LONDON - Soccer gives men a way to express their innermost thoughts and feelings, according to a pre World Cup survey.
Almost
two-thirds of men (64%) believe that while watching or playing soccer,
they are more willing to share their feelings with other men than when
doing other activities.
Three quarters said they would not be embarrassed to hug their mates while watching a match.
"Football
does have positive effects on people's psychological well-being," said
Sandy Wolfson, Head of Psychology at Northumbria University.
"It
gives people a ready-made topic of conversation where opinions on team
selection, strategy, and players' skills are enjoyable topics for
debate," he added.
The survey was carried out by the Mental Health
Research Foundation, an independent organization devoted to helping
people across the UK maintain good mental health. It was conducted
online, with 500 male participants ranging from ages 18-70.
"It is
encouraging that football makes it easier for men to talk about their
feelings as traditionally, men are far less likely than women to share
their innermost thoughts," said Andrew McCulloch, chairman of the
foundation.
Along with hugging their friends, 70 percent of men
admitted that a match can make them upset while 58 percent said that
what happens over the course of a football match can make them
aggressive.
However, the ability of football to bring out a man's
emotions does have its limits -- three-quarters of men polled said they
had never cried over the outcome of a match.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.
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