title: Competition in human groups-Impact on group cohesion, perceived stress and outcome satisfaction.
abstract: This study on competition in human groups was performed within the context of the competitive outcome interdependence concept: the degree to which personal outcomes among group members are affected by the consequences of task performance of others, e.g. when one group member gains a high reward for a task, this lowers the available reward for other group members. Our computer-based multi-participant game empirically assessed how competitive versus neutral conditions influenced the reward-maximising behaviour of 200 undergraduate students functioning in ten-person groups - each playing two games (1 neutral and 1 competitive), their perceived pay satisfaction as well as perceived stress levels and sense of calmness within the games' task to search for coins. Participants were represented by black dots moving on a virtual playground. Results showed that competition led to reward-maximising but fellow group member disadvantaging behaviour, and all participants experienced lower pay satisfaction, higher stress levels and less calmness. We conclude that short-term behavioural consequences of positive individual competitive behaviour were gained at the above-mentioned potential long-term negative costs for all group members. This implies group paradigms aimed at sustainability should avoid introducing competitive factors that at best result in short-lived gains and at worst cause widespread dissatisfaction, stress and a pervasive lack of calmness.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: mboos@uni-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boos
authors.affiliation: Institute for Psychology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Xaver
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Franiel
authors.affiliation: University Medical Centre, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000941:ethics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology; D012201:Reward; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D018910:Video Games
keywords: Calmness; Competition; Group cohesion; Pay satisfaction; Reward-maximising behaviour; Stress