The Overlook Effect for Baseball Fans

There is some evidence that common identity can build bridges between rivals. In one experiment, psychologists randomly assigned Manchester United soccer fans a short writing task. When Red Sox and Janke's fans were asked to reflect on their common identity as baseball fans, it didn't work. Shared identity doesn't stick in every circumstance; if a rival fan has just had an accident, thinking about a common identity might motivate us to help.