From science fairs to spelling bees, children's efforts are often propelled by the desire to win against others. While some children may be immediately excited when a contest is announced, there are others whose enthusiasm is dampened by the prospect of having to compete with others.
A new study suggests that a child's level of masculinity is central to determining his or her response to competition.
The study, "Is Competition Invigorating or Intimidating? The Influence of Gender Role on Children's Reactions to Competition," is co-authored by Regina Conti, assistant professor of psychology at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY. The study is under consideration at Sex Roles, a professional journal. She co-authored the study with Mary Ann Collins, assistant professor of psychology at Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL; and Martha L. Picariello, a former graduate student at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA.
"Research has consistently shown that boys tend to be more competitive and to feel more comfortable in competitive situations than girls. The purpose of this study was to better understand how gender influences children's responses to competition," says Conti.
The researchers administered a Children's Sex Role Inventory questionnaire to 143 children at a Boston-area public elementary school, 71 boys and 72 girls, between the ages of 6 to 11. One week later, these children made paper collages in groups where half of the children competed for prizes; half did not. In addition, half of those sessions were gender-integrated and half were gender-segregated. The children then responded to a motivation questionnaire.
The researchers found that masculine children reported higher levels of intrinsic motivation when competing and when segregated by gender. They also reported higher levels of extrinsic motivation, especially when segregated by gender. Masculinity is defined by task- oriented responding, whereas femininity is associated with higher levels of empathy and relational goals.
"In the situation that our participants were presented with, highly feminine children may have been less concerned with competition, and therefore were not as motivated to compare their performance with other same-sex peers as were highly masculine children. A competitive situation, it appears, is more involving for those high in masculinity if they are similar to others in the situation," explains Conti.
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Editors: Dr. Conti is at 315-824-7661 (office). He e-mail address is [email protected] She can provide more information about the study and its results. Please contact Steve Infanti of Dick Jones Communications at 814-867-1963 if you would like a copy of the paper.
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