← all facts
emotion
You are more troubled by almost winning than losing.
Counterfactual thinking explains why a bronze medalist is often happier than a silver medalist.
In a 1995 study of Olympic athletes, those who placed second focused on how close they were to gold, leading to frustration. Bronze medalists focused on the alternative where they missed the podium entirely, which fostered relief and gratitude. You tend to measure success against the nearest possible positive outcome, not the actual result.
The regret of a near miss leaves a deeper mark than a total loss.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Medvec, Madey, and Gilovich, 1995
- What the check found
- The study by Medvec, Madey, and Gilovich (1995) is well-documented in academic literature regarding counterfactual thinking and satisfaction among elite athletes.
- Confidence
- Well replicated
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.