In this study, I utilized the third-person effects/first-person effects hypothesis to examine the perceptions and self-reported behaviors of sports fans, and more specifically, National Football League (NFL) fans. The sample (N = 417) consisted of NFL fans who completed an online questionnaire. Participants completed measures of NFL team identification, perceived effects of televised NFL games, perceptual bias of televised NFL games, perceived social distance, perceived exposure to televised NFL games, message desirability, Basking in Reflective Glory (BIRGing), Cutting Off Reflected Failure (CORFing), exposure to NFL-related television, and sociodemographic variables.
Results indicated that NFL fans exhibited third-person perceptions when comparing perceived media influence on themselves and fellow fans of one’ favorite/most familiar NFL team, while exhibiting first-person perceptions when comparing perceived media influence on themselves and other groups of comparison others (i.e., other fans around the NFL, the average person). First-person perceptual bias positively correlated with NFL team identification, message desirability, and BIRGing. Third-person perceptual bias negatively correlated with NFL team identification and message desirability. NFL team identification and message desirability were not significantly correlated with NFL team winning percentage. Perceptions of social distance and perceptions of NFL television exposure significantly predicted perceived effects for both the self and various groups of comparison others.
Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine predictors of self-reported NFL fan behaviors (i.e., BIRGing/CORFing). Variables were entered in four steps (control variables, team performance, audience factors, and perceptual bias). Self-reported BIRGing behavior was negatively predicted by age and education and positively predicted by NFL team identification, message desirability, and first-person perceptual bias. Self-reported CORFing behavior was negatively predicted by NFL team identification and third-person perceptual bias. In addition, post-hoc hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the four factors of the BIRGing and CORFing scales were predicted by different variables than the overall BIRGing and CORFing scales. Implications for these findings and future research directions are discussed.