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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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This Is Your Brain on Sports summary
L. Jon Wertheim
Sam Sommers
The Science of Underdogs, the Value of Rivalry, and What We Can Learn From the T-Shirt Cannon
14 mins
Brief summary
This Is Your Brain on Sports by L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers delves into the role of the brain in sports and how it drives athletic performance, social dynamics and the science behind fandom.
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This Is Your Brain on Sports
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Sports can teach us about our love for underdogs and about group mentality.
No matter which sport you play, there’s generally a winner and a loser. But even when one team seems to lose all the time, they’ll still have devoted fans following them in every game. In fact, these fans can be even more passionate than those of other teams, since people love rooting for an underdog.
There are good reasons for this phenomenon, as it plays into our sympathy for those who are considered weak and our desire for the unthinkable to happen.
In an experiment conducted at the University of South Florida, students were presented with some details about the Israel-Palestine conflict, including different maps of the region. The two nations were then pitted against each other in a hypothetical sporting event.
As it turned out, when students who received maps that showed Israel surrounded and outnumbered by larger Muslim-majority countries, most of them rooted for Israel.
Likewise, if students were given a different map where the main territory was Israel, with its settlements encroaching on Palestinian territory, most of these students would then cheer for Palestine.
An underdog scenario is appealing because it represents the possibility of an unlikely outcome, where a team or an individual might persevere in the face of a daunting challenge. This makes the game more personal, since we often think of our own situation in life as a similar battle.
For instance, when we try to get someone’s attention and sympathy, we’ll often portray ourselves as an underdog trying to overcome impossible odds.
This impulse also sets up an us-versus-them mentality that can lead to both cheering and fighting.
When our team does win, we feel the desire to join other fans and celebrate in the streets like it was a festival or parade.
But this tendency has its dark side as well, and it can easily turn to aggression against the fans of the opposing team or even bystanders with no interest in sports at all. In the end, our desire to belong often goes hand-in-hand with our desire to exclude.
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What is This Is Your Brain on Sports about?
This Is Your Brain on Sports (2016) is a fascinating journey into the human brain and an examination of what exactly happens to it when we play sports. Far more than mere games people play, sports provide a great deal of insight into our psyche and what makes us tick, observations that ring true for players and fans alike.
This Is Your Brain on Sports Review
This Is Your Brain on Sports (2016) explores the fascinating relationship between our brains and sports, providing unique insights into the psychology behind our favorite games. Here's why this book is definitely worth a read:
- The book offers compelling research and real-life stories that reveal how our brains impact our performance in sports, making it a fascinating exploration of the mind-body connection.
- Written by experts in both sports journalism and psychology, it combines the best of both worlds to deliver a well-rounded and insightful perspective.
- With its engaging storytelling and thought-provoking analysis, the book keeps readers captivated from start to finish, ensuring that it is anything but boring.
Best quote from This Is Your Brain on Sports
Jordan was less a mentor than a tormentor.
—L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers
Who should read This Is Your Brain on Sports?
- Die-hard fans who take sports and their favorite teams very seriously
- Students of psychology
- Readers looking for a new perspective on the wide world of sports
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This Is Your Brain on Sports FAQs
What is the main message of This Is Your Brain on Sports?
The main message of This Is Your Brain on Sports is the fascinating connection between sports and the brain.
How long does it take to read This Is Your Brain on Sports?
The reading time for This Is Your Brain on Sports varies depending on the reader. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is This Is Your Brain on Sports a good book? Is it worth reading?
This Is Your Brain on Sports is well worth a read. It offers insightful research and analysis on the impact of sports on our brains.
Who is the author of This Is Your Brain on Sports?
The authors of This Is Your Brain on Sports are L. Jon Wertheim and Sam Sommers.
What to read after This Is Your Brain on Sports?
If you're wondering what to read next after This Is Your Brain on Sports, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- The Aesthetic Brain by Anjan Chatterjee
- The Sports Gene by David Epstein
- Range by David Epstein
- The Practice of Groundedness by Brad Stulberg
- Boost! by Michael Bar-Eli
- Endure by Alex Hutchinson
- The Rise of Superman by Steven Kotler
- The Brain by David Eagleman
- Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey