The Psychology Of People Who Aren't Obsessed With Sports: 11 Traits They All Seem To Have In Common
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock Even if you’ve always thought that fans screaming at a sports game on TV is excessive and sports are unentertaining to watch, there’s real research that suggests the bonds people have with fellow sports fans and team players are similar to the ones we share with family. It’s a powerfully bonding experience that isn’t solely about competition or roughness – it’s about community and belonging.
However, just like people who love watching and playing sports, there’s a specific psychology of people who aren’t obsessed with sports and traits they all seem to have in common. From individualistic personalities to a preference for introverted hobbies, it’s not that they “don’t get it,” but rather that they’ve found a way to satisfy that deep yearning to belong in other ways.
Here are 11 traits people who aren’t obsessed with sports all seem to have in common
1. They find community in other places
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Having a community, even if it’s a workplace or a sports team, is how people cultivate feelings of belonging. When they miss out on these opportunities to connect with people in their communities, they lose a feeling that they matter, according to researcher Rabiya Karamali.
Our communities play a strong role in crafting our general well-being, but for people who aren’t obsessed with sports and their favorite teams, they find them in other places. Whether it’s a creative hobby, their group of friends, or an online community that allows them to feel seen, they don’t need to perform or put on a mask to cheer on a sports team they don’t care about to shoulder isolation and loneliness.
2. They have a strong sense of individuality
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People with a strong sense of individuality often have their hobbies and passions from a young age. They’re not interested in performing or pretending to like things simply to conform with the masses. They’re eccentric, effortlessly unique, and individualistic.
They don’t need to belong to something bigger to feel complete. Spending time with themselves and appreciating their own hobbies is enough.
3. They love their own company
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According to family therapist Micahel Ungar, “tribal instincts” often bond us and cultivate a sense of belonging that makes the “in-group” feel special and powerful. However, people who aren’t obsessed with sports often have lower tribal instincts – their identity is less tied to being a part of the group, so they aren’t exactly interested in sports for the community of it all.
They can spend more time alone, love their own company, and form small social connections that prevent loneliness, all without having to pretend to like something or feed into a culture they don’t understand to feel like they belong.
4. They don’t feed into polarization
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Whether it’s trying to win an argument at work, getting feisty about sports rivalries, or even contributing to political polarization, a 2022 study found that people with less interest in sports are less likely to fall into the “us versus them” mentality in every aspect of their lives.
While sports fans may pull a page from their playbook about teams and winning, melting those ideas into their everyday lives and relationships, others are interested in collaboration and understanding, even when it’s not entirely comfortable.
5. They’re less excitable
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When someone loves watching their sports team, it’s often because they get small hits of dopamine with every play, game, and moment. This is rooted in the intermittent reinforcement principles that make things like slot machines entertaining. There’s an element of unpredictability and uncertainty that keeps people engaged and excited.
Differences in dopamine receptors from person to person can influence how much or little someone cares about sports, which is why sports fans sometimes experience fewer mental health concerns. Of course, low dopamine receptor activity is often defined by fatigue, depression, a loss of motivation, and a lack of pleasure, so if someone isn’t affected by the excitement of a sports game, chances are they’re battling one or more of these experiences.
So, while they might be less emotionally stagnant and excitable, they also miss out on the small joys of sports, especially if they’re not getting this kind of excitement from other entertainment or communities.
6. They’re consistent in their self-concept
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For sports fans, it’s easy to switch to emotionally distancing to protect their sense of self-worth and self-image. If their team wins, they easily align and consider them a shared team – a “we.” But if their team loses, they may shift blame and remove themselves from that shared identity.
However, part of the psychology of people who aren’t obsessed with sports is their consistency. They know what influences their self-concept, what uplifts them, where their loyalties lie, and what communities add value to their lives. They’re not interested in removing themselves and distancing when it’s inconvenient.
7. They internally gratified
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While some people seek external validation through social media, others through relationships with a more anxious attachment, and some sports fans through their favorite teams, people who aren’t obsessed with sports often find it internally. They don’t need a team to win to boost their mood or self-concept.
Of course, not all sports fans put their entire self-image, validation, and concept into whether or not their team wins, but many allow it to influence how validated or secure they feel on a daily or weekly basis.
8. They’re secure and confident
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While some sports fans may find a kind of security and self-assuredness in how their favorite team performs, people who are disinterested in sports often find that in themselves. Whether it’s through their relationships or hobbies, they are less influenced on an innate level by outside things like a sports team or a winning record.
While it might seem subtle, this kind of internal security and high self-esteem has long-term psychological benefits, from better mental health to more meaningful relationships.
9. They know how to entertain themselves
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According to a study published in the Behavioral Sciences journal, people have different levels of internal and external stimulation factors that change the frequency and intensity of their boredom. People who watch sports for entertainment may find it harder to cope with boredom and entertain themselves in mindful moments, but those who generally appreciate their solitude without constant distraction and entertainment are the opposite.
Of course, these experiences are nuanced, but for the most part, the psychology of people who aren’t obsessed with sports relies on what they use to fill their time. Are they more comfortable with boredom? Are they sensitive and more internally secure? Do they need a team sport to serve as their outlet for belonging and community?
10. They’re sensitive
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From being more easily overstimulated by external sensory input to being more emotionally sensitive in their everyday lives, these are some of the traits that people who aren’t obsessed with sports seem to have in common. Sports games and screaming at a TV are all too much input for them to regularly make space for.
They appreciate solitude, introverted hobbies, and quietness because it allows them to connect with their inner, sensitive mind. They don’t need distractions or tons of sensory stimulation to feel calm – they only need mindfulness.
11. Entertainment is less tied to their identity
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From appreciating offline hobbies like reading and writing to generally avoiding the pressure of adopting entertainment as a regular activity, people who aren’t obsessed with sports are not only less interested in sports, but they’re also less drawn to fandoms with TV shows and celebrity culture.
Entertainment isn’t tied to their identity, and they usually find a sense of belonging and community in other, less popularized parts of life.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
