The theory of deindividuation suggests that people behave aggressively because their social identity is lost in special situations such as in a big group of people. The increase in anonymity leads to people taking less responsibility, people do not have to follow the social norm that they would follow on their own, and they behave different from as usual as they do, ie aggressive behavior of a big group of football supporters is due to each person of the group thinking they are anonymous.
The studies of media influences of anti-social behaviors help us to take a deeper look at how aggressive play in media could effect people’s behaviors, and whether it would increase aggressive responses.
In the correlational studies of media influences of anti-social behavior, Atkins (1979) found that the participants would have different level of aggressive response to the aggression toward them, depending on the levels of violence in TV, the heavier the violence in TV they watched, the more likely they are to respond aggressively, 45% in heavy violence TV viewers compared with 21% in light violence TV viewers. It suggests that there is a link between aggressive play in media and aggressive response by the viewer. However the correlational studies failed to identify the causal relationship between these two factors, and the study did not apply to sports psychology. It may be a different situation in sports events.
The experimental studies are more concerned with the causal relationship. In the study of aggression, Liebert and Baron (1972) found that children, who view aggressive programmes, demonstrated a greater willingness to hurt another child. This study illustrates a closer relationship between an aggressive response and aggression in the media, because they have more control over the conditions in which violence is viewed and the behavioral measurement of violence. However, the situation in experimental studies may be different from reality and studies have only applied to children; sport watchers mainly are adult and they may have higher mental processes, and there are social institutions or social norm to prevent them behaving aggressively in reality.
In one field experiment on media influence, a longer observational period was used. The study by Park (1977) found that only the boys who have high levels of aggressive behavior during the week being observed increased their aggressive responses after they viewed the violence film. The boys who were exposed to neutral films reduced their level of aggression no matter whether they had a high or low level of aggression before. The study suggests that although the context of the media generally affects people’s responses, individual differences are the most important factor that can affects the level of aggressive responses to aggression that people view in the media. Different football watchers have different responses to aggressive play in a match. This research should take into account the effect of the individual differences, and find out what is the limitation of the method I used.
The null hypothesis
The null hypothesis for this research was that there is no correlation between aggressive responses of football watchers and the aggressive play in the football game.
The directional hypothesis
The directional alternative hypothesis was that there is a positive correlation between the aggressive response of football watchers and the aggressive play in the football game. In other words, the more aggressively the players play in the game leads to the watchers response more aggressively.
Method
Design
The design of this research used a questionnaire was experimental using independent data, by comparing the data from two different questionnaires to investigate the aims of this research. Variable that were controlled throughout the study were each group of participants were from the same environmental condition while they are watching the football match (IV). The DV is that the same questions were given to the same group. The minimum level of statistical significance considered for this investigation was 0.05.
Participants
Twenty participants from a target population of football watchers aged between 20-35 were used to carry out this research. They were separated into two groups, each group had 10 people, one group is from the football watchers in a pub, the other groups is the football supporters who participate in the playground. Participants were selected through self-selected sampling of 15 male and 5 female football watchers.
Materials
In this research, two questionnaires were used, each questionnaire was separated into two parts, first part of 5 questions aimed to discover the correlation between aggressive play and aggressive response by watchers, questions like “Do you feel angry with that tackling?” or “will you shout at the opposing player when they commit a foul?” were used. The second part of another 5 questions is designed to investigate the positive correlation between aggressive response and aggressive play, question such as “will you shout more loudly when the foul in the match is very obvious?” was used. A standardized instruction was made for all the participants taking part in this research.
Procedure
The participants were selected through self-selected sampling. Before they fill out the questionnaires, they are fully informed about the topic of this research and their right to withdraw from this research if they do not feel comfortable with the questions. Their personal identities will not appear in this research; they have the right to read this research once it is finished; and all of this information will appear in the introduction. Once the participants finished the questionnaires, they were thanked accordingly and debriefed fully.
Results
The scores of participants achieved in this research are shown in table 1 and table 2. Table 1 is showing the data received from the 10 participants who watched football match in a pub, Table 2 is showing the scores of other 10 participants who actually participate in the play ground. The summary table below is showing the highest score and lowest score in questionnaires 1 and 2, in the separate parts and in total.
To discover the two hypothesizes of this study, the Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient was used, because this test is designed for investigating the correlation that is using pairs of scores.
By using the Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient, an observed value of rs=0.769… was found. The value of rs for N=10 at P=0.05 (1 tailed) is 0.564. As the observed value is smaller than the critical value (0.564) the directional hypothesis can be accepted. Therefore the positive correlation between aggressive play in football match and the aggressive respond by the viewers is found.
Discussion
Results from this research show the directional hypothesis could be accepted, and the null hypothesis could be rejected, which means aggressive play in a football match would influence the watchers to behave aggressively, and the level of aggressive play does have a effect on the level of aggressive responses by the viewers. From the result of the two questionnaires, it suggests that the main aim found there is correlation between aggressive play in football match and aggressive responses of the viewers was achieved.
The data from the questionnaires show that the positive correlation was found, which means most of the participant got a very high score in the first parts of the questions (19 out of 20 participants got a score above 40 points out of 50). However, it was very difficult to measure the level of aggression, eg, we do not know whether they respond “more or less” aggressively, or the players play “more or less” aggressively. Individual differences also involved in this research, eg age group, personality, and even how they define aggression.
The reason why I used two groups of participants which were one from football watchers in a pub and the other from football supporters participating at the ground, because I believe that the levels of witnessing aggressive play at the ground is much stronger than in the pub, ie they may be physically closer to the players and surrounded by a group of highly excited people, especially when there are opposing football supporters against each other. Therefore, football supporters at the ground actually experiencing higher levels of aggressive play in the match, as the different between these two groups, I can investigate the positive correlation of whether the more aggressive the players play the more aggressive the supporters behave. The used of two questionnaires is because the situation in pub and playground is different, different types of questions was required.
The first limitation of this research as I said before, it is the effect of individual differences, because the results become difficult to measure in concern of the level of aggression. The second limitation is the environmental effect, although this effect can create the different level of aggressive play experiencing in two groups, it also lead to different effects that very difficult to control. Another limitation could be demand characteristics, eg participants may not want to show that they have behaved aggressively in the match because they think it is “unacceptable” in social norm.
To improve the research, the questionnaires could be modified. Instead of closed answer questions, the question could be open ended, eg “how do you feel about the tackling?” rather than “do you feel angry about this tackling?” or a combination of the two types of questions could be used. It would help the researcher to take a deeper look at what the viewers are actually thinking or doing. Another improvement can be achieved by using participant observation; therefore, it could avoid the demand characteristics of the participants.
Further research into the relationship between aggressive play in sport and the aggressive response by the viewers could be the use of a longer period of participant observation, which enables the researcher to investigate any causal relationships, and it would provide greater space for the researchers to investigate other possible factors that also relate to aggressive play and aggressive response.
The results from this research would be helpful to understand why people would become more aggressive in some important sports events, and in practice, it would be helpful for the management of anti-social behavior in sports event such as football matches.
Conclusion
It suggests that aggressive play in sport leads to aggressive responses therefore it implies more security and safety education should be applied to sport supporters. In addition, the findings in this study discovered a correlation supporting that previous research is reliable
Instruction for the questionnaires
Before you start, please read the following instruction
1. This research is an A-level psychology A2 coursework about the investigation of the relationship between aggressive play in football match and the response of the viewers.
2. It is very important to have your full consent before proceeding.
As a participant, you have the right to withdraw from this research at any time.
3. Any of your personal identities will not appear in this research.
4. You are very welcome to read this research after it is finished and check whether the rights of you in this research have been achieved.
Again, thank you for spending your time to take part in this research!
Hope you have a good time!
Questionnaire 1
Part 1
- Would you feel angry if you saw the opposing players commit aggressive foul in the match?
YES. NO. NOT SURE.
- Would you become more exciting if your own team players prevent the opposing team to score a goal although it through aggressive play?
YES NO NOT SURE
- When you watched the replay of aggressive foul in TV, do you want to see the players have aggressive response?
YES NO NOT SURE
- If referee give a red card to your own team players, would you feel unfair or angry although it is actually a technical foul?
YES NO NOT SURE
- Would you like to shout at the opposing players when they play aggressively in the game?
YES NO NOT SURE
Part 2
- Would you feel angrier if you saw the opposing players commit a very obvious aggressive foul?
YES NO NOT SURE
2. Would you like to see more aggressive play in the match and then become more exciting about the goal?
YES NO NOT SURE
- Do you think your team could win the game easier through more aggressive play?
YES NO NOT SURE
- Would you shout louder when the opposing players commit a very obvious aggressive foul?
YES NO NOT SURE
- If the level of aggression in the game is high, what do you think your response level would be?
(normal) 5 8 10 ( more aggressively)
Questionnaire 2
Part 1
- Would you shout at the opposing players when they play aggressively?
YES NO NOT SURE
2.Would you shout at the opposing team supporters when their team scored a goal?
YES NO NOT SURE
3. Would you feel angry when the referee is giving a foul to your team’s players?
YES NO NOT SURE
4. Do you expect to become more exciting in the playground, especially when you become closer to the players?
YES NO NOT SURE
- How would you response to an aggressive foul in the match?
Nothing Normal Angry
Part 2
1. Would you feel angrier if you saw the opposing players commit a very obvious aggressive foul?
YES NO NOT SURE
- Would you shout louder when the opposing players commit a very obvious aggressive foul?
YES NO NOT SURE
- How do you like your team players response to the aggressive foul?
Come down React immediately
- How do you feel about an opposing goal achieve by aggressive play?
Nothing Normal Angry
- If the level of aggression in the game is high, what do you think your response level would be?
(normal) 5 8 10 ( more aggressively)
Tables to show scores from the first and second questionnaires
Statistical analysis for this research
Spearman’s Rank order correlation coefficient
Formula:
By substitution:
Research reference
“Psychology for A-level” by Mike Cardwell, Liz Clark, Claire Meldrum.
“Social Psychology Exploring Universals Across cultures” by Fathali M. Moghaddam
“Psychology Review – Aggression in sport” by Matt Jarvis
“Violence, risk and liability in male sports culture” in sociology of sport journal, by Young, K.(1993)
“Frustration and aggression” by Dollard, D.L.(1986)
“Lines of advance in Psychoanalytic Therapy” in Hogarth, by Freud,S.(1919)
“Aggression: Its Causes, Consequences and Control” by Berkowitz,L.(1993)
Content
Title: Page 1
Abstract: Page 2
Introduction: Page 2 - 4
Hypothesis: Page 4
Method: Page 5 – 6
Results: Page 6 –7
Conclusion: Page 7
Questionnaires: Page 8 – 10
Statistical data: Page 11 – 12
Research reference: Page 13