Upward Spirals of Positive Emotions: A Predictive Analysis of Flourishing Through Spectator Sport

In this study, the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions was applied to the spectator sport context. We examined the upward spiral process of positive emotions toward human flourishing, defined as long-term positive functioning in both personal and social life. Three-wave (t 1 , t 2 , t 3 ) panel data were collected from 326 baseball fans over two seasons. The results revealed that positive emotions (t 1 ) induced by sport spectatorship were sequentially related to flourishing (t 3 ) first through broadening cognitive (fan learning) and behavioral (fan rituals) repertoires (t 1 ) and then through experiencing social fan well-being (t 2 ) as an enduring social resource. Moreover, the effect of psychological fan well-being (t 2 ), another enduring resource in this study, on flourishing (t 3 ) was contingent on the quality of sport teams (t 3 ). Our theoretical explanations and results provide clarity to guide future research on a bottom-up approach to enhancing future flourishing through spectator sport consumption.