Thus, we generally find that when one is seeking profits, he or she wants those profits for him or her self. When one anticipates a loss, however, he or she will want others to share the loss with him (and thus minimize the loss to themselves).

In this way, if profits are anticipated, we can expect that the individual will act individualistically. He or she will be willing to stand alone so that he or she can have the benefit of their gains without having to share them with others.

Conversely, if a loss is anticipated, we can expect the individual to act collectively, so as to minimize the share of the loss to themselves individually, as well as to be comforted by knowing that others are "in the same boat".

So, while it could be true that to minimize a loss is to maximize a gain, the kind of behavior exhibited can vary profoundly, depending on the views of the person who is acting.

The Desire For Approval

It is within the desire for the approval of others that we find one of the fundamental disciplinary desires acting in all men and women.

Although many of us pride ourselves on being "ruggedly individualistic" in our views, the fact is that each of us is profoundly concerned with the opinions that others have around us.