Perceiving Expert Bias: Perceptions of Referee Bias in College Basketball

Abstract

In the sports world, referees often make controversial and game-changing calls. When those calls are made, people either agree or disagree with them, and form an opinion about the referee. Oftentimes, the person or team that the call was made against perceives that referee to be biased. Furthermore, previous research also suggests that certain types of people might be more likely to perceive bias. The following study utilizes these ideas by examining perceptions of referee bias during a Princeton Men’s Basketball game. I hypothesize that objectivists will be more likely to perceive referee bias, and that the more people disagree with calls, the more bias they will see in the referees. Findings show that the score of the game may have a significant impact on perception of referee bias and that disagreement with calls indicates more perceived bias. Lastly, the discussion section considers the significance of perceptions of referee bias, and acknowledges the impact that referees have in sports today.