Written by Andra Tudor
Have you ever wondered why sports players are held in such high esteem? What makes us celebrate their wins and mourn their losses? Why do we get so emotionally attached to whether our favorite team wins or loses? What is it about sports that makes it so compelling to watch? These are actually some significant questions and it’s worth diving in to explore whether we can find the real answer behind our passion for sports.
It’s Historic
A key point to remember is that sports and the celebration of sporting events have been around for years. Thousands of years in fact. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that we have been competing in some form of physical activity since the dawn of civilization. It’s a fundamental part of our psyche, our society, and our culture. Don’t forget that physical activities that resemble sports competitions are present in every culture and society across the world. So, it could just be a fact that this is part of human nature.
It does make sense that we would admire the strongest amongst us from an evolutionary point of you. Think back to caveman days and the strongest people in groups would be the ones that would hunt and protect tribes from predators. These days, of course, that’s not the role of sports stars. Instead, they are there to entertain the public. But they are still held in high esteem because of what they can accomplish and the boundaries they cross that other people can’t. Many know the name of the fastest man alive because this is an amazing feat to accomplish. Athletes are in many ways, our real-life superheroes. We praise them, admire them and celebrate their greatest accomplishments. This could all come from evolutionary traits that we have likely held onto for years.
It’s Group Psychology
Of course, this doesn’t explain why we like to come together as a group to watch different events. Why are there massive levels of support around different teams and why are stadiums filled with thousands of people? This is all based on the concept of group psychology. You might have heard the phrase that no man is an island and that’s absolutely true but it doesn’t quite mean what you think. It’s not the case that people don’t want to be alone, it’s that they can’t be alone. Various studies have proven that there are negative consequences for people who are ostracised and separated from society. If you’re not part of a social group then you are more likely to deal with issues like depression as well as other mental health problems.
When you’re part of a group, you become stronger because you take on a shared identity. This provides positive emotions and often euphoric sensations. You might experience this when you attend a sports event. At least temporarily, you lose your individual identity and take on the identity of the group. You cheer when they cheer, you mourn when they mourn. The same thing happens in various social activities. Think about when you’re at the cinema. If you laugh when other people laugh, then you feel connected to them. If you laugh out of place, you feel embarrassed or ashamed. In the past, this type of groupthink has brought negative consequences. But for the individual, it will largely be beneficial. It’s one of the reasons why we are so invested in things like the World Cup.
They Are Impressive
Of course, if you focus on psychology, you forget one fundamental point that shouldn’t be overlooked. The athletes that are at the top of their game, the ones that are performing better than anyone else. They are impressive. They have accomplished things that no one else can. That’s why it’s common for athletes such as Mahmoud Abbas to gain awards and recognition for their achievements beyond the sporting world. You can learn more about what he accomplished by visiting afootballreport.com.
If you explore some of the feats that athletes have accomplished you’ll be amazed. Research how high Michael Jordan can actually jump or the accuracy of David Beckham when he was in his prime. Explore the world records held by the top athletes and you will begin to think that these are god’s walking among us. Athletes give various reasons for being able to accomplish their achievements. Some believe it’s down to God’s work and others feel that it’s based on the level of training and effort that they put in. However, the reason that these athletes can accomplish such wonders is quite simple. Physically and sometimes mentally, these players have reached their maximum potential.
National And Local Pride
Finally, there is almost always a certain element of being proud of where you come from or your country when you get invested in sports events. The World Cup is by far the best example of this. Typically, most people don’t think too much about their regional or national identity. However, things change during sports events like this. Suddenly, we are proud to be British, American, Brazilian, and Japanese. We want our teams to win, we want our players to come out on top because we are once again sharing in their identity. If they win then so do we. If they bring home the trophy or the gold medals then Britain has won which means we have won. This is again part of establishing group identity and accepting yourself as part of that group. National group identities are one of the most powerful examples of this. You can learn more about the power of national identity on foreignaffairs.com.
We hope this helps you understand some of the reasons why people do get so invested in sports as well as the people who play them. It’s clear that there are a lot of different factors that contribute to these types of emotions. As well as group psychology, there’s a certain level of envy here that becomes praise. While most of us won’t admit it, we’d love to be able to perform like these players do every day in their careers.
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