An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works , who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog . In the case where an underdog wins, the outcome is an upset . An "underdog bet" is a bet on the underdog or outsider for which the odds are generally higher.
113-453: The first recorded uses of the term occurred in the second half of the 19th century; its first meaning was "the beaten dog in a fight". In British and American culture , underdogs are highly regarded. This harkens back to core Judeo-Christian stories, such as that of David and Goliath , and also ancient British legends such as Robin Hood and King Arthur . This is also reflected in the idea of
226-475: A brilliant social satire, critiquing class structures and the courtship rituals of Regency England , and remains one of the most beloved novels in British Literature . Lord Byron ’s Don Juan (1819–1824) is a satirical epic poem that details the adventures of the legendary lover, displaying Byron's wit, irony, and irreverence toward societal norms. Sir Walter Scott ’s Waverley (1814), widely considered
339-436: A different set of expectations and allowances within a social context. The underdog is often seen as disadvantaged or less likely to conform to established norms. In this context, society might be more lenient or accept norm violations from underdogs, as their perceived struggles or challenges may evoke empathy or understanding. We also rally round the underdog to satisfy our need for social justice . Supporting
452-550: A famous guest (called a " castaway ") chooses eight pieces of music, a book and a luxury item that they would take with them to a desert island. Currently presented by Lauren Laverne , it is the longest running music radio programme in British history. The idea for a Christmas message was conceived by one of the founders of the BBC. Delivered annually by the monarch, it was first broadcast on BBC Radio in 1932. An alternative Christmas message
565-524: A landmark collection, emphasizing the beauty of nature and the primacy of emotion, and marking the official start of the Romantic Movement . Mary Shelley ’s Frankenstein (1818), one of the earliest science fiction novels, delves into themes of creation, responsibility, and the consequences of unchecked scientific ambition, framed within Gothic conventions. Jane Austen ’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) offered
678-628: A large number of national and local radio stations which cover a great variety of programming. The most listened to stations are the five main national BBC radio stations. BBC Radio 1 , a new music station aimed at the 16–24 age group. BBC Radio 2 , a varied popular music and chat station aimed at adults is consistently highest in the ratings. BBC Radio 4 , a varied talk station, is noted for its news, current affairs , drama and comedy output as well as The Archers , its long running soap opera, and other unique programmes, including Desert Island Discs (1942–present), an interview programme in which
791-467: A leading figure in early British journalism. The Romantic Period was marked by a revival of poetry and a focus on emotion, nature, and individualism, responding to the growing rationalism of the Enlightenment. This era gave rise to many literary works that explored the tension between reason and imagination. William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge ’s Lyrical Ballads (1798) is considered
904-600: A lyrical drama, explores themes of rebellion, tyranny, and human freedom, standing as one of his most radical and imaginative works. Robert Burns , the famed Scottish poet, revived interest in Scots literature with works such as Auld Lang Syne , which celebrated the vernacular tradition. Lastly, Mary Wollstonecraft ’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) stands as one of the earliest and most influential works of feminist philosophy, advocating for women's education and equal rights in
1017-571: A male-dominated society. Although primarily associated with the Victorian Era , Lewis Carroll ’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) emerged from the later part of this broader Romantic tradition, blending imaginative fantasy with playful wordplay. This whimsical novel follows young Alice's journey through a dreamlike world populated by peculiar characters, exploring themes of logic, absurdity, and identity. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland remains
1130-658: A more diverse cultural landscape through higher levels of immigration. Furthermore, following the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and EU enlargement in 2004 and 2007, the UK experienced a significant rise in immigration from Eastern Europe . Today, the UK has a sizable immigrant population, and encompasses the cultures of British people from various backgrounds, with South Asian , Continental European , African and Caribbean descent being most prevalent. First spoken in early medieval England ,
1243-720: A number of popular characters in children's animation, including The Wind in the Willows (based on the children's book by Kenneth Grahame ), Danger Mouse and Count Duckula . Other children's shows include Where's Wally? (a series based on books by author Martin Handford where readers are challenged to find Wally who is hidden in the group), Dennis the Menace and Gnasher , while Thunderbirds and Terrahawks by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson have been praised for creating Supermarionation . Debuting in 1982, The Snowman (featuring
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#17328515132761356-603: A pastoral turn under the influence of the British folk revival . Examplars of this period are Ralph Vaughan Williams ' English Folk Song Suite , and Sir Alexander Mackenzie 's Scottish Rhapsodies . Modern and contemporary classical music takes a variety of forms. Composers such as Benjamin Britten developed idiosyncratic and avant-garde styles, while the likes of William Walton produced more conventional ceremonial and patriotic music. The UK now has several major orchestras, including
1469-578: A pioneering work of literary nonsense, captivating readers with its inventive narrative and surreal exploration of the boundaries between reality and imagination. The late Georgian Era and Victorian era saw a renewed focus on the novel. A key theme of these novels was social commentary. Early in the period Jane Austen satirised the lifestyle of the gentry and nobility, while the later novels of Charles Dickens often used humour and keen observations to criticise poverty and social stratification. One of his novels, Oliver Twist describes Victorian Times and
1582-469: A resurgence as black British musicians created new fusions such as Acid Jazz . Indie rock was a reaction to the perceived saturation of the music industry by pop, exemplified by Stock Aitken Waterman 's domination of the charts. This continued in the 1990s, as boy bands , all-female and mixed groups dominated the singles chart, while the Madchester scene helped drive alternative rock and Britpop to
1695-445: A shift in the polls towards the underdog, participants shifted their support back to the leading contender. This shift in support suggests that the pleasure derived from the underdog's potential victory may not necessarily stem from genuine support for the underdog but rather from the satisfaction of seeing the leading candidate lose their position of power. This highlights how opposition reactivity, possibly driven by schadenfreude towards
1808-493: A significant film industry for over a century. While many films focus on British culture, British cinema is also marked by its interaction and competition with American and continental European cinema . The UK was the location of the oldest surviving moving picture, Roundhay Garden Scene (1888), which was shot in Roundhay , Leeds by French inventor Louis Le Prince , while the first British film, Incident at Clovelly Cottage
1921-460: A similar impact on musical theatre with their comic operas . The Shakespeare Memorial Theatre was opened in Shakespeare's birthplace Stratford upon Avon in 1879 and Herbert Beerbohm Tree founded an Academy of Dramatic Art at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1904. The early twentieth century was dominated by drawing-room plays produced by the likes of Noël Coward , which were then challenged by
2034-535: A term Thunder to the Dominant [teams] ( Russian : Гроза авторитетов , Groza avtoritetov) that referred to underdog, often a strong mid-table team, of which the dominant teams were afraid. The title is still in use in the post-Soviet period and sometimes is given to " dark horse " teams which manage to win a major tournament. There was an official sports award that was introduced by the Soviet sports weekly "Sportivnaya Moskva" in
2147-535: A variety of minority interest programming. The BBC and Channel 4 are state-owned, though they operate independently. Launched in 1955, ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Director Ridley Scott 's evocative 1973 Hovis bread television commercial captured the public imagination. Filmed on Gold Hill, Shaftesbury in Dorset, Scott's advert was voted the UK's favourite television advertisement of all time in 2006. Other notable British commercials include
2260-593: A viable British popular music industry. Genres such as beat and British blues were re-exported to America by bands such as the Beatles and Rolling Stones , in a move that came to be called the British Invasion . The 1960s saw the development of heavy metal in Birmingham and the wider area. The development of blues rock helped differentiate rock and pop music, leading to the emergence of several sub-genres of rock in
2373-457: A young woman's quest for independence against the rigid structures of Victorian society . The three Brontë sisters and George Eliot commented on Northern England and the Midlands respectively, though all four women wrote under male pen names during their lifetimes, partly to deflect anti-feminist criticism. Nevertheless, openly female authors achieved considerable success in the period, such as
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#17328515132762486-540: Is an English folk dance known to have existed at least as early as the mid-15th century. The bagpipes have long been a national symbol of Scotland, and the Great Highland Bagpipe is widely recognised. The English and Scottish Popular Ballads , are ballads of the British Isles from the later medieval period until the 19th century, demonstrating great regional variety, particularly local traditions such as
2599-482: Is an important part of British culture, and numerous sports originated in their organised, modern form in the country including cricket , football , boxing , tennis and rugby . The UK has been described as a "cultural superpower", and London has been described as a world cultural capital. A global opinion poll for the BBC saw the UK ranked the third most positively viewed nation in the world (behind Germany and Canada) in 2013 and 2014. Throughout its history,
2712-470: Is considered to be classic piece of literature, and The Man Who Would Be King are both set in British India , showcasing the cultural and political impact of British rule in the region. His poem If— famously captures the concept of the “stiff upper lip,” a British ideal of stoicism and self-discipline. Additionally, The White Man’s Burden conveys a white supremacist and imperialist perspective, encouraging
2825-628: Is famous for its arts and crafts "makes". The show has been a staple for generations of British children. Popular live action TV shows include The Borrowers (based on Mary Norton books on little people), The Adventures of Black Beauty , The Famous Five (based on Enid Blyton books), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (based on the C. S. Lewis novel), and Pride and Prejudice (starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy ). The actor David Jason has voiced
2938-738: Is hailed as one of the first true novels in English literature. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman is an experimental novel. Also linked to the Augustan period is Samuel Johnson 's A Dictionary of the English Language . Published in 1755, it was viewed as the pre-eminent British Dictionary until the completion of the Oxford English Dictionary 150 years later. Each word defined in detail, with descriptions of their various uses and numerous literary quotes as illustrations. This
3051-500: Is known as the Augustan Age and included the development of the novel. Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719) and Moll Flanders (1722) are often seen as the first English novels. Alongside these works, poetry also flourished, with notable examples such as The Rape of the Lock (1712) by Alexander Pope , a mock-heroic poem that satirized the social mores of the time. However,
3164-560: Is noted for its chaotic, nihilistic humour and violent comedy slapstick. Steve Coogan created the character Alan Partridge , a tactless and inept television presenter who often insults his guests and whose inflated sense of celebrity drives him to shameless self-promotion. Da Ali G Show starred Sacha Baron Cohen as a faux-streetwise poseur Ali G from west London, who would conduct real interviews with unsuspecting people, many of whom are celebrities, during which they are asked absurd and ridiculous questions. Animator Nick Park created
3277-491: Is often found in literature, for example Emily Brontë 's novel Wuthering Heights contains Yorkshire dialect. The United Kingdom inherited the literary traditions of England, Scotland and Wales. These include Arthurian literature and its Welsh origins, Norse-influenced Old English literature , the works of English authors Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare , and Scots works such as John Barbour 's The Brus . The early 18th century period of British literature
3390-605: Is particularly esteemed. The modern novel was developed in Britain, and playwrights, poets, and authors are among its most prominent cultural figures. Britain has also made notable contributions to music , cinema , art , architecture and television . The UK is also the home of the Church of England , the state church and mother church of the Anglican Communion , the third-largest Christian denomination. Britain contains some of
3503-759: Is the Standard English accent in England and Wales, while in Scotland Scottish Standard English is a distinct dialect. Although these accents have a high social prestige , since the 1960s a greater permissiveness toward regional English varieties has taken hold in education. The great variety of British accents is often noted, with nearby regions often having highly distinct dialects and accents, for example there are large differences between Scouse and Mancunian despite Liverpool and Manchester being only 35 miles (56 km) apart. Dialectal English
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3616-620: Is the pub in EastEnders , and the Woolpack in ITV's Emmerdale . The pub being a prominent setting in the three major television soap operas reflects the role pubs have as the focal point of the community in many towns and villages across the UK. Espionage and detective shows have long been a staple of British television, such as the 1960s series The Avengers featuring lady spy adventurer and cultural (and feminist) icon Emma Peel . The United Kingdom has
3729-522: The American dream , where someone from a low social class can achieve success through hard work. Sports are another instance where underdogs are highly valorized, reflected in both real events, such as the Miracle on Ice , and in popular culture depictions of sports. Spectators and commentators are commonly drawn to establishing one side as the underdog, even if both teams are considered evenly matched. In fiction,
3842-636: The BBC Symphony Orchestra , and the Philharmonia , while the establishment of the Opera North in 1977 sought to redress the balance of operatic institutions away from London. There are several classical festivals, such as Aldeburgh and Glydebourne , while the BBC Proms are an important annual fixture in the classical calendar. Popular commercial music in Britain can be traced back at least as far as
3955-549: The Birmingham Triennial Music Festival , which was the longest running classical music festival of its kind until the final concerts in 1912. Beyond this, the establishment of the London Philharmonic Society in 1813, Royal Academy of Music in 1822, and Irish Academy of Music in 1848 aided the professionalisation of British classical music and patronage of composers. The Philharmonic Society
4068-845: The Border ballads , which include the particularly influential Ballad of Chevy Chase . British folk groups, such as Fairport Convention , have drawn heavily from these ballads. Similarly, while the national anthem " God Save the King " and other patriotic songs such as " Rule, Britannia! " represent the United Kingdom, each of the four individual countries of the UK has its own patriotic hymns. For example, Jerusalem , Flower of Scotland , Land of My Fathers , and Danny Boy pertain exclusively to England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland respectively. These songs are often used at sporting events where each nation competes individually. Britain has had
4181-632: The British Film Institute consider the best and second-best British films respectively. Laurence Olivier 's 1948 Hamlet was the first British film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture . The 1950s saw a focus on popular domestic topics such as comedies, including the enduring Carry On series, and World War II epics such as The Dam Busters . At the end of the decade Hammer Films took advantage of relaxed censorship laws to begin their series of successful horror films. The beginning of
4294-619: The English language is the de facto official language of the UK, and is spoken monolingually by an estimated 95% of the British population . Seven other languages are recognised by the British Government under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages – Welsh , Scottish Gaelic , Scots , Cornish , Irish , Ulster Scots , and British Sign Language . In Wales, all pupils at state schools must either be taught through
4407-533: The Fool archetype is often an underdog if they are depicted as the main character. Their apparent ineptitude leads to people underestimating their true abilities, and they are able to succeed against a more powerful, "establishment" villain. An example in film is The Tramp portrayed by Charlie Chaplin . People often root for underdogs for various psychological and cultural reasons; for example, witnessing and experiencing underdog challenges can lead us to empathise with
4520-582: The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in 1840, Manchester-based Hallé in 1858, the Scottish Orchestra in 1891 and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in 1920. The most notable trend in classical music at the turn of the century was the nationalistic trend that developed. This was initially seen in works like The Masque at Kenilworth , which reconstructed an Elizabethan masque, but later took
4633-581: The Scottish Parliament in 2005, recognised Gaelic as an official language of Scotland and required the creation of a national plan for Gaelic to provide strategic direction for the development of the Gaelic language. The Cornish language is a revived language that became extinct as a first language in Cornwall in the late 18th century. Dialects and regional accents vary heavily amongst the four countries of
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4746-503: The Wallace and Gromit characters at Aardman Animations studio in Bristol. They feature in A Grand Day Out (1989), The Wrong Trousers (1993) and A Close Shave (1995), which all have 100% positive ratings on the aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, while A Matter of Loaf and Death was the most watched television programme in the UK in 2008. Aardman also produce the kid's show Shaun
4859-733: The West End , London's major theatre district. The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the City of Westminster dates back to 1663, making it the oldest London theatre, however the Theatre Royal at the Bristol Old Vic is the oldest continually-operating theatre in the English speaking world, opening in 1768. The musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber have dominated the West End since the late 20th century, leading him to be dubbed "the most commercially successful composer in history". A National Theatre of Scotland
4972-506: The generalizability of its findings to other domains, such as sports or business competitions, where underdog phenomena and schadenfreude may manifest differently. Future research could mitigate these limitations by employing diverse methodological approaches and exploring underdog and schadenfreude dynamics across various contexts to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these phenomena. Furthermore, there are challenges in distinguishing underdog support from schadenfreude, underscoring
5085-420: The kitchen sink realism and absurdist drama influenced by Irishman Samuel Beckett in the 1950s and 60s. Conversely 1952 saw the first performance of Agatha Christie 's The Mousetrap , a drawing-room murder mystery that has seen over 25,000 performances and is the longest-running West End show . At the same time the performing arts theatre Sadler's Wells , under Lilian Baylis , nurtured talent that led to
5198-593: The trenches . Initially idealistic and patriotic in tone, as the war progressed the tone of the movement became increasingly sombre and pacifistic. The beginning of the twentieth century also saw the Celtic Revival stimulate a new appreciation of traditional Irish literature , while the Scottish Renaissance brought modernism to Scottish literature as well as an interest in new forms in the literatures of Scottish Gaelic and Scots. The English novel developed in
5311-426: The " Miracle Mets " of 1969, and the " Miracle on Ice " in 1980. Cinderella teams are also referred to as a surprise package or surprise packet, and their success would be termed a fairy-tale run. A related concept is the giant-killer, which refers to a lesser competitor who defeats a favorite, reflecting the story of David and Goliath . In Soviet sport, particularly team sports like football and hockey, there appeared
5424-443: The "top dog," or those perceived as riding high, indicating a pleasure from watching them fail, thus we support the underdog. The interconnection between rooting for the underdog and Schadenfreude is illustrated in a study by Stephen Ceci and Edward Kain (1982) in the context of political elections. Their findings suggest that exposure to polls depicting a candidate as having a dominant position did not evoke positive feelings towards
5537-479: The 1960s saw the British New Wave style develop, influenced by its French counterpart, that sought to depict a wider strata of society in a realistic manner. The 1960s also saw renewed American financial interest in British film, which particularly manifested itself in the development of historical epics , such as Best Picture winners Lawrence of Arabia and A Man for All Seasons ; spy thrillers , including
5650-457: The 1970s and 1980s for football and hockey top competitions awarded to teams that managed to take away the biggest number of points from the last season top-three placed teams. Culture of Britain Modern ethnicities The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by its combined nations' history ; its historically Christian religious life , its interaction with the cultures of Europe ,
5763-473: The 1970s. Glam rock was a particularly British genre that emphasised outrageous costumes, while the end of the decade saw the rise of punk , new wave , and post-punk bands. The influence of immigration could also be seen in the increased prominence of World music , particularly Jamaican music . The 1980s were a successful decade in British pop, as a second British Invasion was witnessed and new technology enabled genres such as synthpop to form. Jazz saw
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#17328515132765876-495: The 1980 movie Caddyshack where he pretends as the announcer to his own golf fantasy: "Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion." Referring somewhat inaccurately to the plot details of the classic Cinderella story, the media will debate whether the given "Cinderella" team or player will "turn into a pumpkin", i.e. fail to win the prize and then return to its former obscurity. In
5989-474: The 1989 British Airways face advertisement , the 2005 noitulovE advert for Guinness , the 2007 Gorilla advertisement by Cadbury chocolate featuring a gorilla playing drums with Phil Collins' track " In the Air Tonight " playing in the background, and a 2013 advert for Galaxy chocolate bar featuring a computer-generated image of Audrey Hepburn . Christmas commercials are screened from early November in
6102-562: The 1990s, and the success of Four Weddings and a Funeral saw romantic comedies rise in popularity. Merchant Ivory Productions , boosted by the Oscars success of the previous decade's period pieces, continued to produce films in the same vein. American studios also began to base the production of Hollywood films in the UK, encouraged by tax incentives. 1996's Trainspotting led to increased interest in regional, particularly Scottish, cinema. While American-funded films continued their influence in
6215-519: The 2010s, domestic European co-productions also received acclaim. The Queen was British-French production for which Helen Mirren won Best Actress, while the UK Film Council funded The King's Speech , which won Best Picture in 2011. Asian British cinema has risen in prominence since 1999, when East is East was a mainstream success on a low budget. The UK has been at the forefront of developments in film, radio and television. Broadcasting in
6328-660: The 20th century into much greater variety and it remains today the dominant English literary form. The contemporary British literary scene is marked by awards such as the Booker Prize , created in 1969, and festivals including the Welsh Hay Festival , held since 1988. The prominent status of children's literature in the UK was demonstrated in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games , which contained sequence dedicated to prominent children's literary characters. In 2003
6441-420: The BBC carried out a British survey entitled The Big Read in order to find the "nation's best-loved novel", with works by English novelists J. R. R. Tolkien , Jane Austen , Philip Pullman , Douglas Adams and J. K. Rowling making up the top five on the list. More than 75% of the British public read at least one book annually. The UK is also among the largest publishers of books. As of 2017 , six firms in
6554-594: The British Empire. As a result of the British Empire, significant British influence can be observed in the language, law, culture and institutions of its former colonies, most of which are members of the Commonwealth of Nations . A subset of these states form the Anglosphere , and are among Britain's closest allies. British colonies and dominions influenced British culture in turn, particularly British cuisine . Sport
6667-501: The Sheep . One of the most popular children's shows originating in the UK is Thomas & Friends (based on The Railway Series books by Wilbert Awdry ), which has become the number one licensed preschool property in the world. Other popular children's shows include Postman Pat , Fireman Sam , Teletubbies , Bob the Builder and Peppa Pig First airing in 1958, Blue Peter
6780-562: The UK has historically been dominated by the taxpayer-funded but independently run British Broadcasting Corporation (commonly known as the BBC ), although other independent radio and television ( ITV , Channel 4 , Five ) and satellite broadcasters (especially BSkyB which has over 10 million subscribers) have become more important in recent years. BBC television, and the other three main television channels are public service broadcasters who, as part of their licence allowing them to operate, broadcast
6893-624: The UK, with campaigns including the John Lewis Christmas advert for the department store chain. International football tournaments, such as the World Cup , are historically the most viewed sports events among the public, while Match of the Day is the most popular weekly football show. The 1966 FIFA World Cup Final and the Funeral of Princess Diana are the two most watched television events ever in
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#17328515132767006-412: The UK. Satire has been a prominent feature in British comedy for centuries. The British satire boom of the 1960s, which consisted of writers and performers such as Peter Cook , Dudley Moore , Alan Bennett , David Frost and Jonathan Miller , has heavily influenced British television, including the sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus created in 1969 by Monty Python . Regarded as
7119-409: The United Kingdom , as well as within the countries themselves. This is partially the result of the long history of immigration to the UK, for example Northern English dialects contain many words with Old Norse roots. Scottish English , Welsh English , and Hiberno-Irish are varieties of English distinct from both English English and the native languages of those countries. Received Pronunciation
7232-732: The United Kingdom rank among the world's biggest publishers of books in terms of revenue: Bloomsbury , Cambridge University Press , Informa , Oxford University Press , Pearson , and RELX Group . From its formation in 1707 the United Kingdom has had a vibrant tradition of theatre, much of it inherited from England, Scotland and Wales. The Union of the Crowns coincided with the decline of highbrow and provocative Restoration comedy in favour of sentimental comedy, domestic tragedy such as George Lillo's The London Merchant (1731), and by an overwhelming interest in Italian opera. Popular entertainment became more important in this period than ever before, with fair-booth burlesque and mixed forms that are
7345-615: The ancestors of the English music hall . These forms flourished at the expense of other forms of English drama, which went into a long period of decline. In Scotland the opposite occurred, with the emergence of specifically Scottish plays including John Home's Douglas and the works of Walter Scott , which included original plays as well as adaptations of his Waverley novels. The late 19th century saw revival of English theatre with arrival of Irishmen George Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde , who influenced domestic English drama and revitalised it. Their contemporaries Gilbert and Sullivan had
7458-429: The authenticity of participants' expressions of support or disdain for candidates depicted in polls, especially in sensitive contexts like political elections. Moreover, reliance on self-report measures in the study may oversimplify participants' emotional reactions, particularly concerning complex psychological phenomena like schadenfreude. Additionally, the study's exclusive focus on electoral contexts may limit
7571-479: The biggest commercial radio stations in the UK. Demand characteristics In social research , particularly in psychology , the term demand characteristic refers to an experimental artifact where participants form an interpretation of the experiment's purpose and subconsciously change their behavior to fit that interpretation. Typically, demand characteristics are considered an extraneous variable , exerting an effect on behavior other than that intended by
7684-419: The colonial domination of non-European peoples under the guise of a civilizing mission. Kipling's works, while celebrated for their literary qualities, remain controversial for their imperialist themes. World War I gave rise to British war poets and writers such as Wilfred Owen , Siegfried Sassoon , and Rupert Brooke , who wrote (often paradoxically ) of their expectations of war, and their experiences in
7797-511: The complex interplay between underdog support and schadenfreude is necessary to unravel their intricate dynamics fully. Additionally, underdog narratives can sometimes reinforce stigmatization , highlighting the need to address paternalistic tendencies that may portray underdogs as objects of sympathy rather than active agents. Such portrayals risk overlooking the agency and dignity of individuals marginalised by society, perpetuating symbolic tokenism rather than genuine empowerment. In sports ,
7910-410: The concept of schadenfreude plays an essential role in the sympathy gained by the underdog particularly when the dominant party is perceived as undeserving of their success. This phenomenon has received attention from social scientists who argue that resentment towards high-status individuals can fuel Schadenfreude when they experience a downfall. Heider suggests there is tendency to root against
8023-559: The culture of Great Britain has primarily consisted of the separate native traditions of England, Scotland and Wales. With regard to cultural influences, prior to the expansion of the British Empire , the island had been most notably influenced by French culture (via the Normans ), Scandinavian culture (via the Vikings ) and Italian culture (via the Romans ). The arrival of Celtic and Germanic tribes influenced Britain's early development. The Celtic peoples introduced unique languages, traditions, and social structures. Subsequently,
8136-656: The development of an opera company, which became the English National Opera (ENO); a theatre company, which evolved into the National Theatre; and a ballet company, which eventually became the English Royal Ballet . Elsewhere the Royal Shakespeare Company was founded in 1959 at Stratford-upon-Avon , and continues to mainly stage Shakespeare's plays. Contemporary British theatre is focused on
8249-501: The development of the novel took place in a wider literary context that included the rise of prose satires – which reached a high point with Gulliver's Travels (1729) by Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift , and earlier foreign works like the Spanish Don Quixote . Other novels by Jonathan Swift include A Tale of a Tub (1704), An Argument Against Abolishing Christianity (1712), and A Modest Proposal (1729). With
8362-467: The d’Urbervilles (1891) offers a tragic critique of Victorian society's treatment of women, sexuality, and class, while Oscar Wilde ’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) examines themes of aestheticism, morality, and vanity in a Gothic narrative where the protagonist's portrait ages as his soul corrupts. In Robert Louis Stevenson ’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886), the novella delves into themes of duality, identity, and morality through
8475-619: The effort required to overcome such obstacles, fostering a connection with others who confront similar hardships. This shared understanding may, in turn, contribute to breaking social norms by challenging prevailing expectations and disrupting established power dynamics. Social norms often dictate that success is reserved for those in privileged or dominant positions; however, the underdog narrative challenges this norm by portraying individuals or groups who are perceived as disadvantaged , less powerful, or less likely to succeed. One could argue that individuals or groups perceived as underdogs may face
8588-403: The experimenter's requirements, that demand characteristics can change participant's behaviour to appear more socially or morally responsible. Demand characteristics cannot be eliminated from experiments, but demand characteristics can be studied to see their effect on such experiments. Common demand characteristics include: Weber and Cook have described some demand characteristics as involving
8701-464: The experimenter. Pioneering research was conducted on demand characteristics by Martin Orne . A possible cause for demand characteristics is participants' expectations that they will somehow be evaluated, leading them to figure out a way to 'beat' the experiment to attain good scores in the alleged evaluation. Rather than giving an honest answer, participants may change some or all of their answers to match
8814-438: The fairy tale, it was the carriage that turned into a pumpkin at midnight, not Cinderella herself. Another popular term is "strike midnight", when a Cinderella team does finally get beaten. Prior to the widespread use of Cinderella in this way, the more common term for unexpected and dramatic success was Miracle , as in the "Miracle Braves " of 1914 , the " Miracle on Grass " in 1950, the " Miracle of Coogan's Bluff " in 1951,
8927-605: The festive song " Walking in the Air ") is annually screened at Christmas. Shown on the BBC, the UK holds two high-profile charity telethon events, Children in Need , held annually in November, and Comic Relief , which alternates with Sports Relief , every March. The 2011 edition of Comic Relief saw the first appearance of James Corden 's Carpool Karaoke sketch when he drove around London singing songs with George Michael . British programmes dominate
9040-550: The first Black British and British Asian films respectively. 1981's Chariots of Fire and 1982's Gandhi both won the Best Picture Oscar, the latter winning eight awards, prompting a resurgence in period films. 1982 also saw the creation of Channel 4 , which had a remit to promote films for minority audiences. Films with racial and LGBT themes were produced, while Channel 4's involvement saw television stars move into feature films. American investment again increased in
9153-488: The first films in the James Bond franchise; and films based on ' swinging London ' scene. The 1970s saw a withdrawal of American support and a retrenchment in British cinema, though the decade did see culturally important productions such as the horror The Wicker Man and Monty Python 's comedic films. The decade also saw the Commonwealth influence British film, as Pressure and A Private Enterprise are considered
9266-510: The first historical novel, vividly recreates the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, cementing Scott's place as a major figure in British literature. William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1794) blends art and poetry to explore themes of innocence, experience, and societal corruption, providing a unique vision of the Romantic spirit. Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Prometheus Unbound (1820),
9379-584: The individual cultures of England , Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland , and the impact of the British Empire . The culture of the United Kingdom may also colloquially be referred to as British culture. Although British culture is a distinct entity, the individual cultures of England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are diverse. There have been varying degrees of overlap and distinctiveness between these four cultures. British literature
9492-623: The intricate relationship between these psychological constructs. While the assumption is that both forces operate in the same direction, they may represent interchangeable phenomena rather than distinct processes. Attempts to disentangle them may have inadvertently created a byproduct , complicating rather than clarifying their distinction. This suggests that the emotions associated with supporting underdogs and experiencing schadenfreude may be more intertwined than previously recognized, posing difficulties for researchers seeking to isolate and comprehend each theory independently. Further investigation into
9605-491: The leading candidate, influences shifts in support towards the underdog during electoral contests. Both underdog support and Schadenfreude are influenced by perceptions of deserving and fairness within competitive contexts. The interplay between these two phenomena sheds light on the complex motivations underlying individuals' reactions to competitive situations, where notions of justice, fairness, and deserving play crucial roles in shaping emotional responses. Studies supporting
9718-774: The leading figure of the satire boom, Peter Cook was ranked number one in the Comedians' Comedian poll. The puppet show Spitting Image was a satire of the royal family , politics, entertainment, sport and British culture of the 1980s up to the mid-1990s. Have I Got News for You and Mock the Week are the two longest running satirical panel shows. Satire also features heavily in the Grand Theft Auto video game series which has been ranked among Britain's most successful exports. The slapstick and double entendre of Benny Hill also achieved very high ratings on British television, as did
9831-576: The list of TV's most watched shows in the UK, with the kitchen sink dramas , ITV's Coronation Street and BBC's EastEnders , both often ranking high on the ratings list compiled by BARB . The major soap operas each feature a pub , and these pubs have become household names throughout the UK. The Rovers Return is the pub in Coronation Street , the Queen Vic (short for the Queen Victoria )
9944-574: The mainstream. British soul saw a rise that continued into the 2000s, including the global success of Adele . Dance music also saw innovation, with genres such as dubstep and new rave emerging. In contrast to the comparatively homogeneous classical and pop genres, each nation of the UK has retained a distinct tradition of folk music. The traditional folk music of England has contributed to several genres, such as sea shanties , jigs , hornpipes and dance music . It has its own distinct variations and regional peculiarities, while musical Morris dancing
10057-671: The medium of Welsh or study it as an additional language until age 16, and the Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Government of Wales Act 1998 provide that the Welsh and English languages should be treated equally in the public sector, so far as is reasonable and practicable. Irish and Ulster Scots enjoy limited use alongside English in Northern Ireland, mainly in publicly commissioned translations. The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act , passed by
10170-473: The migrations of Germanic tribes, such as the Anglo-Saxons , further influenced Britain's cultural landscape. The ancient Roman occupation of Britain , lasting almost 400 years, also impacted the linguistic and cultural identity of Great Britain. Following the expansion of the British Empire, England, Scotland and Wales absorbed different peoples from around the world, and, post-World War II, Britain developed
10283-536: The physical humour of Mr. Bean . Popular comedy duos in television include The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise , with both shows featuring memorable sketches. Jeeves and Wooster starred Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster , an airy, nonchalant, gormless, idle young gentleman and Stephen Fry as Jeeves , his calm, well-informed, and talented valet . Created by and starring Rik Mayall as Richie and Adrian Edmondson as Eddie, Bottom features two crude, perverted flatmates with no jobs and little money, which
10396-505: The predominantly religious poems of Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Christina Rossetti . George Eliot ’s Middlemarch (1871–1872), often regarded as one of the greatest English novels, explores themes of politics, marriage, and ambition in the setting of a provincial English town. Elizabeth Gaskell ’s North and South (1854–1855) contrasts the industrial north with the agricultural south, addressing issues such as class conflict, industrialization, and gender roles. Thomas Hardy ’s Tess of
10509-493: The prologue to John Vanbrugh ’s The Mistake. Steele's major breakthrough came in 1709 with the creation of The Tatler , a tri-weekly periodical in which he wrote the majority of the essays under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff , aiming to expose societal vices and promote simplicity. Despite its success, The Tatler was shut down in 1711 due to political pressure, prompting Steele and Addison to co-found The Spectator in 1711 and The Guardian in 1713, solidifying Steele's role as
10622-524: The publishing of these books, he gained literary fame and formed lifelong friendships with Alexander Pope, John Gay , and John Arbuthnot , who, with Swift, created the Martinus Scriblerus Club in 1713. Other novels made at this time are: Tom Jones (1749), by Henry Fielding ; Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740), by Samuel Richardson ; Laurence Sterne – The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman (1759–1767). Pamela or Virtue Rewarded,
10735-534: The rise of Alfred Hitchcock , who soon moved to the US and become one of the twentieth century's most influential directors. During World War II the Crown Film Unit established a reputation for documentaries, while Powell and Pressburger began their influential and innovative collaboration. The post-war period was a particular high point for British filmmaking, producing The Third Man and Brief Encounter , which
10848-571: The role they play in language development. Richard Steele , another famous author known for comedies and pamphlets during the Augustan Period, began his literary career with The Christian Hero (1701), a moral pamphlet that was criticized due to his personal lifestyle, followed by the successful comedy The Funeral later that year. In 1703, he wrote The Lying Lover , an early sentimental comedy that failed on stage. In 1705, he collaborated with Joseph Addison on The Tender Husband and contributed
10961-483: The same film. Comedian Marty Feldman co-created the acclaimed BBC Radio comedy programme Round the Horne in 1965. The long running radio comedy Just a Minute first aired on BBC Radio 4 in 1967. Panellists must talk for sixty seconds on a given subject, "without hesitation, repetition or deviation". Guests over the years have included Stephen Fry , Eddie Izzard and Sue Perkins . First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978,
11074-449: The science fiction comedy radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was innovative in its use of music and sound effects. The BBC, as a public service broadcaster , also runs minority stations such as BBC Asian Network , BBC Radio 1Xtra and BBC Radio 6 Music , and local stations throughout the country. Rock music station Absolute Radio , and sports station Talksport , are among
11187-460: The seventeenth-century broadside ballad , and also encompasses brass band music and music hall . Popular music in the modern sense began to emerge in the 1950s, as the American styles of jazz and rock and roll became popular. The skiffle revival was an early attempt to create a British form of American music, but it was the emergence of British rock and roll by the early 1960s that established
11300-421: The sordid lives of criminals and exposes the cruel treatment of the many orphans in London . Another novel by Charles Dickens, Great Expectations (1861), is a bildungsroman that follows the life of Pip , an orphan navigating ambition, love, and personal growth while critiquing social mobility and class divisions. Charlotte Brontë ’s Jane Eyre (1847) blends Gothic romance with social commentary, focusing on
11413-469: The split personality of its protagonist. Arthur Conan Doyle ’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892), a group of short stories, which popularised the detective genre and introduced one of literature's most iconic characters: Sherlock Holmes. Rudyard Kipling 's literature exemplifies the British Empire ’s influence on British literature through his works that often reflect the ethos of imperialism and colonialism . His novels The Jungle Book , which
11526-454: The terms Cinderella, "Cinderella story", and Cinderella team are used to refer to situations in which competitors achieve far greater success than would reasonably have been best expected. Cinderella stories tend to gain much media and fan attention as they move closer to the tournament final game. The term comes from the well-known European folk tale of Cinderella , which embodies a myth-element of unjust oppression and triumphant reward, when
11639-508: The title character's life of poverty is suddenly changed to one of remarkable fortune. In a sporting context the term has been used at least since 1939, but came into widespread usage in 1950, when the Disney movie was released that year, and in reference to City College of New York , the unexpected winners of the NCAA Men's Basketball championship also that year. The term was used by Bill Murray in
11752-477: The underdog but instead created a negative reaction towards the dominant candidate. This negative reaction could be indicative of a form of schadenfreude, where individuals derive satisfaction from seeing the dominant figure falter. When participants were shown the leading contender in the polls, they tended to move away from supporting them, possibly due to a subconscious pleasure in witnessing their potential downfall. However, when presented with information indicating
11865-485: The underdog effect often face challenges in accurately assessing its implications. Despite efforts to create realistic scenarios, limitations persist in capturing the emotional nuances and social dynamics present in real-life situations where underdog support is observed. For instance, Stephen Ceci and Edwards Kain's (1982) study may be susceptible to demand characteristics or social desirability bias , potentially influencing participants' responses. Such biases could affect
11978-857: The underdog gives us a sense of agency and empowerment as we align ourselves with those fighting against the odds. It reinforces the belief that individuals can overcome adversity and effect positive change, promoting a sense of hope and optimism for social justice efforts. Humans naturally support social justice, as seen in a study publicised by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . This study examined how individuals and groups manage shared resources. The results revealed differences in resource allocation and outcomes based on group size. These findings shed light on our innate preference to fairness and equality, as how individuals and groups allocate and utilise these resources reflects principles of fairness and equality. Austrian psychologist Fritz Heider argues that
12091-463: The work, although he had claimed he could finish it in three. A warm reception greeted Johnson's Dictionary as it was the first dictionary that could be read with pleasure. The definitions full of wit and depth of thought supported by passages from beloved poets and philosophers, meant a reader could be content spending an evening poring over its pages. Johnson's choice of structure and format has certainly shaped future English dictionaries and lexicons and
12204-441: The world's oldest universities, has made many contributions to philosophy , science , technology and medicine , and is the birthplace of many prominent scientists and inventions . The Industrial Revolution began in the UK and had a profound effect on socio-economic and cultural conditions around the world. British culture has been influenced by historical and modern migration, the historical invasions of Great Britain, and
12317-467: Was a strong supporter of the German Felix Mendelssohn , an early Romantic composer who also strongly influenced British music. In Ireland, John Field invented the nocturne and may have been an influence on Chopin and Liszt. A notable development of the mid- to late-nineteenth century was the resurgence of English-language opera and the establishment of several prominent orchestras, including
12430-482: Was first broadcast on Channel 4 in 1993. Broadcast from 1951 to 1960, radio comedy The Goon Show , starring Peter Sellers , Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe , mixed ludicrous plots with surreal humour, puns, catchphrases and an array of bizarre sound effects. The show has exerted considerable influence on British comedy and culture. As a film star Sellers in particular became influential to film actors by using different accents and guises and assuming multiple roles in
12543-403: Was set up in 2006. British Baroque music was heavily influenced by continental fashions. This is exemplified by George Frideric Handel , a German-born naturalised British citizen whose choral music set British taste for the next two centuries. His operas also helped Britain challenge Italy as a centre of operatic production. Classical music attracted much attention from 1784 with the formation of
12656-466: Was shot in 1895. The world's first colour motion picture was shot by Edward Raymond Turner in 1902. British film production suffered in the 1920s in face of competition from American imports and a legal requirement for cinemas to show a set quota of British films, which encouraged poor-quality, low-cost productions to meet this demand. This had changed by the 1940s, when the government encouraged fewer, higher-quality films to be made . This era also saw
12769-508: Was the first dictionary of its kind, containing 40,000 words and nearly 114,000 quotes packed together with Johnson's personal touch. It is among the most influential dictionaries , or among most authoritative, in the history of the English language and considered to be a monumental achievement in lexicography . A group of London booksellers contracted Johnson to write a dictionary for the sum of 1,500 guineas (£1,575), equivalent to about £310,000 in 2024. Johnson took seven years to complete
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