Sports 'curses', often blamed for team failures, may be explained by the psychological phenomenon known as the nocebo effect, according to science writer Helen Pilcher. This effect is where negative expectations can lead to real-world outcomes, even without a physical cause.
Pilcher notes that while supernatural forces are sometimes cited, factors like bad luck or tactical errors are also possible explanations. However, once a 'curse' becomes part of a team's folklore, it can shape expectations, which in turn can have tangible effects on performance.
Research from Canterbury Christ Church University has shown that runners told an inert supplement would negatively affect their sprint performance ran slower. This suggests that in sport, negative expectations might have a more significant impact than positive ones.
Such beliefs can spread through a team via social contagion, influencing how players respond under pressure and potentially creating a feedback loop where the story shapes expectations, and behaviour appears to confirm the original narrative.