Fact or Fiction: The Home Advantage in Athletic Competition

• Main Author: Otterholt, Kris K
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholarship @ Claremont 2013
• Subjects: home advantage; athletic competition; Courneya and Carron; Cognitive Psychology; Other Psychology; Social Psychology
• Online Access: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/751; http://scholarship.claremont.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1808&context=cmc_theses

Home field advantage remains one of the least understood phenomenon in sports. Much effort has been put into testing the different components that contribute to the phenomenon, but a clear explanation is lacking. The purpose of the present paper is to provide a better understanding of home field advantage by analyzing previous literature and experiments on the topic. The paper will also organize the major components involved in home field advantage by updating Courneya and Carron’s conceptual framework. The paper will explain the importance of studying the topic and will highlight significant experiments that have produced contradictory results. Lastly, the paper will focus on the critical psychological states of the competitors, as it remains the least understood component of the aggregate study. Keywords: home advantage, athletic competition, Courneya and Carron