Part 2: What is Competition?

• Competition General Definition

  • Striving towards a goal or standard  [similar to general definition of motivation]
  • Not very helpful, doesn’t differentiate competition & motivation
• Reward Definition of Competition 

  • Competition is a situation where rewards are distributed unequally among participants on the basis of performance (Deutsch, 1949)
• Reward Definition of Competition 

  •  "Competition is a situation where rewards are distributed unequally among participants on the basis of performance." (Deutsch, 1949)
  • Bw/ winners & losers
  • Not true in sport in: when have a draw
  • Still doesn’t explain how people may perceive those rewards 
  • May have got something out of it, eg only lost by 1 against a really good team
• Social Evaluation Definition of Competition 

  • Competition is a situation in which a comparison of an individual's performance is made with some standard, in the presence of others who are aware of the criteria for comparison, & can evaluate the comparison process (Martens, 1975, 1976)
• Social Evaluation Definition of Competition 

  • "Competition is a situation in which a comparison of an individual's performance is made with some standard, in the presence of others who are aware of the criteria for comparison, & can evaluate the comparison process." (Martens, 1975, 1976)
  • In presence of others judging you 
  • Know before participate that someone will be judging you 
  • Can cause you to think differently before & during the sport
• Key Points on Competition

  • Comparison with a standard
  • Presence (or implied presence) of knowledgeable others who can evaluate (ie., judge) the comparison process
  • Does NOT include competing against yourself (it is a social evaluation definition)
• Key Points on Competition

  • Comparison with a standard
  • Why sport has rules, measurements so can measure if is a good or poor performance 
  • Does NOT include competing against yourself (it is a social evaluation definition)
• Key Points on Competition

  • Presence (or implied presence) of knowledgeable others who can evaluate (ie., judge) the comparison process
  • Evaluation & judgement is a potential threat to self-esteem  →  stress/anxiety
  • Person doesn’t need to be physically present to be influencing your thoughts (still competing against them - is competition)
  • You care about what others think about your performance 
• Competitiveness Personality 

  • Competitiveness as a PERSONALITY Variable (ie Motive to Approach Success = MS)
  • Want to be competitive & be successful 
  • Take pride out of it
  • Some just want to perform
• Competition 

  • [Competition Worksheet]
  • Potential positives & negatives of competition 
  •  Part of competing is dealing with failure 
  • Take risk to compete 
  • Is a card game is a sport
  • Important as if is named sport can get funding