Standing Out While Fitting In: Exploring the Differential Roles of Belonging and Distinctiveness in Team Choice

Belonging and distinctiveness are considered innate motivators for human behavior and decision making. Satisfaction of both needs is often associated with increased levels of well-being and personal agency. Both belonging and distinctiveness have been examined as successful motivators for sport fandom, but research is needed to determine the differential roles of either trait in choosing a specific team or sport to follow. The current study asked participants to report their needs for belonging and distinctiveness and to choose a fictional sport team to cheer for upon moving to a new country. One team was described as being the “mainstream” team with a significantly larger number of fans than the “outsider” team (otherwise, the descriptions were identical). Individuals who reported a greater need for belonging typically chose to follow the more popular team, while those with higher desires for distinctiveness aligned with the less popular team. These results provide evidence that belonging and distinctiveness play a role in decision making regarding sport fandom team choices. Future studies should further explore this phenomenon, while also examining the role of belonging and distinctiveness in alternate methods of media consumption and consumer decision makin

High-temperature ab initio calculations on FeSi and NiSi

The Fe–Ni–Si system is potentially a very important component of terrestrial planetary cores. However, at present, even the behaviour of the FeSi and NiSi end members is poorly understood, especially at low to moderate pressures—the data for FeSi are contradictory and NiSi has been little studied. For FeSi, there is general agreement that there is a phase transition from the ε-FeSi to the CsCl structure with increasing pressure, but, in experiments, there is disagreement as to the position and slope of the phase boundary and the range of coexistence of the two phases. In this paper we have used ab initio lattice dynamics calculations to determine the phase boundary between the ε-FeSi and CsCl structures as a function of pressure and temperature in both FeSi and NiSi. For FeSi, we find that the transition pressure at zero Kelvin is ~11 GPa and that the boundary between the ε-FeSi and CsCl phases varies little with temperature, having a slight negative Clapeyron slope, going from ~11 GPa at 300 K to ~3 GPa at 2000 K. For NiSi, there is much greater variation of the transition pressure with temperature, with a much shallower negative Clapeyron slope, going from ~156 GPa at 300 K to ~94 GPa at 2000 K

The Verbal Aggression of Spectators at Youth Baseball Games: Investigating the Impact of Competition Level, Team Identification, and Fan Dysfunction

Previous research had found that level of team identification was positively associated with aggression at youth sporting events (Wann, Weaver, Belva, Ladd, & Armstrong, 2015).  The current investigation was designed to extend this work by incorporating fan dysfunction into the model (i.e., fans who are confrontational and frequently complain).  Spectators at either a recreational or select (i.e., travel) youth baseball game completed a survey packet assessing demographics, team identification with their favorite Major League Baseball team, identification with the youth team, fan dysfunction, and hostile and instrumental verbal aggression directed toward officials and opponents.  Results indicated that, contrary to expectations, team identification was not a unique predictor of verbal aggression.  Rather, fan dysfunction predicted each form of aggression, aggression toward both targets, and total aggression.

Effects of unclipping and converting enzyme inhibition on bilateral renal function in Goldblatt hypertensive rats

Effects of unclipping and converting enzyme inhibition on bilateral renal function in Goldblatt hypertensive rats. Previous studies have demonstrated that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system in two-kidney, one clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats induced arterial pressure associated reductions in the function of the renin rich, clipped kidney even though the renin-depleted, contralateral kidney exhibited enhanced renal hemodynamics and excretory function. This study was performed to evaluate the influence of inhibition of the activity of the renin-angiotensin system on the function of each kidney following the unclipping of the clipped kidney. Renin-angiotensin system blockade was accomplished by intravenous infusion of converting enzyme inhibitor (CEI, SQ 20881, 3 mg/hr · kg), either before (group 1, N = 15) or after (group 2, N = 16) removal of the clip. CEI infusion before unclipping decreased arterial blood pressure (BP), from 157 ± 3 to 124 ± 3mm Hg and led to increases in renal blood flow (RBF), GFR, urinary volume and sodium excretion in the nonclipped kidney. When the clip was still in place, renal function decreased in the clipped kidney during CEI infusion. Upon removal of the clip, there were immediate increases in RBF and GFR, and pronounced diuresis; natriuresis and kaliuresis ensued despite a further reduction of BP from 124 ± 3 to 110 ± 3mm Hg. In group 2, unclipping of the clipped kidney prior to administration of CEI reduced BP from 161 ± 4 to 118 ± 3mm Hg within 2hr. Nevertheless, RBF, GFR, urine flow, and sodium and potassium excretion rates increased in this newly undipped kidney. Subsequent infusion of CEI decreased BP further, but RBF, GFR, and urinary excretion rates of both kidneys increased significantly. These results suggest that hemodynamic and excretory function of both the nonclipped and clipped kidneys are influenced substantially by the renin-angiotensin system; however, this influence on the clipped kidney can be unmasked only after the clip has been removed.Effets de l'ablation du clip et de l'inhibition de l'enzyme de conversion sur la fonction rénale bilatérale chez des rats hypertendus selon Goldblatt. Les études antérieures ont démontré que le blocage du système rénine-angiotensine chez des rats hypertendus selon Goldblatt à deux reins et un clip entrainait des réductions de la fonction du rein riche en rénine clippé, en rapport avec la pression artérielle, bien que le rein contralatéral, déplété en rénine, ait une augmentation de l'hémodynamique et de la fonction excrétoire rénales. Cette étude a été entreprise afin d'évaluer l'influence de l'inhibition de l'activité du système rénine-angiotensine sur la fonction de chaque rein après ablation du clip du rein clippé. Le blocage du système rénine-angiotensine a été effectué par perfusion intra-veineuse de l'inhibiteur de l'enzyme de conversion (CEI, SQ 20881, 3 mg/hr · kg) soit avant (groupe 1, N = 15) soit après (groupe 2, N = 16) ablation du clip. La perfusion de CEI avant l'ablation du clip a abaissé la pression artérielle (BP) de 157 ± 3 à 124 ± 3mm Hg, et a augmenté le flux sanguin (RBF), le GFR, le volume urinaires et l'excrétion sodée du rein non clippé. Lorsque le clip était encore en place, la fonction rénale diminuait du côté du rein clippé pendant la perfusion de CEI. Lors de l'ablation du clip, il y avait des augmentations immédiates du RBF et de GFR et une diurèse; une natriurèse et une kaliurèse prononcées se produisaient malgré une réduction supplémentaire de la BP de 124 ± 3 à 110 ± 3mm Hg. Dans le groupe 2, l'ablation du clip avant l'administration de CEI a réduit la BP du rein clippé de 161 ± 4 à 118 ± 3mm Hg en 2hr. Cependant, le RBF, le GFR, le débit urinaire, et l'excrétion de sodium et de potassium se sont élevés dans ce rein dont le clip a été récemment enlevé. La perfusion ultérieure de CEI diminuait BP plus mais RBF, GFR, et les excrétions urinaires des deux reins ont augmenté significativement. Ces résultats suggèrent que les fonctions hémodynamique et excrétoire des reins clippés et non-clippés sont substantiellement influencées par le système rénine-angiotensine; cependant, cette influence sur le rein clippé ne peut être démasquée qu'après ablation du clip

An Examination of Sport Fans’ Perceptions of the Impact of the Legalization of Sport Wagering on Their Fan Experience

Over the years, professional and collegiate organizations have fought attempts to increase the legalization of sport wagering. One argument presented by those in opposition is that increased legalization would negatively alter the manner in which fans and spectators follow, consume, and react to sporting events (Tuohy, 2013). The current research was designed to examine possible changes in fandom by investigating fans’ perceptions of the impact of increasing legalized sport wagering on their fan experience, interest in sport, and sport consumption. Participants (N = 580) completed a questionnaire packet assessing demographics, economic fan motivation, fandom, and perceptions of the impact of increased access to legalized sport gambling. Data and analyses indicated that expected impacts were small and generally positive (e.g., a modest increase in interest in sport and consumption) and that these effects were greatest among groups historically active in sport gambling (e.g., persons higher in economic motivation and sport fandom)

The Relationship between Sport Fan Dysfunction and Trait Aggression

The current investigation was designed to examine the relationships among sport fandom, dysfunctional sport fandom, and trait aggression. Although past research had yielded inconsistent results (Wann et al., 1999, 2002), based on more recent research (Castleman et al., 2020) it was hypothesized that fan dysfunction would be a significant positive predictor of trait aggression while sport fandom would be a significant negative predictor of trait aggression. Additionally, we predicated that fan dysfunction would mediate the relationship between sport fandom and trait aggression. Analyses supported each hypothesis, indicating that once one takes into account the dysfunctional component of sport fandom, fandom predicts lower levels of aggression

Examining Sport Team Identification, Social Connections, and Social Well-being among High School Students

Past research has found that sport team identification is positively correlated with social psychological health (Phua, 2012; Wann & Weaver, 2009) including work testing adolescent fans (Wann, Brasher, Thomas, & Scheuchner, in press).  The current study was designed to extend previous investigations by examining the relationship between team identification and the establishment and maintenance of social connections.  Data from 177 high school students confirmed expectations as identification with a high school football team was positively correlated with both social well-being and social connections.  However, social connections were not found to mediate the relationship between identification and well-being, contrary to the team identification – social psychological health model (Wann, 2006b)

The thermal expansion of (Fe1-y Ni y )Si

We have measured the thermal expansion of (Fe1-y Ni y )Si for y  =  0, 0.1 and 0.2, between 40 and 1273 K. Above ~700 K the unit-cell volumes of the samples decrease approximately linearly with increasing Ni content. Below ~200 K the unit-cell volume of FeSi falls to a value between that of (Fe0.9Ni0.1)Si and (Fe0.8Ni0.2)Si. We attribute this extra contraction of the FeSi, which is a narrow band-gap semiconductor, to the depopulation of the conduction band at low temperatures; in the two alloys the additional electrons introduced by the substitution of Ni lead to the conduction band always being populated. We have fit the unit-cell volume data with a Debye internal energy model of thermal expansion and an additional volume term, above 800 K, to take account of the volumetric changes associated with changes in the composition of the sample. Using the thermophysical parameters of the fit we have estimated the band gap in FeSi to be 21(1) meV and the unit-cell volume change in FeSi associated with the depopulation of the conduction band to be 0.066(35) Å(3)/unit-cell