FOR many the Sevens has become more about costumes and ‘dressing-up’ (or ‘dressing-down’) than sport. Capital Times
spoke to Victoria University Associate Professor of Psychology
Dr Marc Wilson who applies social psychological theory to
important social issues.We asked him why swarms of Sevens fans congregate ceremoniously in costume each year.

KEEP your eye out this weekend you can expect to see people dressed to delight you or something you never expected, or wanted to see.
“It has become part of the tradition – a ritual,” says Dr Wilson.
“At the very basic level it’s a chance to be something we’re not and to feel good about doing it. The move to non-rugby style dress-up suggests that we’re identifying ourselves with the Sevens itself, and not a particular sports team. It’s not about supporting our team because they usually do pretty well anyway - the Sevens gives us the right to dress up without being looked at funny.”
Research surrounding the social phenomena of ‘dress ups’ is rare. The majority of research has looked at people wearing colours which support a particular team, but nothing on this specific phenomenon. The same principles can apply though, he says.
“If you wear something that signals you as a follower of a particular team you’re indicating solidarity with the team and what it represents and signalling that this is part of your identity - how you see yourself. When the team wins you get to bask in reflected glory (birg-ing it’s called) and when your team wins you’re more likely to wear your team colours the next day - that way you get to feel good about being a part of the team group.
“Teams that wear black are perceived as more aggressive, and indeed report feeling more aggressive, and wrestlers that wear red are more likely to win competitive wrestling and judo bouts.”
But how does dressing up like a couch, or SpongeBob, or The Flash, or a naked person, signal your team commitment? Wilson has the short answers.
“Firstly, the choice of dress-up reflects something about us - either how we see ourselves already, or how we’d like to be seen. Secondly, it is a solidarity marker. How many people dress up as Conan but go to the Sevens alone? We do it with other like-minded people. It’s a signal that we’re part of something. Our self-esteem gets a boost by being positively judged - people smile at us, wave, comment, we get our picture in the paper - that makes us feel good about being us.”
So, have Kiwis become insecure about their identity or are we just creative?
“Our dress could be an expression of our creativity, if that’s what it’s allowing us to express. When we dress the same as the rest of our group it’s also potentially an example of social conformity, and there has long been the suggestion that dressing like others can lead to de-individuation where personal identity becomes less salient - people lose themselves and become anonymous and that can disinhibit them so they do things they wouldn’t do - be braver than usual, or more outgoing.”
So, will Wilson be donning his SpongeBob SquarePants this weekend?
“I don’t actually go and watch the games myself but it makes me proud to be in Wellington and part of such a vibrant place.”
NZI Sevens, Westpac Stadium, February 4-5.