A Comparison of Emotions and Individualism/Collectivism between Olympic and Non-Olympic Years Based on Weibo Data

Abstract: The Olympic Games, as a global sporting event, not only showcase the charm of sports competition, but also convey the core values of respect, equality, and harmony embodied in the Olympic spirit, exerting a profound influence on public sentiment and social cohesion. Based on Weibo social media data, this study employs a dictionary analysis method to compare data from the Olympic years of 2012, 2016, and 2021, as well as the corresponding periods of the year before each Olympic year, to explore the impact of the Olympic Games on public sentiment, collectivism, and individualism. The results indicate that compared to non-Olympic years, in Olympic years, the public’s positive emotions significantly increase while negative emotions significantly decrease, with an increase in "good" emotions and overall positive emotions, and a reduction in anxiety, sadness, and anger. The tendency towards individualism significantly declines in Olympic years, while the trend of collectivism runs counter to the hypothesis, possibly related to the shift in collective cognition under the backdrop of globalization. This study further discusses the promoting effects of the Olympic Games on public psychology and social values, while also pointing out the shortcomings and limitations of the research and suggesting future research directions. Through the analysis of this significant event, the Olympic Games, this study provides a new perspective and data support for understanding the impact of global sporting events on social sentiment and values.