Watching sports is good for you – thanks to its social bonding effects

By Rachel K Ownsworth, PhD Candidate in Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University
Annelie Harvey, Associate Professor of Psychology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University
Helen Keyes, Head of the School of Psychology and Sport Science, Anglia Ruskin University

Being a sports fan, whether you’re watching top flight football, the Olympic games or your favourite local team, can be a rollercoaster ride. Incredible highs if you win, depressing lows if you don’t, and lots of stressful feelings in between.

Thankfully, the overall impact should be a positive one because research has shown that people who watch sports experience greater wellbeing than those who don’t – and that this is probably linked to the social aspects of watching sport.
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