COMPETITIVENESS, COMPETITIVENESS, SCHOOL MOTIVATION AND SCHOOL MOTIVATION AND

SELF-CONCEPT IN SELF-CONCEPT IN DIFFERENT NATIONAL DIFFERENT NATIONAL

SETTINGSSETTINGS

Darja Kobal GrumDarja Kobal GrumDepartment of PsychologyDepartment of Psychology

University of Ljubljana, SloveniaUniversity of Ljubljana, SloveniaE-mail: darja.kobal@ff.uni-lj.siE-mail: darja.kobal@ff.uni-lj.si

Janez KolencJanez KolencEducational Research Institute, SloveniaEducational Research Institute, Slovenia

Why to study the C and SC Why to study the C and SC together?together?

The first part of the answer:The first part of the answer:

If we examine competitiveness (C) If we examine competitiveness (C) in the framework of self-concept in the framework of self-concept (SC), we reveal not only its (SC), we reveal not only its negative but also its positive negative but also its positive aspectsaspects

We presume that C has a We presume that C has a significant significant role inrole in a modela model of SC of SC..

Self-conceptSelf-conceptSC is an organized cognitive set of SC is an organized cognitive set of

traits, opinions, attitudes, notions, traits, opinions, attitudes, notions, beliefs and other mental contents beliefs and other mental contents that that anan individual has about individual has about him/her-selfhim/her-self..

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

C refers to different psychological C refers to different psychological characteristics of an individual characteristics of an individual that are based on or derived from that are based on or derived from the rate of domination of a certain the rate of domination of a certain type of motive in the individual. type of motive in the individual.

Two types of competitivenessTwo types of competitiveness

Ryckman’s postulation ofRyckman’s postulation ofcompetitiveness competitiveness (Ryckman, Libby, van (Ryckman, Libby, van

den Borne, Gold, & Lindner, 1997; Ryckman, den Borne, Gold, & Lindner, 1997; Ryckman, Thornton, & Butler, 1994):Thornton, & Butler, 1994):

hyper-competitiveness (HC)hyper-competitiveness (HC)

personal development personal development competitiveness (PDC).competitiveness (PDC).

Hyper-competitivenessHyper-competitiveness 1 1HC is a motive;HC is a motive;the individual tries to achieve a goal the individual tries to achieve a goal irrespective of the means to be usedirrespective of the means to be usedHe/she primarily takes care of He/she primarily takes care of his/herself and uses on the way his/herself and uses on the way various techniques from manipulation, various techniques from manipulation, aggressiveness to exploitation, etc. aggressiveness to exploitation, etc. A hyper-competitive individual values A hyper-competitive individual values highly achievements, hedonism, highly achievements, hedonism, power, stimulation, and is power, stimulation, and is egocentrically orientedegocentrically oriented

Hyper-competitivenessHyper-competitiveness 2 2

The individual or group aim to The individual or group aim to beat or eliminate the other beat or eliminate the other persons persons They They usually compete also in usually compete also in situations situations that are not of that are not of competitive naturecompetitive nature

Personal development Personal development competitiveness (PDC)competitiveness (PDC) 1 1

PDCPDC is a motive is a motivethe main emphasis is not on the main emphasis is not on winning, but on own personal winning, but on own personal development, which is result of development, which is result of the experience that the individual the experience that the individual has gained in competitive has gained in competitive situationssituations

Personal development Personal development competitiveness (PDC)competitiveness (PDC) 2 2

He/she is focused on self-He/she is focused on self-development, self-discovery and development, self-discovery and discovery of his/her potentialsdiscovery of his/her potentials

He/she follows the standards of He/she follows the standards of excellency, wants to make excellency, wants to make progress and do something as progress and do something as good as he/she can.good as he/she can.

Why to study the C and SC Why to study the C and SC together?together?

The second part of the answer:The second part of the answer:

In our study, we try to reject a In our study, we try to reject a stereotype, that stereotype, that CC is not a desired is not a desired personal characteristic. personal characteristic.

IIf f CC is investigated in a context of is investigated in a context of SCSC, , also positive dimensions as well as also positive dimensions as well as correlations with correlations with SCSC areas could appear. areas could appear.

AA model of model of SC and CSC and C could be could be postulated. postulated.

TThis model might differ from his model might differ from cultureculture/nation/nation to culture to culture/nation/nation. .

The purposeThe purposess of our study of our study

Are there any differences in self-Are there any differences in self-concept and competition among concept and competition among participants from different participants from different countries? countries? The investigation of the The investigation of the correlations between self-concept correlations between self-concept and competitionand competitionPostulation of a multidimensional Postulation of a multidimensional model of self-concept and model of self-concept and competitioncompetition..

SubjectsSubjects

464 first-year students 464 first-year students

Slovenia (N= 169)Slovenia (N= 169)

Serbia and Monte Negro (N=Serbia and Monte Negro (N=155155) )

Spain (N=140) Spain (N=140)

They were selected on the They were selected on the grounds of comparable grounds of comparable educational programs and similar educational programs and similar age (19 years).age (19 years).

Measuring instruments and Measuring instruments and variablesvariables

Self-conceptSelf-concept: :

Self Description questionnaire (SDQ III; Self Description questionnaire (SDQ III; Marsh and O'Neill, 1984)Marsh and O'Neill, 1984)

School motivationSchool motivation::

Inventory of School Motivation (ISMInventory of School Motivation (ISM;; McInerney et al.McInerney et al., , 1997)1997)

CompetetivenessCompetetiveness::

A measure of personal attitudes concerning A measure of personal attitudes concerning competitiveness (Ryckman et al.competitiveness (Ryckman et al., 1996, 1996), ),

Hypercompetitive attitude scale (Ryckman Hypercompetitive attitude scale (Ryckman et al., 1990).et al., 1990).

Self-concept areas(SDQ III)Self-concept areas(SDQ III)MathematicsMathematicsVerbalVerbalAcademicAcademicProblem Problem solving/Creativitysolving/CreativityPhysical abilitiesPhysical abilitiesPhysical Physical appearanceappearanceRelation with Relation with same sex peerssame sex peers

Relations with Relations with opposite sex opposite sex peerspeersRelations with Relations with parentsparentsReligion/SpiritReligion/Spirit..Honesty/ReliabilityHonesty/ReliabilityEmotional Emotional stability/Securitystability/SecurityGeneral self-General self-conceptconcept

School motivation fields (ISM)School motivation fields (ISM)

TaskTask

EffortEffort

Sense of Sense of purposepurpose

Social powerSocial power

AffiliationAffiliation

Social concernSocial concern

PraisePraise

TokenToken

General General motivationmotivation

Mastery generalMastery general

Performance Performance generalgeneral

Social generalSocial general

CompetitivenessCompetitiveness

Hyper-competitivenessHyper-competitiveness

Personal development Personal development competitivenesscompetitiveness

Additional dataAdditional data

Nationality Nationality

AgeAge

GenderGender

Type of studyType of study

ResultsResultsCorrelation analysis – all threeCorrelation analysis – all three

nationsnationsHC and PDC do not correlate with SC HC and PDC do not correlate with SC areasareasBoth HC as well as PDC are more Both HC as well as PDC are more related to school motivation than to related to school motivation than to self-conceptself-conceptThe hypothesis of competitiveness as The hypothesis of competitiveness as part of the self-concept model is part of the self-concept model is questionable if we analyse all three questionable if we analyse all three nations as a wholenations as a whole

ResultsResults

Correlation analysis – Correlation analysis – different different nationsnationsBoth HC as well as PDC are more Both HC as well as PDC are more related to school motivation than related to school motivation than to self-conceptto self-conceptPDC correlates with mathematics PDC correlates with mathematics (Slo), sincerity (-; Ser),(Slo), sincerity (-; Ser), verbal, verbal, academic, problem solving, academic, problem solving, physical abilities, physical physical abilities, physical appearance, general SC (-; Sp)appearance, general SC (-; Sp)

ResultsResults

HC correlates with verbal, physical HC correlates with verbal, physical appearance, relations with same appearance, relations with same sex peers (-; Ser), academic, sex peers (-; Ser), academic, physical abilities, sincerity (-; Sp)physical abilities, sincerity (-; Sp)

General General motivationmotivation

Performance Performance generalgeneral

Personal Personal development development competitivenesscompetitiveness

MathematicsMathematics ,181,181 ,213,213 ,176,176

Table 1: Correlation analysis- Slovenians

Correlations are significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Hyper competitivenessHyper competitiveness Personal Personal development development competitivenesscompetitiveness

Verbal self-conceptVerbal self-concept -,316-,316

Physical appearancePhysical appearance -,270-,270

Relations with same Relations with same sex peerssex peers

-,236-,236

Sincerity/reliabilitySincerity/reliability -,218-,218

Table 2: Correlation analysis- Serbians

Correlations are significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

Hyper Hyper competitivenesscompetitiveness

Personal development Personal development competitivenesscompetitiveness

Verbal self-conceptVerbal self-concept -,167-,167

Academic self-Academic self-conceptconcept

-,178-,178 -,172-,172

Problem Problem solving/creativitysolving/creativity

-,197-,197

Physical Physical abilities/sportsabilities/sports

,178,178 -,247-,247

Physical Physical appearanceappearance

-,248-,248

Sincerity/reliabilitySincerity/reliability -,420-,420

General self-General self-conceptconcept

-,271-,271

Table 3: Correlation analysis- Spaniards

Correlations are significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).

FindingsFindings

We do see that there is slightly We do see that there is slightly different structure under the different structure under the correlations if we analyse all three correlations if we analyse all three nations as one sample or if we analyse nations as one sample or if we analyse each national sample separatelyeach national sample separately

The hypothesis of self-concept and The hypothesis of self-concept and competitiveness model is not so competitiveness model is not so questionable if we analyse the questionable if we analyse the participants from each nationality participants from each nationality separatelyseparately

Construction of a modelConstruction of a model

4 factor analysis (each one with 4 factor analysis (each one with different sample) assumed only different sample) assumed only one basic model of self-concept one basic model of self-concept and competitivenessand competitiveness

Self-concept

Performance Mastery Hyper C

ACADEMIC

SOCIAL

EMOTIONAL

GENERAL

AFFILIATION

SOCIAL

CONCERN

TOKEN

Figure 1: A multidimensional model of self-concept and competition representing 5 areas

EFFORT

Personal DC

SOCIAL

POWER

SOCIAL

GENERAL

TASK

+ + +++

+ ++ -

- --

Final conclusions and Final conclusions and suggestionssuggestions

There are more correlations between There are more correlations between SC and C in cross national settingsSC and C in cross national settingsOne basic model of SC and C could be One basic model of SC and C could be postulatedpostulatedThe model consists of 5 independent The model consists of 5 independent areas: one belongs to self-conceptareas: one belongs to self-concept,, two belong to school motivation and 2 two belong to school motivation and 2 belong to competitivenessbelong to competitivenessMore advanced analysis would be More advanced analysis would be proposed to deepen the research of proposed to deepen the research of structural modelstructural model

Thank you!Thank you!darja.kobal@ff.uni-lj.sidarja.kobal@ff.uni-lj.si

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