Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 1990,14(2), pp. 103-117. Die-Hard and Fair-Weather Fans: Effects of Identification on BIRGing and CORFing Tendencies Daniel L. Wann and Nyla R. Branscombe* University of Kansas ABSTRACT Previous research has demonstrated that people are capable of strategic self-presentation; they decrease the distance between themselves and successful groups with which they have only the most trivial of associations, and strive to increase the distance between themselves and groups viewed negatively as a result of some perceived failure. These two processes, termed basking-in- reflected-glory (BIROing) and cutting-off-reflected failure (CORPing) respectively, assist in the maintenance of self-esteem. The current study investigated the extent to which allegiance to a group would modify these general processes. In suppon of the hypotheses, higher fan identification resulted in increased tendencies to BIRO and decreased tendencies to CORP. In contrast, persons moderate or low in identification were less likely to BIRO and showed an increased likelihood to CORP. Discussion focuses on the role of identification with a group in terms of how it moderates coping with threats to an identity and its impact on self-esteem. Two self-esteem related processes and their application to sports spectators have been identified. The potential moderation of these processes by the degree to which an individual is identified with or attached to a particular team is the focus of the current investigation. The first process of basking-in-reflected-glory (BIRGing) reflects individuals' desire to increase their association with successful others. Theoretically, it serves an ego enhancement function. Cialdini et al. (1976) examined the extent to which university students wore clothing which identified their association with the school (operationalized as names, insignias, and/or emblems) on the Monday following a Saturday football game. The results, tabulated across seven universities from various athletic • Preparation of this manuscript was assisted by a University of Kansas Biomedical Sciences grant awarded to the second author. We are grateful to Rick Snyder for his helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript Assistance during the data collection phase was provided by Jason Coleman and Lisa Rose.