The effect of social organization on children's desire to compete /

• Main Author: Gordon, Alana J.
• Other Authors: Benenson, Joyce (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 1998
• Subjects: Interpersonal relations in children.; Competition (Psychology) in children.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=21214

The present study was designed to examine whether social organization influences children's desire to compete and to achieve valued outcomes in important areas of life. One hundred and fifty-eight participants (71 males and 87 females) from three classes of grade 4 and four classes of grade 6 children participated in this study. Children completed a two-part questionnaire. The first part assessed their desire to play competitive and cooperative versions of an actual game in two types of social organizations, with their one closest friend and with their group of three closest friends. The second part measured children's beliefs about the effect of social organization on the children's achievements in four life domains. For part one, results indicated that children preferred to compete in a group versus a dyad, but the social organization had no effort on the desire to play a cooperative game. For part two, children believed their groups of friends would be happier for them if they were successful in a social situation; however, they believed their one closest friend would be happier for them if they were successful in either an academic or athletic situation. Results are discussed in terms of the educational and therapeutic implications of differing social organizations.