A recent article presents a narrative review that highlights the important similarities and differences between nonhuman species and humans to explore the reasons and outcomes of winner and loser effects among people.
Research indicates that in various animal species, those who win a fight are more likely to continue winning, whereas those who lose are likely to face further defeats. In studies involving male stickleback fish, 65% of the winners were able to secure victory in their next match, while all the losers lost their subsequent contest.
The effects of winning and losing can significantly impact individual behavior and overall fitness, observed not just in animals but also in humans. In the study titled “Winner and Loser Effects and Social Rank in Humans,” recently featured in The Quarterly Review of Biology, researchers Noah M. T. Smith and Reuven Dukas explore the similarities and differences between animal behavior and human behavior regarding these effects.
The authors delve into how winner and loser effects are relevant in nonhuman species, such as chimpanzees and fruit flies, and discuss other factors that influence social status among both nonhuman animals and humans. The interaction between social rank and these effects can lead to changes in cognition and behavior across various situations.
They then consider the potential impact of these winner and loser effects on social dynamics. Both in nonhuman animals and humans, these effects may influence how individuals conduct themselves based on their perceived social ranking, with winners exhibiting confident behaviors and losers appearing more submissive. In nonhuman species, physical strength is usually what determines social rank, while in adult humans, factors like social norms, physical appeal, proficiency in complex tasks, and social skills play a more significant role in establishing social status.
Recent research has investigated the implications of winner and loser effects in sports settings. Smith and Dukas examined these effects through first-person shooter video games and a reading comprehension task. Participants who randomly won in the video game showed better performance in subsequent tasks compared to those who lost in the first round, and those with higher initial scores in the games achieved better reading comprehension results subsequently than those with lower scores.
The authors emphasize that “our experimental protocol, which included the random assignment of participants to either winner or loser categories, is essential to eliminate selection bias—where superior performers might win against weaker opponents in successive challenges.”
Future research can further illuminate how and why winner and loser effects influence human cognition, emotions, and behaviors. These findings could have significant implications in various fields, such as the effects of “red shirting” (the practice of delaying a child’s school enrollment), issues related to winner and loser effects in finance and gambling, and how emotions fluctuate with victories and defeats.
