Date of Award
1976
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Stephen L. O'Keefe
Abstract
Based on a review of the literature on competition, several hypotheses on the effects of competitive instructional set on both speed and accuracy measures were explored using a paired associate learning paradigm. One hundred and forty second graders (70 boys and 70 girls) were randomly assigned to three instructional treatments: speed competition, accuracy competition and non-competition. The competitive groups were further divided into relative positions of win, lose and tie; subjects were equally divided by sex, Although the subjects in the speed competition group performed significantly faster than subjects in the other conditions, no significant differences were found between any of the treatment conditions and the non-competitive condition on number of errors in performance, Indications were that males and females may employ a different strategy approach to noncompetitive situations but that both respond equally to a competitive situation. Several possible explanations for these results are discussed. The implications of these results for education indicate that care and caution should be used in applying competitive instructional sets as a universal classroom technique.
Recommended Citation
Comiskey, Thomas J., "The Effect of Two Competitive Conditions and a Non-Competitive Condition on Performance and Retention on a Recognition Task" (1976). Open Access Dissertations. Paper 915.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/oa_diss/915
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