November 2, 2015

BP Unfiltered

Why The Broadcasters Hated Your Team

by Jeff Quinton

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This is from the Review of General Psychology (2001, Volume 5, Number 4):

“The greater power of bad events over good ones is found in everyday events, major life events (e.g., trauma), close relationship outcomes, social network patterns, interpersonal interactions, and learning processes. Bad emotions, bad parents, and bad feedback have more impact than good ones, and bad information is processed more thoroughly than good. The self is more motivated to avoid bad self-definitions than to pursue good ones. Bad impressions and bad stereotypes are quicker to form and more resistant to disconfirmation than good ones. Various explanations such as diagnosticity and salience help explain some findings, but the greater power of bad events is still found when such variables are controlled. Hardly any exceptions (indicating greater power of good) can be found. Taken together, these findings suggest that bad is stronger than good, as a general principle across a broad range of psychological phenomena.”

So, we remember the negative moments of the postseason more acutely than we do the positive moments of the post season; and therefore, we more acutely remember the broadcast booth praising the team we are rooting against than we do of them praising the team we are rooting for.

It is also possible that—despite our psychological tendencies—the broadcasters might actually hate our team, too. But maybe not.

Baumeister, Roy F., Ellen Bratslavsky, Catrin Finkenauer, and Kathleen D. Vohs. “Bad Is Stronger Than Good.” Review of General Psychology. 5.4 (2001): 323-370. Print.

Jeff Quinton is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @jjq01
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