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Office Pools & Unhappiness at WorkHow Betting on Games on the Job Increases Anxiety & Worry
Betting in NHL hockey pools or on Survivor at work, or guessing a coworker's baby's birth weight could increase your stress level & decrease your happiness at work.
If you wager that participating in the office pool – whether it’s a NHL hockey pool or guessing a coworker’s baby’s weight – increases happiness, you may quickly lose that bet. New psychological research from The Journal of Consumer Research in June, 2008 revealed that betting on the outcomes of hockey pools, football games, or prediction contents reduces viewing pleasure and decreases happiness at work. That is, gambling on the outcomes of TV shows or contests at work can trigger unhappy employees. How Office Pools Increase Unhappiness at WorkThe idea to study how office pools decrease happiness at work came from the researchers’ own experience. Study authors Naomi Mandel and Stephen M. Nowlis from Arizona State University participated in an office pool related to the CBS television show “Survivor.” Mandel and Nowlis noticed that their coworkers’ stress level increased after they locked in predictions or bets about the show. These researchers designed a series of experiments that involved the prediction of game shows and marble games. Mandel and Nowlis found that participants may expect bets to enhance their enjoyment of the show or game – but the opposite is true. “Nobody likes to be wrong. Once a person has committed to a predicted outcome, he’s set himself up for the possibility of looking like a fool,” say the authors. “In other words, the fear of losing [known as] ‘anticipated regret’ may actually feel worse than losing itself.” This psychological research reveals that participants who win office pools don’t enjoy the show any more than those who lose the bets. The stress and anxiety of losing decreases the pleasure of viewing the hockey game or tv show. Betting on games at work – such as NHL office pools or a coworker’s baby’s weight or date of birth – is becoming more popular. Luckily, there are ways to participate in a “prediction contest” and stay happy. How to Participate in Office Pools & Stay Happy“In a wide range of studies, people have been shown to be poor predictors of their own enjoyment and happiness,” write Mandel and Nowlis. “Our results imply that a consumer playing roulette might actually enjoy that gamble more if the ‘house’ rather than the consumer chooses the number to be played.” If you’re compelled to bet on games at work or participate in an office pool, consider this psychological research and make a random bet. Then your viewing pleasure won’t be tainted by the worry of looking foolish – and who knows….you may be luckier than you think! If you found Office Pools Increase Unhappiness interesting, you might try: Source: The University of Chicago press release. May 27, 2008.
The copyright of the article Office Pools & Unhappiness at Work in Psychology is owned by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen. Permission to republish Office Pools & Unhappiness at Work in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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