Field Work: Goal Pursuit

Wanna Bet?

People love betting on the World Cup, but making predictions about uncertain events actually reduces enjoyment of them. Forecasting an outcome sets up the possibility of being wrong, so the anticipation of regret hangs over your head as you watch.

Don't Choke!

Some people focus on potential gains in life—they play to win. Others try to prevent negative outcomes—they play to avoid losing. In penalty shootouts, kickers of the first ilk perform better when told to score, while the prevention-focused players are better off when told to avoid missing.

Getting Carded

Soccer players who grew up in countries in the throes of civil conflict are more violent on the playing field, as measured by penalties. Violence seems to become part of the national culture, which soccer players take with them even when they emigrate.

Parent Patrol

Parents who take random events in the world as directed personally at them are the ones most likely to show sideline rage. Perceived slights to their kids trigger ego defensiveness and aggression toward refs and other players.

Are You Blind?!

Soccer referees are perceptually biased toward calling offside offenses. They perceive a moving attacker as being ahead of his actual position because they extrapolate his forward movement. Fortunately, expertise reduces these erroneous calls.

Big Goals

Softball batters on hitting streaks perceive the ball to be larger, and golfers think the hole is bigger when they're close. How easily you can act on the world shapes your perception of it. Presumably, soccer players "in the zone" perceive the goal to be larger, too.