Faculty of Science and Technology

Scots are more likely than the English to see supporting their national football team as a patriotic duty, according to a recently published study by Lancaster Psychologist Dr Jackie Abell.

The study set out to understand the differences between how the Scottish and the English demonstrate their nationalism via support for the national football team.

Participants were selected from two sites in England and Scotland based on their conflicting character; Glasgow and rural Perthshire in Scotland; Greater Manchester and rural East Sussex in England.

Interviews were conducted with those born and currently resident in England (100) and Scotland (60). All participants were white aged between 16-89 and from a variety of backgrounds.

The results showed that nearly twice as many Scottish born participants considered supporting the national team as part of national identity than those born in England.

Jackie explained: 'For Scots supporting the national football team is seen as an expression of national pride. So they see support for the England football team in the same terms, expressing English patriotism. Combine this with the negative stereotype of xenophobic and hooliganEngland supporters and you can see why this can increase Scottish support for their team and anti-English sentiments.

But support for England is misunderstood. Public displays of England flags and paraphernalia often reflect support only for the England football team at the time of an international tournament.'

Tue 22 June 2010

Associated Links

• 'They seem to think "We're better than you"': Framing football support as a matter of 'national identity' in Scotland and England - article published in the British Journal of Social Psychology, June 2010
• Psychology Department - The Psychology Department's home page