Opinion | The Psychology of Fandom: Recent Trend or Ancient Human Behaviour?

To begin, we must first understand what exactly ‘’Fandom’’ is, and understand that what it entails is far from recent in any sense of the word, in fact, fandom is one of the most ancient forms of human expression. The common consensus is that fandom can be defined as a collective of individuals who form a powerful community around their shared interest in a piece of media. For as long as art has existed, fans have existed right alongside it. Fandom has driven forward the advancement of human culture and identity, as people are inspired and build on to their favourite works. Highly influential pieces of art such as, John Milton’s, ‘’Paradise lost’’, Dante’s ‘’The Divine Comedy’’, paintings in the Sistine Chapel, Milan’s, ‘’Duomo’’ could all be considered ‘’fanfiction’’ of the Bible. When you hear the word ‘’Fandom’’ these works are not what you think of, yet they are by definition, work created by those inspired by a source material.

By nature, we humans are a social species, we crave a sense of belonging and connection with others. From the very beginning of human existence this innate drive has manifested throughout all cultures, social structures, trade, communication and art. Alongside this desire to belong, is the desire to create. Art in all forms has existed for hundreds of thousands of years.  Art has allowed humans to convey their beliefs, express profound emotions, connect with others, or simply appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

Looking more into the present day rather than the past, we can see that these communities have allowed humans to continue pursuing these intrinsic needs, and the growth of the internet has only bolstered this. For many individuals, and increasingly young people, who feel that they do not belong in the communities around them, the internet provides an easy escape into millions of different spaces where they can connect with like-minded people who share the same interests as them. Through this, fandom has promoted the growth of creatives all around the world, though the ever encompassing web of the internet, they are funneled into spaces where they are accepted and inspired. Fandom spaces have developed as the internet has developed, with sites like ‘’Tumblr’’, ‘’Ao3’’ and even ‘’Discord’’ the accessibility of access to information has dramatically increased, and communities have grown rapidly. What has changed is not the behaviour itself, but the scale and intensity at which it occurs. The internet allows a fandom to grow in mere hours, a film release or music video can unite millions of people across the globe in shared excitement. 

Harry Jenkins’ fandom theory states that, ‘’The development of the ‘new’ media has accelerated ‘participatory culture’, in which audiences are active and creative participants rather than passive consumers.’’ The term ‘’prosumer’’ has emerged for someone who actively partakes in their subject of enjoyment. This allows for the convergence of media, as fans combine their fandoms of interest together to create new and innovative art. This fan art is akin to the numerous aforementioned historical reinterpretations of popular media. The new creative ideas that come from this fusion lead to greater widespread development of the creative world as a whole; innovation and creativity is fostered and nurtured in a fandom environment, leading to a bright and exciting future for the entire world.

The fandom culture of today of actively participating in one’s fandom, for example, attending conventions, watching an event live or even using ‘’insider’’ fandom-specific language is a prime example of Durkheim’s idea of collective effervescence. This states that these shared emotional experiences create social cohesion, and shared rituals develop a strong sense of unity, as well as connection. Those who participate feel strongly connected to their peers, and the social and societal benefit is enormous. The idea of ‘’Basking in Reflected Glory’’ can also be attributed to this phenomenon; this idea represents the psychological tendency to enhance one’s self-esteem by associating with successful others. It’s a form of self-serving cognition where an individual claims or feels a connection to a successful person or group, as if their success is their own accomplishment. When a community joins together around a certain person or piece of media and ‘’basks’’ in its glory, there is a massive net positive in the happiness of the group, triggering the release of dopamine in the brain and creating a positive reinforcement loop where fans are left feeling inspired and engaged. 

Today’s widespread and all encompassing nature of fandom culture may be new, but the impulse behind it remains the same as it was since the beginning of human expression, the desire to belong, to create, to experience joy in shared passion. Fandom, in its truest form, is the modern reflection of the same creative and social instincts that have driven human connection since the dawn of culture.

– Angelina

References 

Aloysius, S. (2024b) The allure of the tribe: Exploring the psychology of Fandom | Team Lewis, Team Lewis. Available at: https://www.teamlewis.com/magazine/psychology-of-fandom/ (Accessed: 29 October 2025). 

Hays , P. (2024) Fandom is older than you think – hindsight, HindSight. Available at: https://hindsight.thevarsity.ca/article/history-of-fandom (Accessed: 29 October 2025). 

Barnes, J.L. (2022) The Psychology of Fandom, CrimeReads. Available at: https://crimereads.com/the-psychology-of-fandom/ (Accessed: 27 October 2025). 

 Steve S et al. (2021) Jenkins – fandom theory, Media Studies @ Guilsborough Academy. Available at: https://guilsboroughschoolmedia.wordpress.com/2019/06/27/jenkins-fandom-theory/ (Accessed: 29 October 2025).