The Competitive Advantage

Wives, girlfriends, sisters and mothers of sons all know: Men like to win.

According to research conducted by scientists in Bonn, getting more than the other guy makes a man feel much better than just getting what he deserves.

While women are notorious for comparing things like breast and waist size, a man’s pay check apparently makes him feel like a stud -- if it’s bigger than his co-workers’.

Needless to say, the competition instinct goes way back to primeval times, said researchers. Of course, in those days, killing the biggest mammoth on a hunting expedition meant a survival guarantee for at least several weeks -- not to mention the respect of the clan.

Apparently, success is relative

The part of a man’s brain that is activated when he is rewarded, producing a positive feeling, also comes into play when he bites into a juicy steak (or other tasty treat), has sex or reaches a sought-after goal.

If he is favored unfairly, the reward center in his brain is activated even more strongly. The new research revealed that money plays a key role in stimulating the male brain.

In the study, pairs of male volunteers underwent simultaneous brain scans while estimated the number of dots on a computer screen. If they answered correctly, they were rewarded with between $50 and $150 (34 - 102 euros).

The 38 participants were told how their partners had performed and how much they were paid. When the volunteers earned money, brain activity and blood flow in the brain increased, but rose even more when a player won more than his partner.

A wrong answer -- and no payment -- resulted in a reduction in blood flow.

When both players got the right answer, unequal levels of brain activity were measured. The volunteer paid the higher sum showed a surge, while activity in his partner dropped, despite having given the correct answer.

“This result clearly contradicts traditional economic theory,” said Armin Falk from the University of Bonn, where the study was conducted. “The theory assumes that the only important factor is the absolute size of the reward. The comparison with other people’s rewards shouldn’t really play any role in economic motivation.”

Coming soon: Study on women

Before women start gloating over the assumption that they are instinctively fairer and more generous than men, they should keep in mind that the study has not yet been conducted on females.

Researchers plan to test women soon, as well as Asian subjects, to see whether competitive thinking is influenced by culture.