COMPETITION BASICSCOMPETITION BASICS

Damon Burton & Bernie HollidayDamon Burton & Bernie Holliday

Vandal Sport Psychology Vandal Sport Psychology ServicesServices

University of IdahoUniversity of Idaho

COMPOSE QUICK ANSWERS TO THESE 2

QUESTIONSWhat is your personal definition of competition? What does COMPETITION mean to you?

WHAT IS COMPETITION?

Rewards are often a central component of many personal definitions of competition.

Most of us assume that sport creates winners and losers and winners get more perks or rewards than do losers.

REWARD-BASED REWARD-BASED DEFINITIONS DEFINITIONS

CompetitionCompetition – – A situation in which A situation in which rewards are distributed unequally rewards are distributed unequally on the basis of performance by on the basis of performance by the performersthe performersCooperationCooperation – – A social process A social process through which performance is through which performance is evaluated and rewarded in terms evaluated and rewarded in terms of the collective achievements of of the collective achievements of a group of people working a group of people working together to reach a particular goaltogether to reach a particular goal

REWARD-DEFINITION REWARD-DEFINITION COMPETITION QUIZ COMPETITION QUIZ

DIRECTIONS – Which of these situations is DIRECTIONS – Which of these situations is ‘competition’ according to the Reward ‘competition’ according to the Reward Definition? Definition? 1.1. Participating in a PSYCH 100 experiment and told to Participating in a PSYCH 100 experiment and told to

“perform their best.”“perform their best.”2.2. Same experiment but you get $10 if you perform to Same experiment but you get $10 if you perform to

some level.some level.3.3. Playing football in the park on Sunday afternoon Playing football in the park on Sunday afternoon

with friends.with friends.4.4. Football game ends in a tie.Football game ends in a tie.5.5. You’re alone in your living room trying to make 7 out You’re alone in your living room trying to make 7 out

of 10 putts from 10 feet . of 10 putts from 10 feet . 6.6. During your daily 5 mile run on your regular course During your daily 5 mile run on your regular course

with 3 friends, nobody says anything, but each picks with 3 friends, nobody says anything, but each picks up the pace the last 200 meters trying to finish first.up the pace the last 200 meters trying to finish first.

PROBLEMS WITH THEPROBLEMS WITH THE‘REWARD DEFINITION’‘REWARD DEFINITION’

Competition Competition – – A situation in which A situation in which rewards are distributed unequally on rewards are distributed unequally on the basis of performance by the the basis of performance by the participantsparticipants For every winner, there has to be For every winner, there has to be

one or more losers!one or more losers!Does not account for differences in Does not account for differences in individual reactions to competitionindividual reactions to competitionAssumes the “reward” to be the same Assumes the “reward” to be the same for every competitorfor every competitor intrinsic versus extrinsic rewardsintrinsic versus extrinsic rewards

MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE

‘REWARD DEFINITION’‘REWARD DEFINITION’differences between differences between competition and competition and cooperation are cooperation are emphasized rather emphasized rather than their than their similaritiessimilaritiesYou have to You have to

cooperate in order cooperate in order to compete…to compete…

COMPETITION AS A COMPETITION AS A PROCESS…PROCESS…

Martens’ Process ModelMartens’ Process Modelfour-stages to the four-stages to the

competitive processcompetitive processexplains why people respond explains why people respond

differently to competitiondifferently to competitionsocial comparison processsocial comparison process

STAGE #1: OBJECTIVE STAGE #1: OBJECTIVE COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE

SITUATIONSITUATIONFour objective criteria that must be Four objective criteria that must be present in order to conclude that present in order to conclude that competition is occurring…competition is occurring…

1.1. A standard of comparison is identified for the team or A standard of comparison is identified for the team or individualindividual

2.2. Another person is presentAnother person is present

3.3. This person knows the standardThis person knows the standard

4.4. This person evaluates whether the standard has been This person evaluates whether the standard has been obtainedobtained

What are the advantages/disadvantages of What are the advantages/disadvantages of the OCS?the OCS?

STAGE #2: SUBJECTIVE STAGE #2: SUBJECTIVE COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVE

SITUATIONSITUATIONHow an athlete perceives, How an athlete perceives, accepts, and appraises the accepts, and appraises the O.C.S.O.C.S. S.C.S. is affected by personality S.C.S. is affected by personality

traits, perceived importance of traits, perceived importance of competition, perception of the competition, perception of the comparison standard, and comparison standard, and perceived response capabilitiesperceived response capabilities

As a result, athletes seek out As a result, athletes seek out competition, enter it competition, enter it reluctantly, or attempt to avoid reluctantly, or attempt to avoid itit

STAGE #3: RESPONSESTAGE #3: RESPONSE

After the appraisal of After the appraisal of the O.C.S., athletes the O.C.S., athletes experience positive experience positive and negative and negative adaptations, adaptations, preparing them for preparing them for competition…competition… physiologicallyphysiologically psychologicallypsychologically behaviorallybehaviorally

STAGE #4: STAGE #4: CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES

Athletes’ perception of consequence Athletes’ perception of consequence (e.g., success or failure) is more (e.g., success or failure) is more important than the actual outcomeimportant than the actual outcome Athletes perceive positive or negative Athletes perceive positive or negative

consequences as a result of consequences as a result of participatingparticipating

These consequences impact… These consequences impact… short- and long-term emotionsshort- and long-term emotions perceptions of competenceperceptions of competence future decisions to competefuture decisions to compete

PROBLEMS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH ASSOCIATED WITH

COMPETITIONCOMPETITION““win-at-all-costswin-at-all-costs” mentality” mentalitypromotes youth sport drop-promotes youth sport drop-outoutreduces motivation for reduces motivation for those that remain involvedthose that remain involvedreduces enjoyment for reduces enjoyment for “unsuccessful” competitors“unsuccessful” competitorsfacilitates a short-term facilitates a short-term focus onlyfocus only

COMPETITION VERSUS COMPETITION VERSUS COOPERATION: WHAT COOPERATION: WHAT THE RESEARCH TELLS THE RESEARCH TELLS

USUSCooperative activities produce Cooperative activities produce more open communication, more open communication, sharing, trust, friendship, and sharing, trust, friendship, and enhanced performance enhanced performance compared with competitive compared with competitive activitiesactivities

COMPETITION VERSUS COMPETITION VERSUS COOPERATION: WHAT COOPERATION: WHAT THE RESEARCH TELLS THE RESEARCH TELLS

USUSJohnson & Johnson’s (1985) review Johnson & Johnson’s (1985) review of 122 studies . . . of 122 studies . . . Cooperation improved performance Cooperation improved performance

more than competition in 65 studies…more than competition in 65 studies…only 8 showed opposite effectsonly 8 showed opposite effects

Cooperation improved performance Cooperation improved performance more than individual efforts in 108 more than individual efforts in 108 studies… only 6 showed opposite effectsstudies… only 6 showed opposite effects

Questionable tasks and contests Questionable tasks and contests howeverhowever

IS COMPETITION A IS COMPETITION A POWERFUL POWERFUL

MOTIVATOR?MOTIVATOR?TYPICALLYTYPICALLY: : Yes, competition Yes, competition enhances motivation. enhances motivation.

WHEN MOST POWERFULWHEN MOST POWERFUL: : Competition provides the Competition provides the greatest motivation when the greatest motivation when the level of challenge is moderately level of challenge is moderately difficult and matches the current difficult and matches the current capabilities of the athletecapabilities of the athlete

MOTIVATION- MOTIVATION- COMPETITIONCOMPETITIONRELATIONSHIPRELATIONSHIP

IS COMPETITION A GOOD IS COMPETITION A GOOD QUALITY CONTROL QUALITY CONTROL

DEVICE?DEVICE?TYPICALLY:TYPICALLY: Competition is an effective Competition is an effective strategy to improve skill.strategy to improve skill.

WHEN BAD:WHEN BAD: Competition can prompt Competition can prompt athletes to sacrifice long-term athletes to sacrifice long-term improvement in order to achieve short-improvement in order to achieve short-term success.term success.

Learning curves are seldom linear, and Learning curves are seldom linear, and athletes seldom are willing to accept athletes seldom are willing to accept the decline in performance learning the decline in performance learning new skills if competition is emphasized.new skills if competition is emphasized.

IDEAL VERSUS ACTUAL IDEAL VERSUS ACTUAL LEARNING CURVELEARNING CURVE

DOES COMPETITION DOES COMPETITION ENHANCE CHARACTER? ENHANCE CHARACTER?

TYPICALLY:TYPICALLY: Competition develops Competition develops positive character positive character traitstraits

TRUTH:TRUTH: Winning can Winning can be a double-edge be a double-edge sword for teaching sword for teaching character character developmentdevelopment

COMPETITION IMPACTS COMPETITION IMPACTS CHARACTER MULTIPLE CHARACTER MULTIPLE

WAYS WAYS If athletes wants to win If athletes wants to win too much, they may lie, too much, they may lie, cheat, or develop bad cheat, or develop bad character traits.character traits.

Athletes who resist Athletes who resist temptation, develop temptation, develop positive character traits positive character traits that last a lifetime. that last a lifetime.

DOES COMPETITION DOES COMPETITION HELP ATHLETES HELP ATHLETES

COOPERATE?COOPERATE?TYPICALLY:TYPICALLY: We live in We live in a highly a highly interdependent and interdependent and cooperative society.cooperative society.We have to cooperate We have to cooperate much more often each much more often each day than compete.day than compete.Competition helps Competition helps athletes develop athletes develop important cooperative important cooperative skills.skills.

What ways do athletes have to cooperate in order to compete?

COOPERATION COOPERATION NECESSARY TO NECESSARY TO

COMPETECOMPETETeamwork is an Teamwork is an important type of important type of within-team within-team cooperation.cooperation.Between-team Between-team cooperation includes . . cooperation includes . . ..

schedulingscheduling rules, and rules, and mutual commitment to mutual commitment to

give their best effort.give their best effort.

ASSOCIATION MODELASSOCIATION MODEL OF COMPETITION OF COMPETITION

CooperativeCooperative

NoncompetitiveNoncompetitive Competitive Competitive

NoncooperativeNoncooperative

cooperative games

frisbee

assembly lines

sport

hermit war without rules

IS COMPETITIONIS COMPETITION GOOD OR BAD? GOOD OR BAD?

Competition is neither Competition is neither good nor bad.good nor bad. It is simply It is simply a neutral process . a neutral process . How competition is How competition is experienced depends on experienced depends on how it is organized and how it is organized and conducted.conducted.Coaches, administrators Coaches, administrators and parents determine and parents determine how competition is how competition is experienced.experienced.