The effects of competition and achievement orientedness on helping behaviour.

Abstract

This study explored the effects of competition and achievement orientedness on helping behaviour. Three hypotheses were tested. 1) Participants in competitive and self-competitive conditions would help less as compared to participants in a non-competitive condition. 2) Higher achievement orientedness would lead to a decrease in helping behaviour. 3) Achievement orientedness would affect participants’ helping behaviour but only in the competitive condition and not in the self-competitive and non-competitive conditions. One hundred and sixteen participants from Nanyang Technological University of Singapore were randomly assigned to three different conditions (competitive, non-competitive and selfcompetitive) to see if they would help a confederate in the middle of a game. Results of the study supported the third hypothesis but not the first and second hypotheses.