Given the option between finishing third or second before a major tournament, would you opt for second place?
Most likely, but a study from the mid-1990s that analyzed athletes’ emotional expressions at the Barcelona Olympics found that bronze medalists displayed more positive emotions compared to silver medalists (Gold medalists were the happiest).
The prevailing theory is that silver medalists engage in a type of “counterfactual thinking” – they regret not achieving something they could have if they had pushed a bit harder.
On the other hand, athletes who came in third were relieved to have won a medal as they compared themselves to those below them. Subsequent research at the 2012 London Olympics seemed to confirm this idea. The better they performed, the happier gold and bronze medalists appeared, while silver medalists seemed to be more regretful about not winning.
Conversely, a study of athletes at the Rio Olympics found that there was little difference in happiness expressions between silver and bronze medalists. However, post-competition interviews revealed that finishing in second place can be disheartening as silver medalists often speak about what could have been.
So, if you find yourself in second place feeling miserable, take a cue from bronze medalists and appreciate your accomplishments.
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Source: www.sciencefocus.com
