Fan (person)

Types of Fans

• Celebrities
• Fans may hold crushes on movie stars, pop stars, athletes, or celebrities.
• Devotion levels can range from crushes to delusional beliefs in a special relationship.
• Extreme cases of devotion can lead to stalking behavior or celebrity worship syndrome.
• Parasocial interaction is when audiences develop one-sided relationships with celebrities.
• Some fans idolize celebrity couples or aim to become friends with their idols.
• Gaming
• Gaming fans, or gamers, focus on playing non-sport games like video games or board games.
• Role-playing games, miniature wargames, and collectible card games are popular among gaming fans.
• Music
• Music fans may focus on a genre of music rather than specific musicians.
• Trade journals like Rolling Stone were created by music fans.
• Notable music fans include groupies like Cynthia Plaster Caster and author Pamela Des Barres.
• Beatlemania in the 1960s showcased extreme frenzy among music fans.
• Popular musicians leverage fan power for digital downloads using merchandise bundles.
• Musicals
• Popular musicals have dedicated sets of fans, like Rent.
• Otaku
• Otaku is a Japanese term for people with obsessive interests.
• In Japan, the term is normally derogatory.
• In English, it generally refers to people in the anime and manga fandom.
• Politics
• People who approve of or associate with politicians are called supporters.
• Intense support for a politician may be referred to as a personality cult.
• Some politicians have official or unofficial fan clubs.
• Professional Wrestling
• Fans of professional wrestling are divided into marks and smarks.
• A mark is a fan who believes everything in wrestling is real.
• A smark is a fan who knows wrestling is staged but appreciates it.
• Science Fiction
• Science fiction fandom has given birth to various institutions like fanzines and conventions.
• It has nurtured writers and artists like Ray Bradbury and Michael Moorcock.
• Science fiction fandom developed its own slang known as fanspeak.
• Sports
• Sports fans attend events in stadiums, sports bars, or watch at home.
• Fans may show pleasure by cheering and displeasure by booing.
• Enthusiastic fans are called superfans or fanatics.
• Sports bars create unity among fans watching together.
• Fans at home may exhibit intense cheering or jeering during games.

Fan Psychology and Motives

• Entertainment and escapism are key factors in becoming a fan.
• Eustress, a mix of euphoria and stress, is experienced by fans during games.
• Some fans appreciate the aesthetics and skill of play in sports.
• Family bonding can be strengthened through shared fan activities.
• Fans may borrow self-esteem from their favorite team’s success.
• Loyalty:
• Fan loyalty can vary in strength from strong to weak allegiances.
• Fans in fandoms often consider their group as a family and show loyalty.
• Publicly expressing admiration for a figure can maintain fan faith post moral violations.
• Psychologists have studied the loyalty of sports fans extensively.
• Loyalty can lead fans to perceive team success as personal success.
• Stan Fans
• Stans are excessively devoted fans of celebrities, shows, or artists.
• The term ‘stan’ originated from an Eminem song and represents extreme fandom.
• Stan culture is known for being toxic and parasocial.
• Some artists have specific names for their stans, like Arianators or Swifties.
• The term ‘stan’ is also used in K-pop fandoms.

Gender Stereotypes and Discrimination in Fan Communities

• Women
• Women’s leisure choices are often more restricted compared to men.
• Female involvement in fandoms is sometimes sexualized or seen as emotional.
• Women in music fandoms are often perceived as seeking sexual thrills rather than intellectual engagement.
• Female fans may face stigma within serious music communities, being labeled as groupies.
• Terms like ‘groupie’ can be used to shame women involved in music communities.
• Societal Gender Roles
• Discrimination against females can limit their opportunities within fandoms.
• Women in fandoms are sometimes portrayed as more emotional or sexualized.
• Women’s voices in intellectual discussions within fandoms are often marginalized.
• Female involvement in fan communities is sometimes reduced to sexual relations or hero worship.
• The term ‘groupie’ is used to restrict women’s roles in music communities to sexual or supportive positions.
• Discrimination Against Female Fans
• Female fans face discrimination in various fandoms.
• Terms like ‘Fake Geek Girls’ and ‘Puck Bunnies’ are used to belittle female fans.
• Female fans are often stereotyped based on their interests.
• Discrimination can escalate to threats and violence.
• Women are expected to hide their interests as they age.
• Discrimination Against Males
• Boys are taught early on to conform to traditional masculine traits.
• Real men are portrayed as tough, emotionless, and physically strong.
• Qualities like compassion and vulnerability are discouraged in males.
• Body image standards for men are set by media and societal norms.
• Non-traditional masculine interests face ridicule and teasing.
• Gender Discrimination in Fan Communities
• Fanboys who deviate from traditional masculinity face discrimination.
• Fanboys may be teased for their interests not aligning with societal norms.
• Examples like Bronies show how males in feminine fandoms are ridiculed.
• Gender discrimination is evident in mainstream media portrayals.
• Fanboys may enjoy their interests in secret due to fear of shame.

Fan Behavior and

Fan (person) Data Sources