California Election Losers -- Psychology of Defeat.Entertainment Editors/Feature Editors/Business Editors LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 6, 2003 "And the winner is..." is a phrase that will be heard often as the California Governor's race Noun 1. governor's race - a race for election to the governorship campaign for governor campaign, political campaign, run - a race between candidates for elective office; "I managed his campaign for governor"; "he is raising money for a Senate run" results are tallied and the winner is announced. But what about those 135 candidates who lose? What psychological reactions do they experience? What's it like for those people who've invested their hearts, souls and possibly their own money in trying to win the election and fail? In politics, the `F' word is failure, winning is everything, and after the end of a grueling political contest it's normal for the public to dismiss and even denigrate den·i·grate tr.v. den·i·grat·ed, den·i·grat·ing, den·i·grates 1. To attack the character or reputation of; speak ill of; defame. 2. the loser. Few losers suffer more acutely than defeated political candidates. "History is full of stories chronicling the shock, disbelief, depression and anger associated with losing an election," says Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. psychologist Robert R. Butterworth, Ph.D., who gives examples of emotional reactions that we may see in the candidates as they experience defeat. When politicians are defeated they suffer an emotional letdown letdown 1. the sudden flush of milk flow that occurs when the calf begins to suck or when milking commences in a properly prepared cow. Depends for its occurrence on the release of oxytocin from the pituitary gland in response to massage of the teats and udder. similar to the grief and depression that follows the loss of a close friend. Psychological reactions associated with losing: Sad and Depressive de·pres·sive adj. 1. Tending to depress or lower. 2. Depressing; gloomy. 3. Of or relating to psychological depression. n. A person suffering from psychological depression. : Initially the candidate, their family and supporters put on a happy face with teary-eyed thanks as they wish good fortune to the winner. However, as the loss sinks in, the vanquished candidate becomes despondent de·spon·dent adj. Feeling or expressing despondency; dejected. de·spon  dent·ly adv. and unmotivated.
Angry and Resentful re·sent·ful adj. Full of, characterized by, or inclined to feel indignant ill will. re·sent ful·ly adv. : The candidate refuses to accept the loss and
lashes out at opponents, the media, political consultants or anyone else
who they feel may be responsible for their defeat.
Euphoria: It's almost like the losing candidate won! They're so happy to get the contest over that they talk about all the great things that they're about to embark on as a result of their defeat. Denial: Refusing to believe that they've lost the election, they continue to run on their ideas. They don't go through an emotional withdrawal since they never remain out of the public eye. Butterworth advises the losers, "Though they may be feeling like it's the end of the world, winning is not everything and the real measure of someone who's a true winner is not how they handle themselves in victory but how they recover and move forward after defeat." |
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