TEMPE, Ariz., June 2 (UPI) -- Office pools for a basketball tournament or the movie Oscars increase office stress, researchers at Arizona State University said.
Study authors Naomi Mandel and Stephen M. Nowlis said the study was inspired by participating in an office pool related to the CBS television show "Survivor." They noticed officemates' increased stress after locking in predictions about the show.
The researchers designed a series of experiments to predict or not predict the outcome of game shows and marble games.
The study, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, found among those who made predictions, participants who were correct enjoyed the event no more than those who were incorrect.
"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," the authors said in a statement. "In other words, the fear of losing -- known as 'anticipated regret' -- may actually feel worse than losing itself. Peoples' worry about losing the bet tends to spoil the event for them."
