When Spectator Sport Well-Being is Diminished: The Effects of Spectator Dysfunctional Behavior and Anger Moderated by Self-Construal

Abstract

The purposes of the study are to examine how spectator dysfunctional behavior (SDB) influences spectator sport well-being (SSWB) via anger and how self-construal (i.e., independence vs. interdependence) moderates the relationships among SDB, anger, and SSWB. Two studies based on a scenario-based survey experiment are conducted. Study 1 uses a cross-cultural study (the U.S. vs. South Korea) to examine chronical self-construal. Study 2 applies a self-construal priming method to examine temporal effects of self-construal. The two studies report the significant mediating effect of anger between SDB and SSWB. The relationships between SDB and anger, and between SDB and SSWB are stronger in interdependent self-construal than independent self-construal. Study 2 further shows that anger influences independent individuals more strongly than interdependent counterparts in relation to SSWB. This article contributes the literature on sport spectatorship and consumer well-being by showing how sport spectatorship might impinge on consumer well-being. The illustrating of the moderating roles of self-construal offers theoretical insight into the intricate associations among SDB, anger, and SSWB.

Keywords:

• Spectator dysfunctional behavior
• consumer well-being
• self-construal
• consumer behavior
• spectator sport

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kyungyeol (Anthony) Kim

Kyungyeol (Anthony) Kim (Ph.D., Indiana University-Bloomington, U.S.) was an assistant professor in the Kinesiology and Sport Department at University of Southern Indiana. He is currently an assistant professor of Sport Management and Sport Marketing in the Department of Life Sports Education at Kongju National University, South Korea. His research interests center around sport consumer behavior and measurement. His work has appeared in journals such as Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, European Sport Management Quarterly, and among others.

Chase M. L. Smith

Chase M. L. Smith (Ph.D., Indiana University-Bloomington, U.S.) is an Associate Professor in Sport Management within the Kinesiology and Sport Department at the University of Southern Indiana. While his research publications are diversified, his [primary] scholarly interests are within the fields of sport sociology and sport socio-psychology. His work has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, Journal of Sports Analytics, Global Sport Business Journal, and among others.

Yuhei Inoue

Yuhei Inoue (Ph.D., Temple University) is a Reader in Sport Management in the Faculty of Business and Law at Manchester Metropolitan University. His research seeks to understand how sport events and organizations may contribute to personal and social well-being. To date, he has published over 50 articles in leading journals in sport management and related disciplines. He is an Associate Editor of Sport Management Review and a Section Editor for the Sport, Health and Wellbeing section of Routledge Resources Online – Sport Studies.