What is the psychology of competition?

Common definitions of competition tend to emphasize its objective features, which produce a zero-sum interaction whereby the outcome establishes winners and losers based on more than mere chance. The psychological study of competition, however, is primarily concerned with individuals' behavior and their subjective feelings, perceptions, motivations, and intentions. As such, this chapter defines competition more broadly to include all manifestations of individual competitive behavior or competitive psychological state, even when they occur outside of overtly competitive institutional arrangements or explicitly competitive interactions. The authors then outline the chapters in this volume to showcase the study of competition across the broad spectrum of psychology.