THE EFFECT OF INTER-GROUP COMPETITION ON GROUP MEMBER ADJUSTMENT,
Abstract
The experiments revealed a number of important implications for the organizational management of men. The studies indicate that competition among small face-to-face groups not only assists men to maintain personal adjustment in the group, but that it also eliminates the demoralizing effects of failure. It should be stressed, however, that the competition is most likely to have a beneficial effect only if the men compete as small groups. In the military organization, the squad consisting of 8 to 12 men, or perhaps the platoon consisting of 50 men, is the largest unit that could be described as a face-to-face group. The studies suggest that competition is beneficial to morale and adjustment by welding groups into more cohesive units in which men see each other as interdependent and in a positive manner. In contrast, competition among men as individuals belonging to the same group is likely to divide the group and to engender resentment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0655163
Entities
People
- Fred Edward Fiedler
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign