TY - JOUR

T1 - Happiness as a reward for torture: Is participation in a long-distance triathlon a rational choice?

AU - Maxcy, Joel

AU - Wicker, Pamela

AU - Prinz, Joachim

PY - 2019/2/1

Y1 - 2019/2/1

N2 - This study applies prospect theory to an assessment of actual behavior. Loss aversion, reference dependence, and diminishing sensitivity are conceptualized through survey respondents’ perceptions of physical and mental torture during training for and competition in long-distance triathlons. Regression results show that frequent thoughts of giving up during the race negatively affect happiness after the race, while mental torture during training and race is negatively associated with happiness in the weeks after the race. Satisfaction with race outcome positively affects happiness, suggesting that achieving individual goals is more important than absolute performance in terms of finishing times and ranks.

AB - This study applies prospect theory to an assessment of actual behavior. Loss aversion, reference dependence, and diminishing sensitivity are conceptualized through survey respondents’ perceptions of physical and mental torture during training for and competition in long-distance triathlons. Regression results show that frequent thoughts of giving up during the race negatively affect happiness after the race, while mental torture during training and race is negatively associated with happiness in the weeks after the race. Satisfaction with race outcome positively affects happiness, suggesting that achieving individual goals is more important than absolute performance in terms of finishing times and ranks.

KW - Ironman

KW - behavioral economics

KW - extreme sports

KW - prospect theory

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/83bb541d-30a1-3873-9307-1079403718be/

U2 - 10.1177/1527002518758144

DO - 10.1177/1527002518758144

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 20

SP - 177

EP - 197

JO - Journal of Sports Economics

JF - Journal of Sports Economics

SN - 1527-0025

SN - 1552-7794

IS - 2

ER -