Tobey Maguire greets fans at the Spider-Man 3 premiere in Queens, New York. Tobias Vincent "Tobey" Maguire (born June 27, 1975) is a Canadian Actor. For the video game based on the film see Spider-Man 3 (video game.

Fans in Little Italy, Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian fooermantball team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup

Fans in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Munich,Germany

A fan, aficionado or supporter is someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a sporting club, person, group of persons, company, product, work of art, idea, or trend. Little Italy is a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City, once known for its large population of Italians. The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th instance of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament Munich (München; Minga is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Fashion refers to styles of dress (but can also include cuisine literature art architecture and general comportment that are popular in a culture at any given time Fans of a particular thing constitute its fanbase or fandom. Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc They may start a fan club, hold fan conventions, create fanzines, write fan mail, or engage in similar activities. A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well known person group idea (such as History) or sometimes even an inanimate object (such as a famous building A fan convention, or con, is an event in which fans of a particular TV show, Comic book, or Actor, or an entire style of entertainment A fanzine (see also Zine) is a nonprofessional publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre for the pleasure See Fanmail (album for the 1999 TLC album Fan mail is Mail sent to a public figure especially a

In a few cases, individual fans may become so fascinated with the objects of their infatuation that they become obsessive. These fans engage in behaviors that are considered extreme or abnormal[1]. This includes idolatry or other forms of worship, such as creating a personal shrine dedicated to the idol at one's home, and can sometimes extend to the point of the fans becoming stalkers. Idolatry is usually defined as Worship of any Cult image, Idea, or object, as opposed to the worship of a monotheistic God. This article discusses cult in the original and typically ancient sense of "religious practice" (cultus ---- Stalking is the obsessive following observing or contacting of another person or the obsessive attempt to engage in any of these activities

Etymology

There is some confusion as to the origin of the word fan. Paul Dickson, in his Dickson Baseball Dictionary, cites William Henry Nugent's work that traces it to fancy, a 19th century term from England that referred mainly to followers of boxing. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, It was originally shortened to fance then just to the homonym fans. The word emerged as an Americanism around 1889. Many assume that it's a shortened version of the word fanatic, and the word did first become popular in reference to an enthusiastic follower of a baseball team. Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each (Fanatic itself, introduced into English around 1525, means "insane person". Fanaticism is an Emotion of being filled with excessive uncritical Zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in It comes from the Modern Latin fanaticus, meaning "insanely but divinely inspired". Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The word originally pertained to a temple or sacred place [Latin fanum, poetic English fane]. A temple (from the Latin word Templum) is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities such as prayer and sacrifice or analogous rites The modern sense of "extremely zealous" dates from around 1647; the use of fanatic as a noun dates from 1650. ) However, the term "fancy" for an intense liking of something, while being of a different etymology, coincidentally carries somewhat the same connotation as "fanatic".

Supporter is a synonym to "fan" which predates the latter term and as such is still commonly used in British English, especially to denote fans of sports teams. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Sport is an Activity that is governed by a set of rules or Customs and often engaged in competitively However, the term "fan" has become popular throughout the English-speaking world, including the United Kingdom. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The term supporter is also used in a political sense in the United States, to a fan of a President, political party, and a controversial issue. Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions The United States of America —commonly referred to as the President is a Title leaders of Organizations companies, Trade unions universities, and countries. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral

The term "krank" (or crank) is a now-obsolete term for baseball fans in particular, and also carried much the same connotation as both "fanatic" and "fancy", of devoted attachment to something, in this case a team.

Characteristics of a fan

Ultras at football match between Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb. Ultras ( Latin word deriving from beyond in English with the implication that their enthusiasm is 'beyond' the normal are a sanctioned form of sports team supporters Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered HNK Hajduk Split is a Croatian football club one of two most popular football clubs in the country Dinamo Zagreb is one of the most famous and successful Croatian football clubs

There are certain common characteristics to be found in fans interested in different topics and that these characteristics influence the behaviors of those involved in fan behavior (Thorne&Bruner 2006).

Those common characteristics include (Thorne&Bruner 2006):

• Internal involvement. Fans focus more of their time and resources intently on a specific area of interest than a non-fan would, and are not significantly concerned if non-fans (including family or friends) don't derive pleasure from the area of interest. Fans usually have a strong enough interest that small to major changes in their lifestyles are made to accommodate devotion to the focal object. The term lifestyle was originally coined by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler in 1929
• Desire for external involvement - are motivated to demonstrate their involvement with the area of interest through certain behaviors (attending conventions, posting online, etc. A fan convention, or con, is an event in which fans of a particular TV show, Comic book, or Actor, or an entire style of entertainment )
• Wish to acquire - fans tend to express a strong desire to possess material objects related to the area of interest.
• Desire for social interaction with other fans. Social interaction is a dynamic changing sequence of Social actions between individuals (or groups who modify their actions and reactions according to the actions by their This again may take many forms, from casual conversation, e-mail, chat rooms, and electronic mailing lists to regular face-to-face meetings such as fan club meetings and organized conventions.

There are several groups of fans that can be differentiated by the intensity level of their level of involvement or interest in the hobby (level of fanaticism)^[1]

The likelihood for a subject of interest to be elevated to the level of fandom appears to be dictated by its complexity. Fanaticism is an Emotion of being filled with excessive uncritical Zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in Complexity allows further involvement of fans for a longer period of time because of the time needed to work the subject of interest 'out. ' It also contributes to a greater sense of belonging because of the mental effort invested in the subject. This could be why sci-fi is so popular, some fans feel the need to work out all the scientific kinks in these programs. One example for Star Trek is that a group of fans designed blueprints for federation starships.

Fan vs. fanatic

For more details on this topic, see fanatic. Fanaticism is an Emotion of being filled with excessive uncritical Zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in

Japanese football fans sit quietly and eat noodles. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Fanatics jump, shout, make signs, and wave flags of the team logo.

The difference between a fan and a fanatic is that while both have an overwhelming liking or interest in a given subject, behavior of a fanatic will be viewed as violating prevailing social norms, while that of a fan will not violate those norms (although is usually considered unusual). Fanaticism is an Emotion of being filled with excessive uncritical Zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause or in Social norms have been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values beliefs attitudes and behaviors ^[1]

Types of fans

Teen idol fans

These fans will commonly hold a crush on a major star, athlete or celebrity (common examples include Madonna, Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, and Britney Spears (see teen idol)). Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16 1958 known as Madonna, is an American Orlando Jonathan Blanchard Bloom (born 13 January 1977) is an English Actor. William Bradley "Brad" Pitt Pitt received a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for his role in the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys Britney Jean Spears (born December 2 1981 is an American recording artist and entertainer ‎ Teen idols refers to someone idolized by teens a teen idol is often young but in many cases no longer teenaged This can range from a simple crush to the complete belief that the celebrity is either madly in love with the fan, or will fall madly in love with the fan once she or he lays eyes on him/her. In extreme cases, this can lead to stalking behavior. ---- Stalking is the obsessive following observing or contacting of another person or the obsessive attempt to engage in any of these activities

Sports fans

Sports fan can describe enthusiasts for a particular athlete, team, sport, or all of organized sports as a whole. The Sports fans are often seen attending sporting events or following them on television, as well as through newspapers and internet websites such as ESPN.com. ESPNcom is the official website of ESPN and a division of ESPN Inc

Two members of the Hogettes, a well known group supporting the Washington Redskins

The mentality of the sports fan is often such that they will experience a game, or event while living vicariously through players or teams whom the fan favors. The Hogettes are a group of twelve male Washington Redskins fans who wear women's Dresses Garden party hats and Pig Snouts for two The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington D This behavior manifests itself in a number of different ways, depending on the venue.

At a stadium or arena, sports fans will voice their pleasure with a particular play, player, or team by cheering, which consists of clapping, fist-pumping, or shouting positive exclamations toward the field of play and ultimately, the favorable object. Likewise, displeasure toward a particular play, player, or team is met by fans with jeers, which consist of booing, the shouting of expletives, and in occasional, extreme cases, the throwing of dense objects onto the field of play in the hopes of injuring a particular participant. In Sailing, a halyard or halliard is a line ( Rope) that is used to hoist (pull up a Sail, a Flag or a yard. This end of fan reaction may often degenerate into hooliganism. It should also be noted that lighter, more harmless objects are also occasionally thrown onto certain fields of play as a form of celebration of a favorable sports feat. This is most common when a member of the home team scores a hat trick in hockey. A hat-trick in Sports is associated with succeeding at anything three times in three consecutive attempts Other, more mild forms of displeasure shown by sports fans at sporting events involve simple groans of disappointment, and silence. These actions often denote that the favored home team is being outperformed by, or has lost to the much less-favored road team.

At sports bars, sports fans will gather together, often while consuming food and alcoholic beverages, with the purpose of following a particular sporting event on television as a group. A bar (also called a Pub or Tavern) is a business that serves drinks especially Alcoholic beverages such as beer liquor and mixed drinks for consumption Sports bars often advertise in hopes of drawing fans of a particular player or team to watch together to increase bonds between fans and prevent fights. This can create the sense of unity in a sports bar as all cheers and boos will appear to be synchronized due to similar feelings and reactions by nearly all fans at the fortunes and misfortunes of the favored team or athlete. Due to the level of devotion and intensity of feeling towards the favored team or athlete by sports bar patrons, as well as partially due to the alcohol being served, behavior that would be seen as unruly or fanatical outside of a sports bar is generally more common inside of one. The intensity of cheering and jeering at a sports bar by sports fans can often range from equal to stronger than that of fans actually at the sporting event for particularly significant games and matches.

In ones own home, sports fans may have the smallest amount of shared company but also the greatest degree of freedom. This is sometimes where the most intense cheering or jeering will take place among particularly devoted sports fans depending on the company they keep for such an event. In the case of particularly frustrating and disappointing moments in sport for such a fan, many have reported such extreme reactions as punching a hole in the wall of the house. In the fan's own home, unbridled and lengthy screaming, crying, acts of destruction to household objects, and other manifestations of joy or anguish, are perhaps seen as most acceptable in comparison to the sports bar or sporting venue simply because such acts taken to such an extreme can be seen as disruptive to a large number of fellow fans even if they share the same sentiment if it is of less intensity. The greatest variables of the reaction of a sports fan in their own home are the intensity of the fan's desire to see their team win or perform well, and the presence of another: often a wife, children, or friends who may be significantly less ardent sports fans or not sports fans at all, which may significantly temper the fan's reaction to a highly positive or negative moment due to the fear of causing a scene or scaring those close to the fan, or alienating themselves from said others. Often sports fans will invite other fans of relatively similar rooting intensity over to their house to experience a sporting event together so that all involved can voice pleasure or displeasure to their heart's content and increase shared bonds in the process.

Professional wrestling fans

Fans of professional wrestling can be divided into two groups; marks and smarks.

Mark

Main article: Mark (professional wrestling)

Derived from the same term used to describe the prey of conmen, a mark is a professional wrestling fan who believes that everything associated with pro wrestling is real, rather than recognizing the existence of kayfabe (that is, it is a work). A confidence trick or confidence game (also known as a bunko, con, flim flam, gaffle, grift, scam, scheme In Professional wrestling, kayfabe (ˈkeɪfeɪb KAY-fayb) refers to the portrayal of events within the industry as "real" that is the portrayal of professional

A mark can also refer to a devoted fan, either of a particular wrestler, wrestling company, or the sport itself. A mark is also someone who believes everything about a certain wrestling organization is good. This type of mark tends to overlook bad decisions that the organization makes (or to cast said decisions in a positive light) and overreact to the good ones.

Smark

Main article: Smark

A smark ("smart mark") is a wrestling fan who understands that the outcome of a professional wrestling match is pre-determined, is privy to the behind-the-scenes operations, and enjoys following the on-screen product as well as the off-screen, backstage affairs. "Smark" is abbreviated professional wrestling slang for "smart mark". Many smarks are part of the "IWC" (the Internet Wrestling Community), a general term for wrestling fans who use the Internet as their means of fan-to-fan communication. Smarks define themselves by embracing the "workrate", or talent level, of wrestlers. Some opt to spite the celebrated "big men" in favour of smaller, faster wrestlers with a wider variety of moves. They typically overlook those whom they see as wielding too much power backstage and support underdogs who they feel have been overlooked by management.

Science fiction/Gaming universes

Fanboy/Fangirl

For more details on this topic, see Fanboy. Fanboy is a term used to describe any individual who is devoted to a single subject in an emotional or fanatical manner or to a single point of view within that subject often to

Fanboy is a term used in America to describe a male who is utterly devoted to a single subject or hobby, often to the point where it is considered an obsession. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A hobby is a spare-time Recreational pursuit Etymology A Hobby horse is a wooden or Wickerwork toy made to be The term originated in comic book circles, to describe someone who was socially insecure and used comics as a shield from interaction, hence the disparaging connotations. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative Fanboys are often experts on minor details regarding their hobbies, such as continuity in fictional universes, and they take these details extremely seriously. In Fiction, continuity (also called time-scheme) is consistency of the characteristics of persons plot, objects places and events seen by the reader or A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with unique background elements such as an imaginary history or geography and possibly fantasy or science The term itself is often used in a derogatory manner by less serious fans of the same material. Nevertheless, self-labeling usages of the term have been noted; in the songs of the fannish parody musician Luke Ski, many characters proudly consider themselves fanboys. A parody (ˈpɛɹədiː US, [ˈpaɹədiː] UK) in contemporary usage is a work created to mock comment on or poke fun at an original work its subject A musician is a person who plays or writes Music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music An instrumentalist plays a The great Luke Ski is the Stage name of Luke Sienkowski, a Parody, Filk and Rap Musician who writes records and performs The term is usually applied to people in their teens or 20s. Within this group, common objects of deference for fanboys are TV shows, movies, anime, cars, video game consoles, video games, Music, operating systems and in earlier decades home computers, MMORPGs, ISPs and software companies. A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U (anime in Japanese, A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Music is an Art form in which the medium is Sound organized in Time. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination A home computer was a class of Personal computer entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s A massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG) is a genre of Computer role-playing games (CRPGs in which a large number of players interact with An Internet service provider ( ISP, also called Internet access provider or IAP) is a company which primarily offers their customers access to the Internet Similar to the term fangirl, fanboy is commonly used in a derogatory sense to describe a male's obsession with something, most commonly a cartoon, videogame, female video game/anime character, or an aspect of Japanese pop culture. The word cartoon has various meanings based on several very different forms of Visual art and Illustration. Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present but also provides a link to the past

The term fangirl can be used to describe a female member of a fandom community (counterpart to the masculine "fanboy"). Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc Fangirls may be more devoted to emotional and romantic aspects of their fandom, especially shipping. Fandom (from the noun fan and the affix -dom, as in kingdom, dukedom, etc Shipping, derived from the word "relationship" is a general term for fans' emotional and/or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in However, it is commonly used in a derogatory sense to describe a girl's obsession with something, most commonly a male teen idol or an aspect of Japanese pop culture. Words and phrases are pejorative if they imply disapproval or contempt ‎ Teen idols refers to someone idolized by teens a teen idol is often young but in many cases no longer teenaged Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present but also provides a link to the past Fangirl behavior can vary in intensity. On one end of the scale are those that, while harboring a crush on a particular actor or character, are perfectly capable of understanding that the fulfilment of the crush is never going to happen. On the other end are the girls who are said to be obsessive in their claims on a fictional character, even fighting with other fangirls over who 'owns' the character in question. Fangirl behavior can fall anywhere in this spectrum, but the closer someone is believed to be towards the obsessive end, the more derogatory the use of the term 'fangirl' to describe them is perceived to be. Fangirls of all persuasions are believed to be the largest contributors to fanfiction websites, sometimes disregarding the canon storyline of their fandom or altering it to fit either their own favored romantic pairings; or themselves into the continuity (termed self-insertions or Mary Sues). Fan fiction (alternately referred to as fanfiction, fanfic, FF or fic) is a broadly defined term for Fiction about characters or settings Self-insertion is a literary device in which the real author of a work of fiction appears as a character within that fiction either overtly or in disguise

Big Name Fan

For more details on this topic, see Big Name Fan. Among Science fiction, Comic book and Fantasy fans, a Big Name Fan ( BNF for short is a member of a fandom who is particularly well-known

A Big Name Fan is a fan who has achieved notoriety and respect within a fandom for their contributions of various sorts. Among Science fiction, Comic book and Fantasy fans, a Big Name Fan ( BNF for short is a member of a fandom who is particularly well-known Big Name Fans in some fandoms may have fans of their own and be asked for autographs.

Otaku

For more details on this topic, see Otaku. is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly Anime, Manga, and Video games.

In Japan, where the term otaku originates, it is applied to fans of almost any topic, including anime/manga, the military, trains, etc. The term in Japan is derogatory (at least to those outside the otaku subculture), but with such works as the popular Densha Otoko, this may be changing. is a Japanese Movie, television series, Manga, Novel, and other media, all based on the purportedly true story of a 23-year-old In English, the term Otaku has been adopted almost exclusively to describe fans of anime, manga and related materials. is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly Anime, Manga, and Video games. It also lacks the derogatory overtones it has in Japan.

Trekkies

Trekkies, the oldest group focussed around a particular show, are fans focused on the Star Trek science fiction franchise. Trekkie (or Trekker) is a term used to describe a fan of all or part of the Star Trek Fictional universe.

Gaming fans

Gaming fans (gamers) are fans focused on gaming, usually role-playing games, board games, miniature wargames, collectible card games or computer games. Historically the term " gamer " usually referred to someone who played Role-playing games or wargames. A console role-playing game is a video game genre that has its origin rooted in Video game consoles and includes game mechanics and frequently settings derived A board game is a Game in which counters or pieces that are placed on removed from or moved across a "board" (a premarked surface usually specific to that game Miniature wargaming is a form of Wargaming that incorporates Miniature figures and modeled terrain as the main components of play Collectible card games (CCGs also called trading card games (TCGs or customizable card games (CCGs are played using specially designed sets of cards A personal computer Game (also known as a computer game or simply PC game) is a Video game played on a Personal computer, rather

Fan psychology

Drivers for sports fans

The drivers that make people fans, and in particular sports fans, have been studied by psychologists, such as Dan Wann at Murray State University. Murray State University, located in the town of Murray, Kentucky, is an approximately 10000-student four-year public university They attribute people becoming fans to the following factors:^[2]

entertainment

Sports spectatorship is a form of leisure.

escapism

Being a fan gives one an excuse to yell at something, an activity that may be constrained in other areas of one's life.

a combination of euphoria and stress for which they coin the name "eustress"

Fans experience euphoria during moments when play is going well for their team, and stress when play is going against their team. This generates pleasure.

aesthetics

Some people are fans simply because they appreciate the aesthetics of the game, such as the precision or skill of play.

family bonding

Fans going on a family outing to watch a sports event form a psychological bond with one another as a family.

self-esteem

Fans identify with their teams to the extent that they consider themselves successful when their teams have been successful.

Loyalty

Main article: Fan loyalty

Fan loyalty is the loyalty felt and expressed by a fan towards the object of his/her fanaticism. Fan loyalty is the loyalty felt and expressed by a fan towards the object of his/her fanaticism Allegiances can be strong or weak. The loyalties of sports fans have been studied by psychologists, who have determined several factors that create such loyalties (in addition to the factors that make people fans in the first place). Fan loyalty can be threatened by team actions.

References

Further reading

• Daniel L. Wann, Merrill J. Melnick, Gordon W. Russell, and Dale G. Pease (2001). SportFans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Spectators. London: Routledge. ISBN 0415924634.  

See also

• Addiction
• Anorak
• Bandwagon effect
• Beatle Bob
• Chacha Cricket
• Devotee
• Fanposter
• Fen, a science fiction fandom term analogous to "fans". The term " addiction " is used in many contexts to describe an obsession compulsion or excessive Physical dependence or psychological dependence such as In British Slang an anorak is a person typically a man who has unfathomable interest in arcane detailed information regarded as boring by the rest of the population The bandwagon effect, also known as Social proof or "cromo effect" and closely related to opportunism, is the observation that people often do and believe Chaudhry Abdul Jalil ( Urdu: عبد الجلیل) aka Chacha Cricket ( Urdu: چاچا کرکٹ) is one of Pakistan 's Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community of people actively interested in Science fiction and Fantasy literature, and in contact with one another
• Groupie
• Roadgeek
• Celebrity Worship Syndrome

External links

• Online Etymology Dictionary
• CommonCensus Sports Map Project - A map of US sports fans, based on voting
• Soccer fans - videoblog
• Ultras video - video blog