Abstract

Abstract This study assessed the effects of competition on intrinsic motivation and perceptions of competence. Using Church's (1968) reward conceptualization of competition, the competency aspect of competition was made salient by offering a Best Performance Award to tournament winners. Subjects were randomly assigned to conditions of winning or losing the competition. Results revealed that subjects not winning the competition perceived themselves as less competent and displayed less intrinsic motivation than subjects winning the competition. These findings corroborate predictions based on Deci and Ryan's (1985) cognitive evaluation theory, which explains the psychological processes underlying changes in intrinsic motivation that occur in competitive situations.