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Catharsis Through Sports: Fact or Fiction?

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The Social Psychology of Sport

Abstract

Among the most pervasive and persistent beliefs surrounding sports is the notion that participation in aggressive sports affords athletes the opportunity to get rid of their aggressive impulses. Merely watching others act aggressively is also presumed to provide spectators with similar opportunities to give vent to their accumulated frustrations and pent-up hostilities. Additionally, some writers have chosen to define catharsis even more broadly to include predictions that a reduction in physiological arousal will occur as a result of participating in or observing aggressive activities (Hokanson, 1970; Quanty, 1976). These cathartic beliefs are the subject of this chapter with regard both to their historical origins and the scientific evidence attesting to their validity.

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Suggested Readings

  • Konecni, V.J. (1975). Annoyance, type and duration of postannoyance activity, and aggression: The “cathartic effect.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104, 76–102.

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  • Novaco, R.W. (1986). Anger as a clinical and social problem. In R.J. Blanchard & D.C. Blanchard (Eds.), Advances in the study of aggression (Vol. 2, pp. 1–67 ). New York: Academic Press.

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© 1993 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

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Russell, G.W. (1993). Catharsis Through Sports: Fact or Fiction?. In: The Social Psychology of Sport. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8063-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8063-8_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-97792-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8063-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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