Olympic bronze medalists often express more happiness than silver medal winners.Which of the following is the BEST explanation for this?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This phenomenon can be explained by counterfactual thinking, which is the mental process of imagining alternative outcomes to events that have already occurred. Silver medalists are more likely to engage in upward counterfactual thinking, such as "If only I had done this one thing better, I could have won gold." On the other hand, bronze medalists are more likely to engage in downward counterfactual thinking, such as "If only I had made one mistake, I wouldn't have won a medal at all." This can lead to greater satisfaction and happiness for bronze medalists, as their performance exceeded their expectations.

Olympic Bronze Medalists Often Express More Happiness Than Silver Medal