They are familiar scenes: sports fans turning on each other in acts of violence, and mobs of sports fans flooding onto the field or out into the streets. Is there something inherent in the competitive sport setting that produces this frequently dangerous behaviour? Written in an engaging style, this book addresses the question by exploring the wide range of influences at work, from a social psychological perspective. Topics range from a focus on the personality
traits that predispose individuals to act aggressively, to a wider concern with who riots, why they riot, and situations that favour the occurence of sports riots.