation,org>ideas>commentary] [accessed 2012]
• 15. Madrigal R. Cognitive and Affective Determinants of Fan Satisfaction with Sporting Event Attendance. J Leisure Res 1995;27:205-227.
• 16. Bensimon M, Bodner E. Playing With Fire: The Impact of Football Game Chanting on Level of Aggression. J Applied Social Psychology 2011;41:2421–2433. doi: 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2011.00819.x
• 17. Allison L. Sport and Nationalism. In: Coakley J, Dunning E, editors. Handbook of Sports Studies. London: Sage; 2000, 344-355.
• 18. Stec R. Piłka sss…kopana” [in Polish] [A... kicked ball]. Tygodnik Powszechny 43 dated 21.10.2012, p.12.
• 19. Matusewicz C. Widowisko sportowe. Analiza psychospołeczna [in Polish] [A sports show. A psychosocial analysis]. Warszawa: AWF; 1990.
• 20. Wann D, Melnick M, Russell G, Page D. Sports Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Spectators. New York, NY: Routeledge; 2001.

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.2478/bjha-2013-0007