The Psychology of Competition

A lot has been written on the psychological aspects of competition and our need to survive and excel beyond our own set limits. Competition is also about power, about using our energies in a constructive manner so that certain goals are easily achieved. However unlike power which can have wider and political motives, competition is more appropriate for every aspect of our daily life. Power is more of an internal and deeper state of mind and competition is an act or motivation towards achieving a particular goal.

The Biological Explanation of Competition

The biological explanation of competition could be explained with evolutionary or even endocrinal perspectives as certain hormones in our body could make us more active and competitive. Competition could be explained with the theory of evolution and a phrase largely used to explain Darwin - the survival of the fittest. Darwin's theory means that the species that are able to adapt to their own natural environment are successful because they have the inherent ability to survive. Thus competition is about adapting, mastering and as a result surviving in the environment around us. Whether it is work, play or study, competition is about mastery and the desire to even impose this mastery on the environment.

The Psychoanalytic Explanation of Competition

Competition could be explained with the theory of sexuality in which Freud identifies sexual needs and basic sexual or libidinal urges as responsible for our need to achieve and prove ourselves. Sexual energy drives and motivates people to achieve the goals in life and competition could well be explained with these libidinal energies that continually motivate people to excel or achieve their life goals. However according to the Freudian theory there has to be a certain balance of the id and ego guided by pleasure principles and reality for better achievement of one's goals.

The Cultural Explanation of Competition

The anthropological or cultural theory of competition suggests that competition may or may not be acceptable within certain cultures. Some primitive cultures valued cooperation as we have learnt in case of group behavior in primitive societies, where hunting and such activities were done in groups. However competition has been found in inter-group or even inter-racial struggles as could be seen from numerous examples in history. Anthropologist Margaret Mead (1937), discussed cooperation and competition among primitive peoples and examined competition in terms of culture or that competition may or may not be appreciated by a particular culture and culture could be defined in terms of how society accepts it.

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