E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images
Dudes become even more dudelike when watching a game because of a spike in testosterone and cortisol, a new study find. Here, fired up Philadelphia Eagles fans cheer before the start of a game.
You see this raging rowdiness in “The Black Hole” – a freakishly fired-up swath of the Oakland Coliseum where Raiders rooters are notorious for needling their football enemies.
You can witness this same ferocity among Philadelphia Eagles fans – so ornery they once booed a man dressed as Santa Claus before pounding Saint Nick with snowballs. Then again, if you are any sort of sports-obsessed guy – (OK, let’s just say, if you’re a guy), you, too, probably talk smack with your buds and vent venom at the flat screen whenever the score gets close.
Well, now we know exactly why – on a chemical level – boys will be boys when a ballgame hangs in the balance. According to a study published Wednesday, dudes actually become even more dude-like while watching their beloved teams compete.
Blame steroids. The natural kinds, that is. During games, two hormones – testosterone and cortisol – increase within the bodies of sports boosters, especially “dedicated, young, male fans,” writes a study team headed by Leander van der Meij, a PhD at the University of Valencia in Spain and VU University Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Of course, you hardly need instant replay to feel your testosterone tide rise as the big play unfolds. Your eyes widen. Your pulse quickens. You prepare to holler – or curse. Here’s what you didn’t know: that testosterone stream is part of a hormone secretion dubbed the “challenge hypothesis.” This, the study’s authors say, is how humans internally “prepare for the game.”
The scientists examined 50 Spanish soccer fans (via 5-milliliter saliva samples) as the group viewed the 2010 World Cup finals between Spain and the Netherlands. (Spain won 1-0). Interestingly, “no sex differences” were noted in the testosterone levels of the fans examined, said van der Meij.
(Ladies, speaking for the men, we respect that sports fire.)
But the amount of cortisol was generally much higher in the guys than in the gals, the study found. That sudden gush from the adrenal gland – typically generated by stress and used to boost blood sugar – is consistent with the "social self-preservation theory," the authors wrote. In other words, “young and greater soccer fans … perceived a particularly strong threat to their own social esteem if their team didn't win.”
“Watching the match was probably more stressful for men than for women,” van der Meij said, via email. “Male fans expected a bigger goal difference … and perceived the match as more frustrating than women.”
For senior soccer buffs, meanwhile, their saliva samples showed less coristol than those taken from the younger fans, according to the study.
“A possibility is that older fans may have coped better with the stress of viewing the soccer final,” van der Meij said.
The veteran fans simply had weathered so many sports nail-biters, their adrenals had grown used to on-field tension.
That’s not to say that the oldsters – especially the graying dudes in the stands – didn’t give a spit.
What's the most outrageous thing you - or your guy - have done at a game? Tell us on Facebook.
More from Vitals:
After 35 years, woman gets her voice back thanks to jet technology
A blood test for depression? New research points the way
Want more weird health news? Find The Body Odd on Facebook.
Leave a Comment:
Why does every sports writer discussing 'ornery' fans bring up the santa thing? That happened in the 60's. 50 years ago, let it go all ready! You want to talk 'ornery' fans, talk about the ones shooting each other to death in california.
Why do I need to know this? I sure as hell hope that none of my tax dollars funded this worthless "study".
No, you need your tax dollars spent on improving your reading comprehension. The study's authors are in Spain and the Netherlands. And most research done in the US is not government funded. And last who the f are you to decide what is useful research?
Dude, they booed Santa! Philly sets the bar, and frankly, they are perversely proud of it.
If you could read you would have read this:
Hint: Spain and the Netherlands are not in the USA.
And anything that adds to our knowledge of how the human body works is not "worthless". If you were smarter you'd know that. Don't worry about it... go watch TV.
And just why, exactly, do the fans think that what a sports team does in some way affects their social standing or much of anything else? Competing can be fun but of what use is a game that accomplishes nothing? There are so many worthwhile pursuits, why waste all that money and energy on something that has absolutely no value? My guess is that it is all about instinct, not intelligence. That would explain a lot about why this society is going down the toilet taking the environment with it. The human brain for a lot of people is still in the stone age.
@Softdude,
While i agree that it shouldn't make them feel it affects there social standing, who are you to judge what people spend their time and money on? I am guessing that what you dub as "worthwhile pursuits" would be considered a waste of time to many others. I like the social aspect of watching my favorite teams compete while in the company of others. Just because you would rather do whatever it is you do doesn't make what I like any less worthy. You speak of intelligence, please demonstrate that you have some rather than put others down that like to root for their respective team and be in the company of others while they do it.
softdude, re-read the article. It says that the levels were consistent with social self-preservation. It means that the fans react (biochemically) to the potential of their team losing in the same way as they would to a social situation that could impact their status/standing in society.
I'm with you softdude. GO! FIGHT!WIN! "Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. "
Win what? 'Da big game. That's worth a riot in the streets?
There's a commentary at the Chronicle of Higher Education currently that you'll find interesting. It involves the adverse effects pro-sports have had on American education. The discussion thread is still active so you may want to join in.
Blame it on testosterone and cortisol all you want; I'm pretty sure alcohol is why I was screaming at the TV during the superbowl.
Testosterone and Cortisol? Nope, not even Alchohol. I was screaming because of the damn refs!
Probably, true. Although alcohol negatively affects testosterone levels
Not all sports fans drink, but all refs make bad calls, gotta go with adam on this one
For me, it's all the above!
They forgot to add 'brewskis' to the mix.
More likely peer pressure and monkey see monkey do. Ugh, me like football (sports) cause my bro' does.
Nice condescension. Obviously there is no rational basis for men enjoying athletic competitions. Let's play WoW instead. Hey, where are all the girls at?
Mm, I play WoW and scream at the players and refs at hockey games. I'm also a college educated Graphic Designer. You can do both and be intelligent.
Guess what? I'm also a girl. That sort of thing doesn't chase away all of us.
DemonGraveWolf,
Sounds like you have a penis.
Haha. You're a real funny guy. Totally haven't heard that before.
I guess you're right, there are no girls on the internet, huh?
I'm a girl and shout at the TV during the big game just as much as any man does. Kindly do not speak of what you do not know.
Well DemonGraveWolf, I play Eve Online and there are WAY more men that play Eve than women, in fact, although the ratio of male avatars to female avatars are about 50:50, there are so few women that play Eve that if you claim to be female, you need to prove it on comms before anyone will believe you.
But when I used to play WoW, I knew about as many female players as I did male players.
And I am a college educated IT Professional who plays video games and screams at the monitor when some idiot n00b does something stupid... I also consider myself to be intelligent. Especially when compared to some of the lusers I support.
It might also come as a surprise to some, but I also have a hot girlfriend and I get laid at least as often as anyone who huddles around a TV and watches people throw a ball back and forth to each other.
At least computer gamers get to actually PLAY the game instead of just watching...
@ Redwizardooo:
Hmmm.....
What a stupid story....DUDES.....BIG GAME ...get a life.
So what does that mean for a guy who hates sports and had rather go to an opera? I do like one sport, Curling - A game for gentle people.
You sound like a real load of fun.
I also don't and never have enjoyed watching or understood how people get so worked up about sports. I can deal with sports where the competition is between individuals, but team sports do nothing for me except put me to sleep.
I don't think it's just about testosterone. I think the peak is testosterone is more an effect of being excited and not the cause just like the way cortisol spikes when people get excited.
I think it boils down to that some people are leaders (or at least march to a different drum) and most other are followers. Followers would naturally be sports nuts as it serves every basic instinct for that type to join groups or clubs and become part of something bigger. Leaders would resist that, I'm guessing, unless they are sports nuts because they strongly identify with coaches or quarterbacks or lead players that lead the group to success.
Why are more men sports nuts? iWomen tend to be more independent and are less prone to join groups unless they are small and intimate like a group of friends, while men tend to go for memberships in big groups like fraternal or national organizations.
Well Mike, that would explain why Obama is so into sports!
Great points Mike.
I think it's latent homosexuality trying to express itself. After all, why else would a group of guy sports fans want to watch another group fo guys?
Laura, you're a moron.
If someone truly has a point worth reading they need not resort to name calling.
Do guys get "fired up" BY the testosterone & cortisol? OR, does getting "fired up" CAUSE an increase in these hormones?
Monkey see Monkey do - sounds kind of demeaning, but probably not far from the mark. Since being young, guys are expected to like sports, and watch and talk about the local pro team. If you don't care about the "big game" people think you are weird, so people conform to the group's expectations. Personally I could care less about pro sports. I live about 90 miles from a major city and a lot of my friends go nuts over the local pro teams. I'm not from the city, and neither are most if not all of the players on these teams. Also, I don't know the players, and they don't know me - so why should I care if they win or lose - it has absolutely zero effect on my life. I can think of lots of other things that are a better use of my time than being upset over a game played by people I don't know.
i agree U.C., except for the big game. i figure its a good bonding thing. for the most part though i also have better things to do with my time than sitting on my arse drinking beer and acting like a monkey. sports of any kind, has never put a dime in my pocket, so why would i care. i also think it's mind boggling, the way most guys get worked up over something so trivial. its freaking scary the way alot of soccer games go in most parts of the world. i can't believe we even allow it in this country. it just shows me how ignorant a large slice of the people are on this planet. all in all i put sports in the same catagory as religion. wanting to believe in something one has absolutly no control over, is kinda retarded in my eyes. lastly, i believe sports for the men and the likes of american idol for the women are important tools the government uses to keep the average persons mind off the really important issues....
The following is the first paragraph of the Prologue from Howard Cosell's book, "I Never Played the Game."
"I am writing this book because I am convinced that sports are out of whack in the American society; that the emphasis placed upon sports distorts the real values of life and often produces mass behavior patterns that are downright frightening; and that the frequently touted uplifting benefits of sports have become a murky blur in the morass of hypocrisy and contradiction that I call the Sports Syndrome.”
So, what would the scientists say about why fans in Vancouver freak out en masse and try to burn their own cisy down after their hockey team chokes in the playoffs?
LOL I forgot about last years riot, Canadians really hated their post office that day
So their "beer bellies" aren't really that. And we can forget their explanation that it's a fuel tank for a sex machine. Apparently it's all caused by the cortisol! I think I saw on TV that there's a pill for that!
Eh, I'm unimpressed by the article as a whole, given its use of statistical trends to define "male" and "female" behavior.
I'm a guy, always have been, always will be. Spectator sports leave me cold. I don't get worked up over anybody's team beforehand, the game does nothing for me, and I fail to see the appeal in watching a bunch of overpaid athletes running up and down a field. I especially don't get why people at home start screaming at their TV sets when these millionaires don't perform as expected.
Sorry, the articles fails for me as badly as the games do.
Once again the smart people are going out and trolling all over us not so smart people. Gosh some smart people can be real bullies.
Oh. Yet another 'boys will be boys and they can't help themselves' study.
::eyeroll::
Like some 'dudes' need an excuse to act jackasses.
Just Like when you lot radically change courses and even cut across several lanes of traffic to get to a shoe or bag sale??? Hey, it's Okay: As long as no one gets hurt, it is Okay;
Vive La Difference entre la Homme et La Femme!
It's o.k. when our fans go nuts on Super Bowel Sunday, etc. People work hard all year and if this is their time to let their hair down, then do it. The Soccer War started with unruly fans in 1970 between El Salvador and Honduras. They had differences before the soccer game and when the two got together for their World Cup, the fight broke out. The war lasted for 4 days and a few thousand people were killed. A little history just to say to our American fans, it's o.k. to have fun as long as it doesn't get out of hand. Unfortunately, when the Egyptian fans recently went ape and 75 people were killed, many in this forum called them animals, etc. Whether it's the Dutch, English or American, people get passionate about their teams and we have to remember that non-Christians lose their composure too and shouldn't be labeled. It's wrong of any group to kill over a sports event. It's a game and someone wins and someone loses. Have fun and don't judge!!!
The Big game is the Big game: Just like it is the Derbies in England (i,e. United-Liverpool, United-City, Arsnesal-Tottenham, Arsenal-Chelsea, West Ham-Millwall, Leeds-Just about every team) and we cannot forget the Classico (Real Madrid-Barcelona) And then there are the Serie A matches in Italy (Pyro) I would venture to say the stuff that goes on in Oakland, Ann Arbor, Columbus O., Jacksonville (FL-GA), and Tuscaloosa, etc. pale in comparisson to the Round Football of the rest of the Globe.
Women enjoy games the same.
No valid story here.
women enjoy games alright, but the game they like most is messing with our heads, they're pros.......
So it's monkey see, monkey do? I'm not surprised. Men love violence and it makes them violent. That's 3rd grade logic and no one needed a study for that.
I am with you Ellen. I began studying philosophy about 4 or 5 years ago. I rapidly lost interest in sports, and as a former football fan, I am so glad I snapped out of it early. Cheers.
You're right. That is third grade logic. Maybe even second grade. As opposed to true logic. Pssst....your misandry is showing.
Speaking of monkeys...
First reported in US News and World Report, researchers from the University of Tokyo and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, found women preferred more masculine features in men, as they neared ovulation. The British study found when women were more likely to conceive, they preferred masculine faces for a short term relationship, and more feminized for the long term.
It's a clinically documented fact that females rate males sexually by their potential for violence. No one mentions the inherent sexism of indoctinating our children with violent sports. Then again our public schools (K-12) are run primarily by women. And when you get right down to it, behaviorally, cheerleaders provide pagentized rectal display, very similar to mountain goats, gorillas and many other primates.
Doesn't that encourage violent behavior in men?
Assuming girls aren't crazy into sports as well?
If "dudes" studied philosophy and/or literature, they just might discover how ridiculous being nuts about sports really is. When you begin contemplating deeper meanings about life, you lose interest fairly rapidly. I used to be a football fan for example. I began thinking critically and reading a lot. What I found amazed me--there was so much more stimulation in engaging in intelligent conversation with human beings. It's to the point now where I am annoyed when I am in a room with my fellow male counterparts and they begin talking about sports, and moreover, they cannot stop talking about sports.
Sort of a waste of time & money on this study. It's pretty obvious dont you think? Guys actuall start thinking with their head, the one on their shoulders which usually doesnt get used that much, the brain cant handle it so the pressure valve blows and they go nuts jumping up and down. :)
If any sports writer actually knew the real Santa story, most people would find it hilarious. Even the guy who was Santa that day finds it funny. He was a drunk fan sitting in the stands who just happened to be wearing an awful looking Santa suit, and the "real" Santa couldn't get to the game due to a blizzard. Keep in mind, there was a blizzard right before the game, so the snow was not removed, and the Eagles were terrible, at the end of a 2 win season, and the place was still packed. As the terrible looking, obviously drunk Santa proceeded in the mini parade, some fans pelted him with snowballs. It was more funny than mean. So sick of hearing "Philly fans throwing snowballs at Santa. Yes, we boo and that's how we show our displeasure. Still the best fans in the world. Let's Go Flyers!
So maybe it's not just the sedentary lifestyle, and eating junk food. A study would show if getting over stimulated from watching sports contributes to diabetes.
For me, watching someone else play sports is just about the dullest thing imaginable. If I'm going to get involved with a sport I'm going to participate not watch.
What a condescending bunch of tools on this thread. I'm looking folks like Ken2872504, Jack Baptist, and Mike464493. "Gee, ever since I started studying philosophy, I find myself frustrated when I hear men talking about sports." Please stop pretending you're so advanced and so far above such petty concerns as sports. Your average sports fan will have a greater impact on his community through being a sports fan than your average philosophy or literature major will have on his through his study of philosophy or literature. This comes from a guy with an advanced liberal arts degree as well as serious appreciation for sports.
In my experience, most people who disdain sports, especially on the grounds that they themselves are too "educated" or "evolved" do so mainly because they lack knowledge of sports, and it's less of a blow to their overeducated egos if their ignorance is of a topic they consider unworthy of consideration. By pretending that all sports fans are barely separable from neanderthal, they feel comforted in their ignorance. When terms like nickel packages, zone coverages, cover-2s, triple-doubles, ERAs, OBPs, or 2-4-4 formations make them feel foolish, they just pretend that their knowledge of iambic pentameter, categorical imperatives, deontology, or Manichean ethics is somehow more "real" or vital than the other sets of knowledge.
But just like most sports fans never actually using OBPs to make a decision more significant than which 9 year old to lead-off on next saturday's little league, most liberal arts students will never use a categorical imperative to make an ethical decision more important than whether to tell a buddy his girlfriend is cheating on him. These bodies of knowledge simply exist for most people to define membership in a community. Possessing or lacking the knowledge marks you as in or out. And it's much easier to be "out" if you disdain the community from which you are excluded. But that does not equate to that community being any less valid, unintelligent, or useful to society as a whole.
Funny thing is that the people that don't enjoy watching sports think that the people that do are tools. Why on earth would I watch a gang of enormous guys run a ball up and down a field? If I was going to watch anything it would be women's volleyball. At least I get some eye candy as a reward for wasting my time.
Ever since grade school I have never understood the mentality of someone that would memorize player statistics. Unless you're a scout, or a bookie having all that information in your head is completely useless. In fact it's probably adding clutter that prevents you from remembering important things like your wife's birthday or where you put the car keys.
What really gets me is all the attendant hype and crap that comes along with organized sports. All of it is an elaborate con to separate people from their hard earned money. The tickets, the paraphernalia, the advertizements between every-single-play-and-timeout. It's just painful. Why would anyone whose mind is working correctly put up with it?
It's not a lack of knowledge about sports that makes people disdain organized sports it's the knowledge that so many other people are being suckered in. And, it's really sad.
Your flawed logic could be extended to any kind of non-participatory endeavor, such as going to rock concerts or the opera, or watching NASCAR or F1 racing. Most of us sports fans do not have issues with short or long term memory as a result of our enthusiasm for our teams. There is an odor of narcissism and misanthropy wafting throughout your post. Oh, and no, you are not a superior being to all sports fans. I know you don't accept that, but that doesn't matter.
the one and only-
for all that supposedly properly functioning mind, you absolutely miss the point of my critique while participating in the exact same condescending behavior that I was pointing out. Sure, player stats, rule variations, draft prospects, etc, are not "useful" information for most folks in that they do not use that information earn money. But by the same token, all those that disdain sports at the same time have heads full of useless information that gives them pleasure but does not serve any "useful" purpose other than as a signifier of social status or group membership.
Are you an English literature professor, an actor, or a director of theatrical productions? No? Then memorizing Shakespearean soliquoys are absolutely useless to you, except for impressing certain people at certain parties. Are you a concert flutist? No? Then what purpose does it serve to know who conduct the best performance ever of "The Magic Flute"?
Humans, through our construct of society, have freed ourselves from the primacy of useful knowledge in the pursuit of learning. Heck, if you boil "useful" knowledge down to knowledge that is used directly for securing food, water, shelter, and clothing (as opposed to knowledge used to earn money to purchase same), then most of us possess shockingly little useful knowledge. And a great many of use this "useless knowledge" to make a living, performing music, writing fiction, acting or dancing on stage and screen, designing widgets to make housework easier, writing software that helps you find restaurants or launch birds and eggs at pigs on your cell phone, etc.
I'm sure whatever you do for pleasure, someone somehow has found a way to make some money off it, and they hype it or advertise it to get you buy the next book, or attend the next lecture, or whatever. So look down your nose at other peoples hobbies all you want. Just take your blinders off and stop pretending your's retains some kind of innate superiority.
Yawn.............