Human Nature and the Bond Between Bostonians and the Tartan Army

One benefit of hosting the World Cup has been the unexpected connections between visiting fans and host cities. Nowhere was this connection more notable than in the whimsical bond formed between Bostonians and the Scottish fans. From spontaneous bagpipe performances to traffic cones appearing on the heads of local sculptures, the presence of the “Tartan Army” energized and entertained people from Boston and beyond. The Tartan Army embedded themselves so thoroughly into Boston life that the city started to feel like Glasgow, without the haggis (which remains illegal in the US, despite Governor Healey’s playful social media post).

What caused this fast and strong feeling of connection between people from different countries?

Numerous articles and social media posts have discussed the reason, ranging from shared heritage to a revived feeling of hope in a time of political strain. Or maybe it was just mutual fun as Bostonians and Scottish fans lived out the promise of “No Scotland, No Party” by belting out the lyrics of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” at Fenway Park and drinking local bars dry.

The connection, however, may also tell us something about human nature and what’s important to us as a species.

The scene we saw play out in Boston wasn’t guaranteed. Research has shown that humans have a strong in-group/out-group instinct, with preference towards those we perceive as part of our group and distrust of those we perceive as out-group or “different.” The theory is that this evolved instinct would have helped keep us safe and fostered the protection of resources at a time when humans lived in smaller, far-flung groups.

Additional research, however, argues that it only takes one similarity to help us see someone as part of our in-group. This psychological phenomenon, called the Minimal Group Paradigm and credited to Tajfel et al., 1971, is defined as the lowest conditions for people to show in-group favoritism. The original study showed the perceived similarity can even be something arbitrary, such as a preference for one artist versus another. Or perhaps a shared love of a sports team.

This means the World Cup festivities in Boston might have forged actual in-group bonds by creating a shared experience, whether through swapping sodas or agreeing on the wonder of ranch dressing. This bond can help explain why Bostonians and the Tartan Army felt so connected, and so heartbroken to say goodbye, even for those living vicariously through news articles and social media.

The extent of this in-group bond can be seen in the mutual decision by Boston and Glasgow to declare the two cities as sister cities. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu noted that the sister city program will “make sure that Boston will be a home base for the Tartan Army for many years to come” while David Clay, the British consul general in Boston, said “I’m really excited to take forward the partnership after this World Cup is over, and figure out where we can take it.” Massachusetts State Senator Paul Feeney even suggested making the experience an annual tradition, not unlike a family reunion (with family being the ultimate in-group).

The takeaway is an optimistic one, suggesting future opportunities for building relationships with people from other countries or cultures. These connections could be through athletics, but can also result from any opportunity to find common ground.

If all it takes is one similarity to forge deep bonds with others, we don’t need to wait four years until the next World Cup to do it again.