Questioning Conventional Assumptions of Competition Dynamics

Ahlam Lee

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2025
• Topic: Psychology
• eBook ISBN:
  9781009348102
• Subtopic: Applied Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Competition permeates various facets of our lives, from the job market to sports arenas, influencing resource allocation, recognition opportunities, and societal dynamics. However, entrenched notions in social sciences, particularly the assumption of a linear correlation between competition and inequality within free-market systems, can limit perspectives. This book challenges such assumptions, delving deeper into the multifaceted nature of competition dynamics. Drawing from extensive literature and empirical data across diverse systems, cultures, and eras, it offers readers a nuanced understanding of competition's complexities. Contrary to prevailing beliefs, competition's roots are not solely tied to Western individualism and capitalism. By examining competition through cultural, economic, and political lenses, this book enables readers to recognize that such an assumption represents only a selective portion of competition dynamics. By embracing an interdisciplinary approach, this book encourages readers to reevaluate their perspectives on competition, recognizing its varied sources and consequences beyond conventional paradigms.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Imprints page
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• List of Contributors
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1 Introduction: Competition from Economic, Cultural, and Political Perspectives
• Chapter 2 Attitudes toward Competition in Asian and Western Societies from the Late 1980s to the Early 2020s
• Chapter 3 Socialist Competition
• Chapter 4 Competition after the Economic Reforms of China and Vietnam
• Chapter 5 The Emergence of a Hidden Market Economy in North Korea
• Chapter 6 Competition in the (Former) Totalitarian Countries’ Political Arenas
• Chapter 7 Ideological Factors Influencing the Soviet Union’s Investment in Sport Psychology
• Chapter 8 Competition Dynamics between North Korean Refugees and South Koreans
• Chapter 9 Visible but Unspoken Competition in North Korea: Narrative of the Author from North Korea
• Chapter 10 North Korea, Where I Lived: Socialist Mass Movements and the Spectrum of Competitive (Un) Consciousness
• Chapter 11 Conclusion: Insights and Reflection Questions about Competition Dynamics
• Index