The video begins by discussing the ubiquitous human sentiment of rooting for the underdog in various scenarios such as sports, cinema, and classic narratives.

• The speaker introduces the topic by highlighting how often we experience the feeling of supporting the oppressed or weaker party in our daily lives.
• Examples are given from sports, where people may root for a weaker team in a final if their preferred team is not playing.
• This tendency is also prevalent in stories from Hollywood and literature where characters overcome great odds, such as Harry Potter or the movie 'Moneyball'.
• Religious texts like the Bible, Torah, and Quran also contain stories of underdogs, exemplified by the tale of David and Goliath.

The video transitions to a brief mention of how the work of Evrim Ağacı is supported and a call for viewer support.

• The narrator mentions that the works of Evrim Ağacı are made possible through the support of patrons and YouTube supporters.
• Viewers are encouraged to contribute to Evrim Ağacı in a way that does not financially burden them, with links provided in the fixed comment.

The video delves into psychological theories and research to explain why humans tend to support the underdog.

• The speaker argues that understanding why humans support the underdog is not difficult as most people have experienced disadvantage at some point.
• Empathy plays a role in rooting for the underdog, as seeing them succeed gives hope to individuals who feel oppressed.
• Three main theories stand out: the concept of 'Schadenfreude', justice perception, and the thrill of unexpected victory.
• The video explains how people's attitudes towards the powerful can change depending on certain circumstances, such as when money is involved in maintaining power.

Empirical studies and experiments are cited to illustrate how people's attitudes towards the powerful and the underdog can shift.

• The concept of 'Schadenfreude' is discussed, where people sometimes enjoy seeing a powerful entity fail.
• Studies show that people like to see a challenge to the powerful but do not always wish to see them completely defeated.
• Experiments with animals, like capuchin monkeys, demonstrate that even non-human species have a sense of justice and react negatively to perceived unfairness.

The video examines how personal stakes and perceptions of justice influence whether individuals support the underdog or the favorite.

• When personal stakes are involved, people are more likely to support the powerful to minimize their own risk of loss.
• A study is described where participants initially supported a smaller, struggling firm but shifted their support to a larger, established firm when the issue at stake seemed more significant.
• The video suggests that while people may support the underdog, they can quickly change sides if their own interests are better served by supporting the powerful.