How Men in Contact Sports Manage Fear While Exhibiting Confidence

A study was conducted by sociologists at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, to examine the unique ways men in contact sports managing their fear and why it actually permits them to exhibit confidence. The study included two years of fieldwork and interviewing of more than 100 mixed martial arts fighters. These men commonly feared injury, losing and needed to manage these emotions in order to put on a convincing manhood act while facing an opponent.

The researchers discovered that these fighters engaged in unique emotional management as they sought to put fear into their opponents by carefully using certain language and their bodies to appear to be intimidating.

The study demonstrated how experience played a major role in how fighters managed their emotions. The more successful fighters would frame their big battle as just another day in the gym or just business. They scripted their plans and would constantly say how their opponents were inferior to themselves. These fighters were so good at emotional management they were not only able suppress their own fear but give off a sense of self confidence. They were able to transform their fear into confidence and heart-felt belief in their success.

Dr. Christian A. Vaccaro is a co-author of the study and is quoted in the December 2011 issue of the American Sociological Association’s Social Psychology Quarterly as saying “Putting on a convincing manhood act requires more than using language and the body; it also requires emotion work. By suppressing fear, empathy, pain, and shame and evoking confidence and pride, males signify their alleged possession of masculine selves. By signifying masculine selves through evoking fear and shame in others, such men are likely to more easily secure others’ deference and accrue rewards and status. Managing emotional manhood, whether it occurs in a locker room or boardroom, at home or the Oval Office, likely plays a key role in maintaining unequal social arrangements.”

Source

American Sociological Association

www.asanet.org

http://www.asanet.org/images/journals/docs/pdf/spq/Dec11SPQFeature.pdf


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