TY - JOUR
T1 - The effects of competition outcomes on health
T2 - Evidence from the lifespans of U.S. Olympic medalists
AU - Kalwij, Adriaan
PY - 2018/9/1
Y1 - 2018/9/1
N2 - This paper investigates the effects of competition outcomes on health by using U.S. Olympic medalists' lifespans and medal colors as a natural experiment. Whereas the life expectancies of gold and bronze medalists do not differ significantly, life expectancy of silver medalists is about 2.4 and 3.9 years less than these former, respectively. These findings are readily explainable by insights from behavioral economics, psychology, and human biology, which suggest that (perceived) dissatisfactory competition outcomes may adversely affect health. Competition outcomes that affect socioeconomic status (SES) could, therefore, play an important causal role in the positive SES-health gradient among the general population.
AB - This paper investigates the effects of competition outcomes on health by using U.S. Olympic medalists' lifespans and medal colors as a natural experiment. Whereas the life expectancies of gold and bronze medalists do not differ significantly, life expectancy of silver medalists is about 2.4 and 3.9 years less than these former, respectively. These findings are readily explainable by insights from behavioral economics, psychology, and human biology, which suggest that (perceived) dissatisfactory competition outcomes may adversely affect health. Competition outcomes that affect socioeconomic status (SES) could, therefore, play an important causal role in the positive SES-health gradient among the general population.
KW - Duration analysis
KW - Health
KW - Inequality
KW - Mortality
KW - Socioeconomic status
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85056552444&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.10.001
DO - 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.10.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 30447409
AN - SCOPUS:85056552444
SN - 1570-677X
VL - 31
SP - 276
EP - 286
JO - Economics and Human Biology
JF - Economics and Human Biology
ER -
