Settling For Silver: Why Second Place Is Worse Than Third

Settling For Silver: Why Second Place Is Worse Than Third
U.S. silver medallist gymnast McKayla Maroney gestures during the podium ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women's vault finals at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
U.S. silver medallist gymnast McKayla Maroney gestures during the podium ceremony for the artistic gymnastics women's vault finals at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

"Bronze medalists are one step away from not getting anything," says Thomas Gilovich, who conducted a study of winning Olympic athletes in 1995. "But the silver medalist is one step away from something that's very different -- the winner, the thing that gets you on the Wheaties box."

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