Competition's Role in Developing Psychological Strength and Outstanding Performance

Abstract

Competition, a topic closely associated with outstanding performance, continues to be a contentious topic ( Bonta, 1997 ; Murayama & Elliot, 2012a , 2012b ), particularly in the realm of education and schooling ( D. W. Johnson & Johnson, 1987 , 2009 ). Is competition a useful or detrimental strategy for promoting outstanding performance? Does competition contribute positively to performance or should it be avoided? In this article, we took on the challenge of exploring the relationship between competition and high performance and making recommendations about how competition can be used in promoting adaptive youth development. We begin by defining competition and outstanding performance. We then discuss competition in the context of the positive psychology movement, followed by brief reviews of literature showcasing how competition is related to enhanced performance in sport, organizational settings, and academic domains. Next, we discuss competition's relationship to creativity. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of this work for practice and research. It is our hope that this work will result in increased attention to high performance psychology as an important focus for scholarship and application in a wide range of arenas, from schools and the workplace to athletic and artistic venues.

A Longitudinal Case Study of Exceptional Leadership Talent

“…J. 's experience is consistent with what Worrell et al (2016) describe as the psychological strength required for outstanding performance in a variety of domains, whether it is optimal performance in the athletic world, striving for kinesthetic perfection in dance, or the passion and determination of researchers to engage in scientific inquiry. Internal motivation is critical to achievement in all domains including the development of leadership talent.…”

“…His early athletic success spread to other areas of his life and he appeared to thrive on reaching a goal in high-pressure situations, whether it was excelling in an algebra course, winning a state soccer championship game, or surviving intense physical training in the military. What is evident in L. J.’s experience is consistent with what Worrell et al (2016) describe as the psychological strength required for outstanding performance in a variety of domains, whether it is optimal performance in the athletic world, striving for kinesthetic perfection in dance, or the passion and determination of researchers to engage in scientific inquiry. Internal motivation is critical to achievement in all domains including the development of leadership talent.…”

Steel sharpens steel: A review of multilevel competition and competitiveness in organizations

“…Even with the prominent role of competition in the human experience, for both good and bad, studies of competition and competitiveness in organizations are relatively rare. In our review of the organizational science and applied psychology journals, we found only a few articles that examined competition within and between people in organizations, although we did find more research in the fields of economics (e.g., Camerer, 2011), psychology (e.g., Worrell et al, 2016), sport psychology (e.g., Gilbertson, 2016), and childhood education (e.g., Nebel, Schneider, & Rey, 2016). Given the importance of competition in organizations, there seems to be remarkably few studies on the effects of competitiveness in the workplace.…”

Competing Conversations: An Examination of Competition as Intrateam Interactions

“…Our research coincides with other studies that have found the positive effects that constructive competition can have on teams. Constructive competition is generally found to increase performance across academic, workplace, and sports settings when competitors have a similar chance of succeeding (Worrell et al, 2016). For example, in a study examining intrateam competition amongst athletes, teams that had coaches who emphasized constructive competition during practices had better performance and greater enjoyment of athletes (Harenberg, 2014).…”