I-Kicked-Your-Ass Display Probably Innate

The stereotypical expressions of pride and shame after athletic competition are probably biologically hardwired, say behavioral researchers. Their conclusion, published in the latest issue of PNAS, is based on an assessment of physical displays among sighted, blind, or congenitally blind athletes who just won or lost judo matches at the Olympic or Paralympic Games in 2004.

The investigators found that both sighted and blind athletes from a wide range of cultures consistently showed the prototypical pride display after winning—back head-tilt, smile, arms out or raised, hands in fists, chest expanded, torso pushed out—and shame-consistent behaviors after losing—chest narrowed, shoulders slumped. These data suggest that spontaneous pride and shame behaviors are unlikely to be culturally determined, given their consistent presence in athletes from different nations and in congenitally blind competitors who cannot model their behavior on visual cues.

One curious note, however, is the observation of a weaker shame display among sighted athletes from Western European or North American countries. The authors conjecture that characteristic shame behaviors are suppressed in these individuals "in accordance with cultural norms that stigmatize the display of shame and emphasize asserting oneself and maintaining a high quality of life."

The observed pride display in humans is similar to that of other victorious primates (eg, a chimpanzee who has defeated a rival) and may be evolutionarily advantageous by increasing one's apparent physical size. Conversely a shame display, by conveying the acceptance of another's superiority, averts energy-consuming and potentially injurious conflict.

For numerous examples of the universal pride display, just visit the NYT's Winner's Spotlight for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

HT: NPR

Photo of Man Zhong winning the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics: Daniel Dal Zennaro/European Pressphoto Agency.