Off-Field Behavior of Athletes and Team Identification: Using Social Identity Theory and Balance Theory to Explain Fan Reactions

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet S. Fink ◽  
Heidi M. Parker ◽  
Martin Brett ◽  
Julie Higgins
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Balance Theory ◽  
Significant Interaction Effect ◽  
Fan Identification ◽  
The Difference

In the current article, we extend the literature on fan identification and social identity theory by examining the effects of unscrupulous off-field behaviors of athletes. In doing so, we drew from both social identity theory and Heider’s balance theory to hypothesize a significant interaction between fan identification level and leadership response on fans’ subsequent levels of identification. An experimental study was performed and a 2 (high, low identification) × 2 (weak, strong leadership response) ANOVA was conducted with the pre to post difference score in team identification as the dependent variable. There was a significant interaction effect (F(2, 80)= 23.71,p< .001) which explained 23% of the variance in the difference between prepost test scores. The results provide evidence that unscrupulous acts by athletes off the field of play can impact levels of team identification, particularly for highly identified fans exposed to a weak leadership response. The results are discussed relative to appropriate theory. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are also forwarded.

Corporate Renaming of Stadiums, Team Identification, and Threat to Distinctiveness

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 350-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Reysen ◽  
Jamie S. Snider ◽  
Nyla R. Branscombe
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Large Corporation ◽  
Mediated Moderation ◽  
Name Change ◽  
Moderation Analysis ◽  
Perceived Harm

We examined the effect of corporate renaming of a stadium on fans’ felt anger and perceived harm to the team’s distinctiveness by asking participants to imagine that their historic local sport venue was renamed (or not) after a large corporation or a wealthy individual. Participants reported more perceived harm to the team’s distinctiveness when a corporation (vs. individual) donated money to the team. Furthermore, participants who thought that the venue name had been changed (compared with no name change) expressed more anger and perceived the name change to be a threat to the team’s distinctiveness. A mediated moderation analysis showed that, compared with when the stadium name remained the same, highly identified fans believed the name change would harm the distinctiveness of the team, which resulted in greater felt anger. In line with social identity theory, the results show that anger is an emotional outcome of recently experienced distinctiveness threat.

Social-Media-Based Antibrand Communities Opposing Sport-Team Sponsors: Insights From Two Prototypical Communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastian Popp ◽  
Chris Horbel ◽  
Claas Christian Germelmann
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Balance Theory ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Sport Team

This study investigated social-media-based anti-sponsor-brand communities and their impacts, not only on the sponsoring brand but also on the sponsored club and the sport itself. Guided by balance theory and social identity theory, the authors conducted a qualitative study of 2 distinctive, prototypical Facebook-based anti-sponsor-brand communities of teams from the German Football League (Bundesliga). The results reveal common findings for both cases, including members’ motivation to oppose a sponsor and, at the same time, to protect the sport. However, the communities differ in terms of their members’ relationships to the club. This results in different consequences for the sponsor and club brands, as well as for other actors in the sponsorship network. To managers of clubs, sponsors, and sport-governing bodies, the authors suggest concerted strategies like image campaigns and interaction with anti-sponsor-brand communities as responses to different community motivations.

Identity in Twitter’s Hashtag Culture: A Sport-Media-Consumption Case Study

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 539-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Reichart Smith ◽  
Kenny D. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Sport Media ◽  
World Series ◽  
Audience Fragmentation ◽  
Baseball Team

This case study, using social-identity theory as a framework, examines how sport consumers and producers used different identifiers to engage in conversation during the final games of the 2012 College World Series of baseball. Five major hashtags were noted for each baseball team as primary identifiers; users fit in 3 main groups and subgroups. The analysis of tweets revealed 5 major themes around which the conversations primarily revolved. The study has implications for social-identity theory and team identification, as well as broader implications for audience fragmentation and notions of the community of sport.

(Re)discovering social identity theory: an agenda for multinational enterprise internalization theory

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matevz Raskovic ◽  
Katalin Takacs-Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internalization Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Research Questions

Purpose Firm internalization is a central concept within the business strategy literature, as part of the broader social sciences. The purpose of this paper is to show how and where MNE internalization theory can benefit from a social identity theory (SIT) perspective to better understand 21st-century multinational enterprises (MNEs). Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a review and future research agenda for the use of SIT related to MNE internalization theory. The authors complement an evolutionary review of SIT literature with a systematic bibliometric analysis identifying specific thematic gaps. Extending Buckley and Casson’s review of and future research agenda for MNE internalization theory, the authors propose three specific future research directions along with eight guiding research questions. Findings International business (IB) scholars are familiar with limited aspects of SIT and apply it only in certain research areas, mainly connected to human resource management and leadership, organizational identity and work-related outcomes or international marketing. Strategic management and strategy-oriented IB scholars are less familiar with SIT, despite growing interest in MNE micro-foundations and decision-making under uncertainty. Originality/value The authors position SIT as a natural meta-theoretical fit to MNE internalization theory. By providing a future research agenda along with eight supporting research questions, the authors help to advance the MNE internalization theory by linking individual, group and intergroup perspectives against a more socially nuanced, interactionist and dynamic view of MNEs and their decision-making.

scholarly journals (Re)discovering social identity theory: an agenda for multinational enterprise internalization theory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matevz Raskovic ◽  
K Takacs-Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internalization Theory ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Research Questions

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Firm internalization is a central concept within the business strategy literature, as part of the broader social sciences. The purpose of this paper is to show how and where MNE internalization theory can benefit from a social identity theory (SIT) perspective to better understand 21st-century multinational enterprises (MNEs). Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides a review and future research agenda for the use of SIT related to MNE internalization theory. The authors complement an evolutionary review of SIT literature with a systematic bibliometric analysis identifying specific thematic gaps. Extending Buckley and Casson’s review of and future research agenda for MNE internalization theory, the authors propose three specific future research directions along with eight guiding research questions. Findings: International business (IB) scholars are familiar with limited aspects of SIT and apply it only in certain research areas, mainly connected to human resource management and leadership, organizational identity and work-related outcomes or international marketing. Strategic management and strategy-oriented IB scholars are less familiar with SIT, despite growing interest in MNE micro-foundations and decision-making under uncertainty. Originality/value: The authors position SIT as a natural meta-theoretical fit to MNE internalization theory. By providing a future research agenda along with eight supporting research questions, the authors help to advance the MNE internalization theory by linking individual, group and intergroup perspectives against a more socially nuanced, interactionist and dynamic view of MNEs and their decision-making.

scholarly journals Factoring in gamer identity : the application of social identity theory and flow to understanding video game violence effects

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Joseph Hoffswell
Keyword(s):  
Video Games ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Flow Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Categorization Theory ◽  
Short Term Exposure ◽  
Different Types

The video game industry has become integrated into American lives and has continued to grow at a steady rate. This project utilizes social identity theory, self-categorization theory, and flow theory to examine differences in aggression and processing of video games between three gamer types: non-gamer, casual gamer, and core gamer. A careful review of previous literature was conducted to explore research involving violent video games, various effects caused by video game play, and how video game research has been utilized in conjunction with social identity theory, self-categorization theory, and flow theory. A gap in the literature was identified that most studies focusing on video game effects did not address participants' relationship with video games beyond the amount of time dedicated to gameplay. In past research focused on analyzing gamer identity (Neys, Jansz, and Tan, 2014), non-gamers were excluded from analyses, limiting the conclusions one can make about how video game may affect gamers versus non-gamers differentially. Gamer identity is not unidimensional, rather different types of gamers have a different level of investment in the time they dedicate to video games as well as preferences for what they play. This project explored the idea that gamers may react differently to video game stimuli when compared to non-gamers. Grand Theft Auto IV was utilized as a stimulus in an experiment that measured how violence impacts the different types of gamers. The results indicated that core gamers do react to violent content differently than non-gamers and casual gamers in that hostility and empathy are unaffected by short-term exposure to a violent game stimulus for core gamers. This study suggests that core gamers process video game stimuli differently than non-gamers and casual gamers. The mechanisms by which this happens were not explored, but the consistency of the results provide evidence for unique processing of video game stimulus by core gamers. Results are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.

scholarly journals (Re)discovering social identity theory: an agenda for multinational enterprise internalization theory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matevz Raskovic ◽  
K Takacs-Haynes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Multinational Enterprises ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Internalization Theory ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
Research Questions

© 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Firm internalization is a central concept within the business strategy literature, as part of the broader social sciences. The purpose of this paper is to show how and where MNE internalization theory can benefit from a social identity theory (SIT) perspective to better understand 21st-century multinational enterprises (MNEs). Design/methodology/approach: This paper provides a review and future research agenda for the use of SIT related to MNE internalization theory. The authors complement an evolutionary review of SIT literature with a systematic bibliometric analysis identifying specific thematic gaps. Extending Buckley and Casson’s review of and future research agenda for MNE internalization theory, the authors propose three specific future research directions along with eight guiding research questions. Findings: International business (IB) scholars are familiar with limited aspects of SIT and apply it only in certain research areas, mainly connected to human resource management and leadership, organizational identity and work-related outcomes or international marketing. Strategic management and strategy-oriented IB scholars are less familiar with SIT, despite growing interest in MNE micro-foundations and decision-making under uncertainty. Originality/value: The authors position SIT as a natural meta-theoretical fit to MNE internalization theory. By providing a future research agenda along with eight supporting research questions, the authors help to advance the MNE internalization theory by linking individual, group and intergroup perspectives against a more socially nuanced, interactionist and dynamic view of MNEs and their decision-making.

scholarly journals Understanding Korean Immigrants and Major League Baseball Fandom

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-13
Author(s):  
Jiho Kim ◽  
Stepehn Hankil Shin
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Korean Immigrants ◽  
Team Identification ◽  
Cultural Contexts ◽  
Acculturation Theory ◽  
Major League ◽  
The U.S

Currently, there are more than 40 million immigrants in the United States, and immigrant sports consumers have been considered a significant niche market in the sport industry. In particular, Major League Baseball (MLB) teams have realized that Korean immigrants, along with Japanese immigrants, are among the most attractive Asian immigrant MLB markets in the U.S., because of their large populations in the U.S. and the popularity of baseball in their native countries (Kim & Jeon, 2008). However, there has been limited research regarding Asian immigrants’ team identification with MLB teams. The theoretical framework of this study is drawn from acculturation theory (Berry, 1997) and social identity theory (Tajfel, 1982). Berry defines acculturation as “the general processes and outcomes (both cultural and psychological) of intercultural contact” (Berry, p. 8). Acculturation theory has been widely used to explain the adaptation patterns of immigrants to a new society. This theory further explains not only how immigrants evolve in new cultural contexts resulting from migration, but also how they retain their original cultural contexts and beliefs while in their new society (Berry, 1997). According to Berry (1980), there are four types of acculturation strategies: integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization. These four acculturation strategies differ according to immigrants’ efforts to adapt to new cultural contexts as well as the extent of their relationships with their new as well as with their old societies. Social identity theory (Tajfel, 1982) is a useful theoretical framework for team identification. Social identity is defined as “the part of the individual’s self-concept which derives from their knowledge of their membership in a social group together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership (p.2)”. Team identification research has been developed based on social identity theory and identity theory (Kwon, Trail, & James, 2007). Team identification is an extension of self-identity that results from a sports fan’s psychological connection to a team (Fink, Trail, & Anderson, 2002). The purpose of this study is to understand the Major League Baseball fandom of Korean immigrants by exploring factors associated with recent Korean immigrants’ team identification with MLB teams in the U.S.

Disparagement humor: A theoretical and empirical review of psychoanalytic, superiority, and social identity theories

2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Ferguson ◽  
Thomas E. Ford
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Disparagement Humor ◽  
Psychological Mechanism ◽  
Future Research Directions

AbstractThis research reviews the empirical and theoretical literature on disparagement humor and amusement. In particular, we ask, “Why is disparagement humor funny?” Three theoretical frameworks provide responses to this question: psychoanalytic theory, superiority theories, and social identity theory. Each framework suggests a distinct psychological mechanism that fosters amusement upon exposure to disparagement humor. The review presents the central theoretical propositions from each framework and assesses their empirical support. Based on this review, we suggest that social identity theory offers a promising new avenue for disparagement humor research. The review concludes by offering future research directions.

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