Or reading.[0][1][2] When we read a book, we put ourselves into the positions of the characters and our brains react as if it were so.

0. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/brain.2013.0166

1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/novel-finding-rea...

2. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-neuros...

That certainly explains the success of “competence porn”

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/10744879/Are-yo...

I think it’s more than just a combination of happy vs unhappy, I can personally confirm that the testosterone buildup from watching a sports match of a team you really care about (even on tv) is very much real. But, just as the study says, you need to not be just a casual watcher, you need to be “invested”, to have a real “feel” for the game.

Just as an example, I’ve had nightmares after this spring’s Real vs Juventus Champions League match which saw the Italians get eliminated in the 92nd minute after a questionable penalty call (I’m a Juve fan) and to this day my heart still feels a little contraction, so to speak, a little “what could have been?”, when thinking about how the Swedes equalized us, Romanians, in the QF of the 1994 World Cup after an error from our goalkeeper (if he hadn’t committed that error we would have faced the Brazilians in the semis, meaning a literal dream come true for us). There have been 24 years since then but the feeling is still inside of me, and I think it will stay with me until the day I’ll walk off this planet. Sports and caring about sports can be both one of the most beautiful and one of the most painful experiences in one’s life.

Speaking of "what could have been"... just ask anyone from New England about 18-1. Actually, don't do this unless you dislike them.

Yes, I was surprised that they did not at least explore similarities with moviegoing.