ABSTRACT
People are highly sensitive to changing fortunes. We monitor our own changing fortunes, of course, but we also show great sensitivity to the shifting fortunes of others. We want to know who’s doing better and who’s doing worse than they were before. Is my favorite athlete or sports team having a good year? Is China’s economy still growing rapidly? Are public schools in decline? Did my neighbor buy a new car? This sensitivity to changing fortunes is the foundation of our perceptions of Trending Heroes.
