Verbal Aggressiveness in Spectators at Professional Hockey Games: The Effects of Tolerance of Violence and Amount of Exposure to Hockey

Abstract

Cross sections of male spectators (N = 391) at 14 professional hockey games were interviewed prior to the game and after the first and second periods. Subjects who were tolerant of violence in hockey showed signifi-cantly higher levels of irritability on the Buss-Durkee inventory of verbal aggressiveness than did subjects who were intolerant of violence. Subjects tolerant of violence were also angrier over the prospect of their favorite team losing. Over the course of the game, subjects who were both tolerant of violence and frequently exposed to hockey showed a significant increase in verbal hostility on the Buss-Durkee inventory. Subjects who were fre-quently exposed to hockey but who were intolerant of violence showed a reduction in hostility. This differential effect is explained in terms of the motives these two groups of spectators may have for attending hockey games.