Overview
- Using fMRI, researchers recorded brain activity as fans viewed 63 clips where their team, a rival, or a neutral team scored.
- Rival victories amplified reward-system responses compared with non‑rival wins, indicating stronger in‑group reinforcement.
- Significant defeats suppressed signals in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, a region tied to cognitive control and conflict monitoring.
- Effects were strongest in highly devoted supporters measured by the Football Supporters Fanaticism Scale, suggesting brief self‑regulatory lapses in high‑stakes moments.
- Authors say the neural signature may extend to political and sectarian contexts and propose cooling‑off periods, crowd‑management tactics, and early‑life prevention as potential applications.