Forgiving the Foul: The Role of Moral Decoupling, Emotions, and Forgiveness in Fan Responses to Sports Crises

Abstract

This study investigates how team identification, moral emotions, and moral decoupling influence fans’ punitive behaviors in response to sports-related crises. Using a sample of 437 sports fans, the researchers examined whether negative moral emotions (anger, contempt, and disgust) drive punitive behaviors and how team identification affects moral decoupling. Findings reveal that higher team identification is associated with increased moral decoupling, enabling fans to separate their support for team performance from ethical transgressions. Additionally, negative moral emotions were significant predictors of punitive behaviors, with perceived crisis severity mediating the relationship between team identification and fan punishment. Forgiveness emerged as a key moderator, reducing the likelihood of punitive actions among highly identified fans. However, forgiveness did not moderate the relationship between team identification and moral decoupling. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.