Sport Involvement: A Relevant Individual Difference Factor in Spectator Sports

Abstract

This article argues for the importance of sport involvement as an individual difference factor that may shed additional light on spectator behavior and general commitment to the sport. The article uses the Zaichkowsky (1985) measure to assess the extent of individual spectator involvement with the sport (golf, in this situation), and explores the relationship between this measure and other relevant motivational and behavioral characteristics of spectators. The study used a random sample of 176 spectators obtained from a total population of 2,500 attendees at a golfing event. Results suggest that the involvement measure is useful in establishing individual motivation for participating in golfing events, as well as in predicting various aspects of golfing behavior. In particular, the study found that individuals rating higher in sport involvement are more likely to correctly identify the event sponsors than those rating lower in sport involvement. Implications of study findings and future research directions suggesting applications of the measure to other spectator sports are addressed in the final section

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