Using Personality to Predict Sports Media Consumption

• In Event: Fan Behaviors and Sports Consumption

Abstract

Team identification and social identification theories have been commonly used to understand sports media behaviors. Despite the gravitas towards a “psychological connection” fans have to a team and sports, sports communication research has not thoroughly investigated the relationship between individual personality and sport media consumption. To examine this, a nationally distributed survey yielding 715 participants was used to better understand how personality traits defined by the HEXACO Personality Inventory predict time spent consuming sports media. Multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses, revealing increased expressiveness, social boldness, sociability, forgiveness, flexibility, and inquisitiveness, and decreased fearfulness, anxiety, and aesthetic appreciation were significant predictors for sports media consumption. This study identifies relationships between these elemental personality traits, providing a granular understanding of how personality impacts sports media consumption. Furthermore, results offer a foundation for future research examining personality’s role in sports media consumption.

Authors

• Michael Devlin, Texas State U

• Natalie Devlin, U of Texas - Austin